Gsl Executes Triple Into Tough Volleyball Pools

The rest of the state must be thrilled by the way the Greater Spokane League cut through last week’s regional volleyball tournament.

Oh goody, they must be saying, three GSL volleyball teams at state rather than one or two.

There was no regional last year, when Lewis and Clark earned the GSL’s lone berth to state. The Tigers never dropped a game while winning their second state title in three years.

Speaking of never dropping a game, that’s what Shadle Park did to the state field two years ago. The GSL’s other representative that year, Ferris, finished third.

So how does the GSL look this weekend, with LC, Ferris and North Central among the 16-team field for the first tournament at the Arena?

“The way we blew out the Big Nine (at regional), that’s a good indication,” said coach Linda Bushinski of NC, which makes its first state appearance since 1988.

“Ferris is a great team that could win it all,” said LC coach Buzzie Welch. “They remind me of us last year: real steady.”

“I just don’t think many other teams play defense like (the GSL) does,” said coach Stacey Ward of district and regional champ Ferris.

NC has drawn one of the toughest pools, with ‘94 runner-up Auburn and Bethel, seventh last year. The Indians, led by seniors Aimee Wilson and Tamara Van Engelen, have played well under pressure. Two weeks ago NC played University in a loser-out district match.”It just seems like the girls know when they really have to go out and play hard,” Bushinski said.

Ferris is also in a rugged pool, with Bellarmine Prep (sixth last year) and new school River Ridge, which has beaten Auburn twice.

Unlike ‘93, when the Saxons relied on Jaimie Lee, this season’s team succeeds with balance. Seniors Lea Ruhl, Molly Jones and K.C. Richards are the backbone.

LC is a much different team from last year. Middle blocker Sarah Hiss and setter Ingrid Lindeblad are the lone seniors in the lineup.

“We’ll be underdogs, but I think we got a pretty good pool,” said Welch, whose Tigers own a win over pool member Prairie.

Class AA

First-year volleyball coach Jim Door said a new attitude resulted in East Valley’s first winning season and state trip since 1990.

“The major difference was the girls worked extremely hard to be a team,” he said. “Too much, in fact. I had to back them off.”

The Knights will test their togetherness Friday at Pacific Lutheran University in a pool that includes defending champion Selah.

EV was 9-3 in league and swept through last week’s district, beating league champion Clarkston twice.

The Knights built around returning seniors Anji Blindauer, Kelli Haye, Farrah Parsley and Angela Overdorff. Parsley (knee) and Overdorff (broken elbow) are playing despite recent injuries.”All week long I felt very confident in their ability,” Dorr said.

Class A

Area representatives Deer Park and Colfax (26-2-1) appear to have drawn favorable pools for the tournament in Chelan.

Pool B includes defending champ La Center and Foster, sixth last year. Omak and Meridian, fourth and fifth last year, are in Pool D.

No team in Deer Park’s Pool A made state last year. Colfax is in the slightly tougher Pool C with Woodland, third last year.

“We should be able to advance if we play our game,” said Colfax coach Sue Doering.

Colfax is led by juniors Angie Hall and Tracy Tribbett. Leah Wiiest is the go-to player for Deer Park, which last made state in 1993. , DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: STATE AAA VOLLEYBALL Information on the State AAA volleyball tournament, Friday and Saturday at the Arena: Starting time: 9:30 a.m. Defending champion: LC Former champions in field: LC, Columbia River Number of returning teams from ‘94: Eight of the 16 Returning placers: LC first, Auburn second, Puyallup fourth, Bellarmine Prep sixth, Bethel seventh, Columbia River eighth Significant stat: Greater Spokane League teams have won seven of the last 11 tournaments.