State Draw Seems Ok To Coaches
State volleyball
Mead and Ferris both reacted positively Sunday after learning their assignments for one of the oddest State AAA volleyball tournaments in memory.
Ferris’ Pool A and Mead’s Pool C are generally free of teams that traditionally succeed at state.
In fact, the entire 16-team field lacks many of the typical powers from past years: Shadle Park, Lewis and Clark, Columbia River, Kent-Meridian or Eisenhower.
“I guess my first impression is that I’m kind of surprised at so many of the teams that are in it,” said coach Judy Kight of Region IV champion Mead. “I guess it’s anybody’s game.”
“I think it’s sweet,” said coach Stacey Ward of top-ranked Ferris, which was unbeaten before region but barely made the field. “I have no problem with our pool at all.
“We feel like we’re back from the dead.”
When the WIAA/Dairy Farmers of Washington state tourney begins at 9:30 Friday morning in the Arena, Ferris will open against seventh-ranked Auburn. Auburn and Ferris represent one-third of the returners in the field. Inglemoor and Shelton round out Pool A.
Mead’s first match, at 11, is against Sammamish. Fifth-ranked Sehome and 10th-ranked Sumner also are in Mead’s pool.
Sixth-ranked Prairie, in Pool D, is the top returning state placer (fifth). Second-ranked Bethel, the apparent class of Pool B, placed sixth last year. Ferris was seventh.
State AA at Tacoma
Frontier League and District 7-AA champ East Valley drew Pool C, along with eighth-ranked South Whidbey, ninth-ranked Blanchet and Hanford.
South Whidbey placed seventh last year but comes out of its district seeded third. Hanford, another third seed, kept 10th-ranked Ellensburg out of state.
Colville, the other Frontier entrant, landed in Pool A with top-ranked Kennedy, sixth-ranked Capital and Jackson. Kennedy lost last year’s title match to Fife.
Fife, in Pool D, returns, as do nine others from last year’s field.
State A at Chelan
Defending state champ and top-ranked Colfax drew Pool B, featuring all returners and two other ranked teams.
That may appear an unfavorable draw, but every pool is loaded with returners and ranked teams. Thirteen teams are back from last year, and every ranked team except No. 9 La Center made state.
Fourth-ranked Omak, seventh-ranked Montesano and Seattle Christian will try to slow Colfax. Omak placed seventh last year.
Tenth-ranked Newport, the other entry from District 7-A, is in Pool A with sixth-ranked Ridgefield, Nooksack Valley and Kiona-Benton.
State B at EWU
The route to a third consecutive title-match appearance appears treacherous for third-ranked Wilbur-Creston.
The Wildcats drew Pool C with second-ranked Lopez, eighth-ranked Kalama and Evergreen Lutheran. Kalama lost to W-C in last year’s title match.
Top-ranked Davenport, which won the Bi-County League tourney but squeaked into state as a third district seed, plays in Pool D with fourth-ranked Toutle Lake, Wahluke and Clallam Bay.
Pool B features surprise District 7-B champ Ritzville, which is ranked sixth, 10th-ranked St. John-Endicott, Lake Quinault and La Conner.
, DataTimes