Tigers repeat at district

From coach to player, the Timberlake High volleyball team had one goal Saturday: The Tigers wanted to prove their 2003 district title wasn’t a coincidence.

Timberlake, which dropped both Intermountain League matches to St. Maries, prevailed in a marathon, topping the Lumberjacks 25-18, 23-23, 25-20, 18-25, 15-12 to defend its 3A District I championship.

Timberlake (21-6) and St. Maries (25-4) advance to state, which will be held Friday and Saturday at Shelley High School.

St. Maries bounced back to eliminate Priest River 21-25, 25-16, 25-15, 25-11 in the final match at North Idaho College in Coeur d’Alene.

In earlier matches, Bonners Ferry defeated Kellogg 13-25, 20-25, 25-22, 25-11, 16-14; Timberlake topped Priest River 25-19, 25-10, 25-17; St. Maries stopped Bonners Ferry 25-11, 25-9, 25-10; and Priest River eliminated Bonners Ferry 25-13, 21-25, 19-25, 25-21, 15-8.

In the title match, the Tigers overcame the Lumberjacks in a marathon between evenly matched teams.

Corina Beyer, Erin Macklin and Tarra Tymessen led the Tigers at the net. Timberlake’s backrow players picked up the defense and the Tigers frequently got their hands on the St. Maries attacks at the net.

Beyer had a match-high 14 kills to go with 16 assists, three aces and three blocks. Tymessen had 10 kills and a match-high seven blocks, and Macklin added nine kills and five blocks.

“They wanted it pretty bad today,” Timberlake coach Michelle Garwood said. “They were dead tired in those last two games, but they wanted to win. This is a big boost for our program. This tells the school and the volleyball team that we can defend our title – that we do have athletes capable of showing up the next year.”

Garwood said a key was her team’s depth, particularly from the players she rotates through the back row.

“In years past I haven’t had that depth,” Garwood said. “The kids who are able to step in and pass the ball make the kids with the familiar names (leaders in kills and blocks) look good. It’s the passers who don’t always get the recognition that are making the other kids look good at times.”

Beyer took the district title trophy with her as she left the gym.

“This proves that we’re not going to go away – that last year wasn’t a fluke,” Beyer said. “We outplayed (St. Maries). We had to overcome the fear that we couldn’t beat them. We’re going to go to state and do some damage.”

St. Maries cruised through league undefeated. First-year coach Jamie Hammes, who is taking the Lumberjacks back to state for the first time in three years, thought the difference for Timberlake was blocking and defense.

Like the Tigers, the Lumberjacks had many contributions. Jenna Robinson led with 11 kills and Kristi Smith, the team’s lone senior, had nine. Kelsi Lee also had nine kills to go with 10 digs.

“It was two great teams playing at their best and Timberlake just got the best of us,” Hammes said.

In the final match, the Lumberjacks started slowly – as if they hadn’t shaken off the setback in the title match. But the better team emerged in the second game and it carried through to the end.

Still, Hammes thought her team didn’t come close to its usual level against Priest River.

“They were tired – they just got done playing a five-game match,” Hammes said. “They didn’t play up to their potential. And finishing the game they still didn’t play up to their potential, but I was proud they were able to close it out. With just didn’t play with intensity.”

Robinson led with nine kills, and Lee and Smith each had eight. Lee also had five blocks and five digs.

Seeding was finalized for the state tourney. Timberlake will meet play-in winner South Fremont; St. Maries will face District IV champ Gooding; District 3 champ Fruitland will meet District V champ Bear Lake; and District VI champ Shelley will face District III runner-up Middleton.

•The IML coaches announced their all-league teams.

Beyer and Lee were named co-most valuable players. Joining them on the first team were: Macklin, Sather, Robinson and Cami Wendt of Kellogg.

•Coeur d’Alene earned a state berth, topping Meridian 23-25, 25-14, 15-25, 29-27, 15-9 in a 5A play-in match at Craigmont.

The Vikings were trailing 24-18 in the pivotal fourth game and survived eight match-point situations to rally and extend it to a fifth game.

“I about had a heart attack,” CdA coach Carly Curtis said. “I’ve never seen anything like that in my life.”

Rachel Moore led with 10 kills and five blocks. Jackie Lenz came up big behind the service line with seven aces.

CdA played without standout senior hitter Jenna Griffitts, who’s still recovering from a sprained ankle. She’s expected to return at state.

The Vikings (12-12) will join Region I champ Lake City (20-2) at state, which will be held Friday and Saturday at Idaho Falls High School. In opening matches, CdA will meet Skyline; LC takes on Boise; defending champ Idaho Falls goes against Capital; and Timberline meets Eagle.

•Sandpoint earned a state berth, handling Bishop Kelly of Boise 25-19, 25-15, 18-25, 25-21 in a 4A play-in match at Craigmont.

The Bulldogs (15-10) were led by hitter/setter Kelsey James, who had a match-high 19 kills to go with 20 assists.

“They played extremely well the first two games,” Sandpoint coach Tiwi Nicks said. “They’re making shots I haven’t seen them make all season. It’s really neat to see.”

Defending state champ Sandpoint will join Region I champ Moscow (16-8) at state, which begins Friday at Bonneville High School in Idaho Falls. In opening matches, Sandpoint will meet District IV-V champ Century of Pocatello; Moscow will face District IV-V runner-up Minico; District VI champ Bonneville, the favorite, will meet District III runner-up Emmett; and District III champ Skyview will face Madison.

•North Star League champ Kootenai swept Wallace 3-0 in the 1A District I final at Harrison. Clark Fork upset Wallace to earn the district’s second seed to state.

Kootenai (18-5) topped Wallace 25-11, 25-12, 25-17 in the title match. Clark Fork, which had fell to Wallace 3-0 in an earlier match in the day, came back to eliminate the Miners in five games, prevailing 25-20, 14-25, 15-25, 25-21, 15-10.

Wallace defeated Clark Fork in the earlier match 25-15, 15-16, 25-17. In other matches, Kootenai downed Lakeside 25-13, 25-10, 25-7 and Clark Fork topped Lakeside 25-8, 27-29, 25-13, 25-20 in a loser-out match.

Kootenai and Clark Fork (12-13) begin pool play at state on Thursday at Declo and Burley high schools. The top two finishes in the four pools advance to bracket play on Friday.