Mead raises the bar
Toughest league in the state.
That’s what Mead volleyball coach Judy Kight called the Greater Spokane League on Saturday night, which is more than fair, considering the GSL placed three teams in the top five at last weekend’s State 4A high school tournament in Kennewick.
Kight’s Panthers capped an incredible run with an unprecedented fifth-straight title, defeating the Lewis and Clark Tigers in four games in the championship as the teams squared off for the second straight year.
Mead’s milestone surpassed Shadle Park’s league-leading five titles, as the Panthers now have six after winning their first in 1999.
The Shadle Park Highlanders improved on last year’s eighth-place finish to grab fifth.
“It think our league really prepares us for anything we are going to see over here,” Shadle coach Brooke Cooper said after her team won the fifth-place trophy.
Also concluding a season of success out of the GSL were the Mt. Spokane Wildcats, who were one win away from a guaranteed trophy in the State 3A tournament in the team’s first appearance at the state level.
After losing in the first round, the Wildcats made it to the consolation semifinals and were eliminated after a five-game thriller to Mount Si 25-13, 19-25, 25-22, 14-25, 18-20.
Senior Caitlin Barschig had a school-record 24 kills in the match and Christine Whitehead finished with 22 digs, a match-high for her.
“Wasn’t that something?” Mt. Spokane coach John Reid said. “I mean, our setter (Jordon Hoffnagle) goes down with a cheerleading accident before we get to state. … I threw people out there who haven’t really set, and they did it.
“The kids were just more than excited about it. … What a wonderful way to end the season. The girls were so into each other, they gave everything to each other, and had such a great time on the trip itself. Every single person contributed. I want to make a habit out of (going to state).”
Kight loses seven seniors off this year’s Panthers team. It hardly has seemed to make a difference in the past, though, as the rebuilding process for Mead could more appropriately be called the reloading process.
Graduating are the solid defensive core of Lindsay Petroni and Alex Cey, middle hitter Emma Olgard, and all-around impact players Meg Ryan, Beth Altena and Amanda Dahlstrom. In Karyn Mockel, Kight loses an all-GSL setter that has been instrumental in Mead’s success the past two seasons.
The Highlanders also lose a core group of seniors in Brianne Brown, Lexie Pettersen, Amanda Bettinson, Stacey Kent and Katie Rawley.
Mt. Spokane graduates seven seniors: Barschig, Hoffnagle, Whitehead, Lindsay LaBenne, Jenna Canter, Brooke Duncan and Jackie Goldman.