Tigers dominate state

KENNEWICK – With the Lewis and Clark volleyball team, there’s a smorgasbord of offensive and defensive abilities.

No team could match what the Tigers brought to the table at the State 4A tournament. LC cruised to the championship Saturday, handling Kamiakin 25-12, 25-20, 25-22 in the final and Skyview 25-19, 25-23, 25-21 in the semifinals at the Toyota Center.

LC didn’t drop a game in its four victories.

It was the sixth straight championship by a Greater Spokane League team. It was LC’s first state title since 1994 and third overall.

For the two-time runner-up Tigers (30-1), it was finally an opportunity to shed the bridesmaid status after falling to Mead in the final the last two years.

The Tigers’ three key seniors – middle hitter Chloe Rowand, outside hitter Oceana Bush and setter Hilary Koenigs – were at the center of LC’s success at state, especially in the final.

Truth be known, Kamiakin, which fell to LC (30-1) in five games in the Eastern Regional final Nov. 15, didn’t stand a chance in the final.

“Between Hilary, Chloe and Oceana, they were not going to lose this,” LC coach Julie Yearout said. “Mariah (Westlake) and Lindsey (Will) are great seniors as well and I haven’t talked much about them, but Hilary, Chole and Oceana just weren’t going to lose.”

The Tigers opened a 9-1 lead in the first set and pushed it to 14-2. The Braves never recovered. Kamiakin’s biggest lead at any point in the match was at 12-10 in the second game. Even then, LC ran off seven straight points and suppressed any hopes the Braves may have had of a comeback.

In the third game, the Tigers used a 5-0 spurt to build a small cushion at 15-10. Kamiakin pulled within a point two times later in the match, but emphatic kills by Bush and Rowand put the Braves away.

Bush and Rowand had 19 kills apiece.

“We really came out fast and deserved it,” said Rowand, who is headed to Auburn. “We’ve been in a position where we’ve been second (the last two years). This year we wanted it, we wanted it so bad.”

Bush agreed.

“I think it was a mixture of the hard work, the dedication and the heart,” Bush said. “I’m so glad we came out with fire. I think when you come out with fire it kind of scares a team a little bit and they know they have to bring it even more.”

Except Kamiakin had too much to overcome, such as LC’s destiny.

“We were fired up, but LC definitely was fired up,” Kamiakin coach Mary Opitz said. “They’ve been the bridesmaid the last two years. They wanted to be the bride.”

The Braves were constantly on their heels, and they couldn’t defend all the areas of the net from which the Tigers attack.

“Tonight was a showing of how we play and how hard we practice,” Bush said. “At every position we’re good. There’s not a weakness on the team.”

Bush praised middles Rowand and junior Janele Vogt.

“Our middles came to play the whole tournament,” Bush said.

The Tigers weren’t going to be denied a third straight year.

“I was actually really emotional (going into the match),” Bush said. “Last year we were so close but didn’t get it. This year I wanted to hold that trophy and smile.”

As far as Yearout was concerned, there wasn’t a better setter in the tourney than Koenigs, who had 32 assists and eight digs in the title match.

“It was just a perfect year,” Koenigs said.

To her, the explanation of the difference between the regional final and the state final is simple.

“We wanted a state title so bad this year,” Koenigs said. “We came out with so much more determination and so much more passion. Nothing could stop us.”

The Tigers have been predictably slow starters in matches this season.

“They totally surprised me,” Yearout said. “But they were so focused and so ready to go. They waited a long time for this.”

In the semifinals, LC met a team that hadn’t dropped a game all season.

Unlike how it started in the final, LC got out slowly against Skyview, trailing 15-10 in the first set. But the Tigers ran off six straight to get untracked.

Bush and Rowand led with 14 kills each. Koenigs had 37 assists.

Mead earned a trophy match with a 20-25, 25-21, 26-24, 25-13 win over Monroe.

In the match for fourth and seventh places, Kentwood rallied from an 8-4 deficit in the fifth set to top the Panthers 19-25, 25-19, 19-25, 25-21, 15-11.