Colfax makes it four straight

YAKIMA – Sue Doering leaned forward in her chair, her eyes fixated on the violet-colored floor below her feet. Unable at first to look at her players celebrating on the floor, Doering took a few moments to collect her thoughts.

That was after only her team’s semifinal match.

Doering found time to relax a few hours later after Colfax upended Connell in the State 1A volleyball tournament title match on Saturday and secured the team’s historic fourth consecutive state championship. The Bulldogs swept Connell 25-15, 25-12, 25-22 in the SunDome.

Colfax became the third program in state history to capture at least four consecutive volleyball championships, joining Mead (4A, 2003-07) and Odessa (B, 1989-92). Seniors Abby Bruya, Megan Teade, Kelly Paulson, Jordan Harazin, Kinsey Doering and Sadie Lazzarini never lost a match at state during their distinguished careers, and several of them also play on the school’s girls basketball team that also has won four straight state titles.

“This is so much fun,” Lazzarini said. “We have a group of girls that is so amazing. Us six seniors, I mean, they’re all my best friends. I could never be without them. We’re around each other all the time, and that’s what makes us so close.”

The Bulldogs’ pursuit of history barely slowed down against Connell, which didn’t have an answer for Colfax’s front-row rotation of offensive standouts.

The Eagles didn’t hold a lead until the third game, but Colfax chiseled away at its deficit, took the lead at 14-13 and never trailed again.

“Dynasty, tradition, I don’t know what to say,” Teade said. “There are no words to explain it. This never gets old.”

Colfax edged King’s 25-21, 21-25, 25-20, 27-29, 21-19 in a semifinal showdown that featured wild momentum swings, drawn-out rallies and resilient play from both sides. The schools were widely considered to be the two favorites to win this year’s state crown, and both proved they were worthy of the hype.

Colfax led 24-20 in the fourth game, but King’s reeled off four consecutive points to knot the score. Colfax held match points at 25-24 and 26-25, but King’s scored four of the final five points to force a decisive fifth game.

King’s closed within two points of a berth in the state-title match and led 13-10 before Erin Scholz rallied the Bulldogs. A junior, Scholz recorded two blocks and a kill in a five-point span to help Colfax tie the score at 14-all. The Knights led for their final time at 18-17 before Colfax scored four of the next five points to secure the victory.

“I was praying,” Sue Doering said of her moment of introspection following the semifinal win. “I was thanking the Lord for the victory. It could’ve gone either way.”

Chewelah and Lakeside (Nine Mile Falls) finished sixth and seventh, respectively.

Chewelah allowed a two-game lead to slip away against Connell in the semifinals before losing 17-25, 15-25, 25-22, 25-18, 15-10. The Cougars then lost to King’s 25-9, 25-13, 25-21 in the match deciding third and sixth places.

Lakeside, last year’s runner-up, lost to Cedar Park Christian 25-17, 25-21, 25-19 in its final match. Cedar Park placed fourth.

State 2B

Wilbur-Creston made a recovery from its semifinal loss after falling behind 2-1 in games against Lind-Ritzville in the match for third and sixth places. The Wildcats rallied to beat Lind-Ritzville 10-25, 25-23, 21-25, 25-22, 16-14. Wilbur-Creston lost to Manson in the semifinals.

Northwest Christian settled for seventh place following a 25-16, 25-6, 25-22 loss against Riverside Christian, which placed fourth.

In the match to determine fifth and eighth places, Darrington stormed back from a deficit to defeat Davenport 18-25, 14-25, 25-23, 25-21, 15-12.