Wilbur-Creston Hopes To Make It Three Wildcats Part Of Powerful Threesome From Dominant Bi-County League
Wilbur-Creston is returning to the State B volleyball tournament without the big gun that led the Wildcats to the last two state championships, but coach Chuck Wyborney isn’t conceding anything.
“We have a strong core, but we do have some new players,” he said. “We’re approaching it as a chance to see what we can do with this team.”
The tournament starts this morning at 9:30 at Eastern Washington University and the Wildcats aren’t a clear favorite. Top-ranked Ritzville, which beat W-C for the District 7 championship, also has a solid chance. The third District 7 entry, Davenport, is ranked seventh by the coaches and won the Bi-County League tournament.
Considering the Bi-County has produced 15 of the last 16 state champions, the Wildcats should be in the hunt even without Jessica Martin, who is redshirting at Washington State University.
“I’ve never seen a year in the B tournament where teams are so evenly competitive,” Wyborney said. “The last five or six years, you could pick out one or two teams that were heads above the others. And the Bi-County was even more even than I’ve ever seen it.
“It should be a very interesting tournament. In the B poll, No. 1 has changed hands about six times. On any given day, teams can beat each other and have beaten each other. I can’t predict it. It should be fun.”
Second-ranked Lopez and No. 6 Kalama, the team W-C beat for the title last year, are in the same pool with the Wildcats and Seattle Lutheran.
“I think it’s probably the strongest pool in the tournament,” Wyborney said. “There are some real advantages to that, too. If you’re playing with that type of competition on Friday, it should make you more competitive the next day - if you get out.”
Stepping into Martin’s spot is 5-10 senior Mindy Bandy, a “tremendous talent” who has “done a great job,” Wyborney said.
Adding depth are sophomores Alyssa Erickson and Jamie Schoener, “who could very well be Division I players by the time they’re seniors,” according to their coach.
“Their effectiveness is their ability to work together,” Wyborney said. “Despite not having Jessica, watching these three, plus the others, has been fun to see.”
Middle passer Janelle Allen, “the anchor,” is a four-year letterwinner.
Other seniors are defensive specialist Jennifer Green and 6-foot Kara Roseman.
Junior setter Lacey Clark is a veteran of two championship teams. Ronee Deahl, a defensive specialist, and outside hitter Lisa Arden also play crucial roles.
, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Past B champions Oakesdale: 1977-78 Ritzville: 1979 Freeman: 1980 Wilbur: 1981 Reardan: 1982-83, ‘87-88 Lind: 1984 Odessa: 1985, ‘89-92 Friday Harbor: 1986 Davenport: 1993 Wilbur-Creston: 1994-95