District 8 volleyball, soccer set
Greater Spokane League volleyball and soccer teams are headed to post-season with the start of district play next week.
Volleyball has a pair of four-team tournaments that will qualify a total of seven teams to regional play against the Columbia Basin Big Nine. Tournaments begin Wednesday and conclude Saturday at Mt. Spokane.
Soccer also begins next Wednesday, three 4A teams qualifying for regionals. The 3A schools have no district tournament, but four advance to regional against the CBBN.
Mead's top-ranked state volleyball team has been heads and shoulders over the remainder of the 4A field. Behind them it's wide open. Gonzaga Prep coach Jeff Cristopher said at season's start that his girls "have an incredible bond. These girls truly put each other first." That is what makes a succesfful volleyball team and the Bullpups had a 7-3 season, beating Lewis and Clark to earn the No. 2 seed. The two meet again Wednesday at Prep. Last night Central Valley beat the Bullpups to tie University for fourth spot. Both 6-4, they play off for the final spot Monday at Mt. Spokane, winner traveling to the Panthers on Wednesday. U-Hi beat the Bears during regular season.
Mt. Spokane had the upper hand among 3A schools, finishing second in league with a 9-1 record. The Wildcats host Shadle Park (1-9) and North Central (3-6 with a match tonight at Mead) is at East Valley (3-6 with a match tonight against Rogers) Wednesday in the first round of the regional seeding tourney.
GSL soccer ends today, Mt. Spokane, Mead and Lewis and Clark all with 8-1 records, the Tigers a point off the lead because of shoot-out scoring (3 points for regular win, 2 points for shootout win, 1 point for shootout loss). The Panthers and Tigers are top two 4A seeds, trailed by University, Gonzaga Prep and CV. No. 4 plays No. 5 (most likely a rematch of today's Prep at CV season ender) loser out Wednesday, 6 p.m. Winner advances against No. 1, with No. 2 probable foe being the Titans in an 11 a.m., 1 p.m. twin bill Saturday. All matches are at Albi Stadium, with seeding matches for three regional berths Tuesday at 5 and 7 p.m.
Four 3A teams, Mt. Spokane, East Valley, Shadle Park and North Central are all qualified for post-season. First matches are Nov. 1 with the Indians against the Knights at CV, winner traveling to West Valley-Yakima; Shadle at Hanford, the winner at the Wildcats, Nov. 4.