Champs At Last! North Central Pulls Together Down Stretch To Win Crown

Near the end of October, North Central had a fourth-place volleyball team with an irksome rift on its hands.

Funny what can happen in less than a month.

Following Saturday’s title-match win over Lewis and Clark at the State AAA Tournament, the mention of NC volleyball brings to mind traits such as perseverence and togetherness.

The rift? What rift?

Over a period of three weeks, the Indians climbed stairs while other teams sought level ground.

As the Greater Spokane League’s No. 4 team, the Indians faced - and won - a loser-out match at district two weeks ago. The rest of their district schedule resembled league play, as NC couldn’t topple GSL champion Gonzaga Prep or runner-up Ferris, which won district.

Not much was expected of fourth-seeded NC at last week’s regional, since the Indians opened against Big Nine Conference No. 1 Walla Walla. The first hints of what would come surfaced, however, as NC beat the Blue Devils and eventually played Ferris for the title. Ferris won again, meaning state-bound NC still wasn’t No. 1 at anything.

But who, during the waning days of the league season, would have pictured NC in any kind title match? The Indians were a team in turmoil.

The trouble stemmed from NC’s late-October appearance at a 17-team tournament co-sponsored by LC. NC’s homecoming dance was the same night, so when the tourney ran late the players’ thoughts drifted away from the courts.

Most of the players had dates waiting for them. To them, the final two matches became secondary to one of the biggest dances of the year.

According to some reports, NC coach Linda Bushinski let her players vote on whether to leave the tournament. Others insist Bushinski had no say. Still others claim there wasn’t an official vote.

But eight players walked away and forfeited the final two matches. Because of that, Bushinski benched the group for NC’s league-ending match with G-Prep. District loomed a few days away, and the schism between coach, players and parents appeared wide.

Instead of wallowing in anger and resentment, coach and players found a common ground. What had brought many of them together years ago, they knew, was a love for the game.

“The team pulled together; they became a team,” Bushinski said moments after NC finished off LC 13-15, 15-8, 15-7 for the school’s first title in any girls sport. “Volleyball became a priority, and this is what they got out of it.”

Some of the players considered making a stink of the benching after the Prep match. Cooler heads prevailed, however, because the loser-out district match was just hours away.

“I really didn’t think (the incident) would be a factor,” said NC senior Tamara Van Engelen, who will play collegiately at Washington. “But looking back, I think it pulled us together.”

“We all pulled together as one and focused on the next game,” added Indians senior Aimee Wilson, a Gonzaga University recruit. “We only thought of the future.”

That future boiled down to two marvelous days at the Arena, as NC proved to be the most consistent team in the field of 16. Van Engelen, Wilson and other starters Erin Schumacher and Heidi Greenwood will move on, leaving in question NC’s long-term volleyball future. Yet half of the roster could return for 1996, including junior starters Sarah Menard and Shannon Nelson.

Notes

NC last played in a state-title game in ‘78, with a baseball team that included Ryne Sandberg. That team lost… . The previous year, the Indians won the state boys cross country title… . LC’s Buzzie Welch coached Bushinski at Rogers. “It’s nice to see my former player come back and beat her coach,” Welch said. “I’m proud of her and what she’s done.” Rogers made state in ‘82, with the 5-foot-7 Bushinski at middle hitter. How would Bushinski have stacked up against 5-10 Wilson and 6-0 Van Engelen? “It’s a different game,” said a grinning Bushinski.

A GSL team has won the last four state titles, and eight of the last 12. Never before, however, had two GSL teams played for the title… . LC, which finished third in the league, swept the Indians during GSL matches.

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