St. Maries Wins Another District Title

Prep volleyball

As far as St. Maries High volleyball coach Mitch Santos is concerned, his team’s most difficult match of the season is behind it.

“I don’t care what anybody says, the (district title) match is the most important match of the year,” said Santos after the Lumberjacks captured a 17th straight A-2 District I-II championship with a 15-8, 15-8 win over Priest River at St. Maries’ gym Saturday.

St. Maries (20-2 overall) will be joined at state by Moscow (12-10), which finished second in the Intermountain League but found the same placing much more difficult at district.

After losing in the semifinals, Moscow fought back to win twice. The last win Saturday was particularly sweet - 15-11, 15-13 over Priest River - because it avenged the Bears’ first loss of the day.

The state tournament will be held at Coeur d’Alene High, beginning Friday and concluding Saturday. In opening-round matches, St. Maries will take on District III runner-up Weiser (20-2) and Moscow will meet District IV champ Wood River (28-6). In the other openers, District VI champ Shelley (23-1) meets District V champ Bear Lake (31-7) and defending champ Emmett (20-2) takes on District V runner-up Snake River (20-12).

District title match

St. Maries didn’t drop a game to a league opponent all season, but it took the best shots from an athletic Priest River team Saturday.

“That’s the best match Priest River has played against us in a long, long time,” Santos said. “They really pushed us.”

St. Maries used a 7-0 spurt in the first game to break from a 3-3 tie. The Spartans fought back, pulling within 12-8. Lumberjacks outside hitter Kim Reid closed the game with a kill that scraped the top of the net.

In the second game, Priest River pulled within 12-8, but the Lumberjacks used three tough closing serves by Reid to finish off the Spartans.

“They got themselves in a tournament mode,” Santos said of his players. “They got themselves ready for state. We took it up another level, and if we play like this at state I’ll be happy with whatever happens.”

Middle hitter Bridgette O’Dwyer was named the league’s most valuable player.

Reid expects St. Maries to challenge for its first state title since 1993.

Priest River had to turn around and take on Moscow for the final state berth.

The key for Moscow is it made fewer mistakes in the critical moments. Courtney Goetz’s ace gave the Bears the first game. The Spartans pulled within 14-13 in the second, but Moscow scored match point on a Spartan hitting error.

Earlier matches

In the semifinals, St. Maries breezed past Lakeland 15-3, 15-2 and Priest River upset Moscow 15-6, 15-6.

The Spartans had no trouble against Moscow. Candice Carpenter led with eight kills.

Moscow’s tall frontline and serving were too much for Lakeland in a loser-out match as the Bears triumphed 15-10, 15-3.

All-league team

O’Dwyer was joined by two teammates on the coaches’ all-league team: Reid and Alicia Adams.

The others named to the team are: Goetz, Andrea Thomas and Kara Swank of Moscow; Carpenter, JoAnne Vogrig and Jennifer Reed of Priest River; Sarah Walter and Amber Paulson of Bonners Ferry; and Cassie Beyer of Lakeland.

A-1 playoff

Sandpoint (20-4) had to go the long route, but it means the Bulldogs will be making a short trip to state.

The Bulldogs easily dispatched Borah 15-10, 15-5 in a playoff at Grangeville.

Sandpoint joins Region I champ Lake City (11-10) at state, which will be held at Lake City High beginning Friday and concluding Saturday.

In opening-round matches, Lake City will meet Centennial (10-10) and Sandpoint will take on District VI champ Hillcrest (29-8) of Idaho Falls.

In other openers, defending champ Bonneville (28-8) will battle Region III champ Highland (27-7) and District III No. 3 seed Capital (15-4) of Boise will take on District III champ Boise (16-3).

A-4 tourney

Top-seeded Falls Christian (13-3) won the A-4 District I Tournament at Lakeside High in Plummer.

FC defeated the host Knights 15-10, 15-12 in the title match. FC opened with a 15-1, 15-12 win over Clark Fork, then defeated Mullan 15-3, 15-7. Lakeside came through the losers bracket and defeated Mullan 15-6, 11-15, 15-7 to earn a shot at the Eagles.

The Eagles open the State A-4 Tournament at 10:30 a.m. Friday against Greenleaf Friends (17-2) of Greenleaf. The tourney is at Lewis-Clark State in Lewiston.

A-3 playoff

In a cross-district match for a state berth, Orofino topped Wallace 15-7, 15-12 at Moscow.

, DataTimes