Marriott’s Courtyard Full Of Titles Davenport E Fifth Crown Of ‘90s With Help Of Siblings

Davenport has had first-rate accommodations with the Marriotts during this championship decade.

Senior Kylene Marriott and the Gorillas attempt to repeat their State B volleyball championship this weekend at Eastern Washington University and the Arena.

State titles and Marriotts are far from rare. Even Kylene admits she could use a jolt of enthusiasm.

“When Stacia and Andee first started going to state, it was the most exciting thing ever,” Kylene said of her older sisters. “Now, when volleyball’s going to state I say, ‘Well, good thing.”’

Stacia, 22, coach of Sprague-Harrington’s girls basketball team, played point guard when Davenport won State B basketball titles in 1992 and ‘93, her senior year.

Andee, 20, was the second guard on those title teams. Eight months after the ‘93 basketball title, during Andee’s junior year, the Gorillas won their first volleyball title.

Kylene, the last of the sisters who will be playing for Davenport, entered high school in time to play one season with Andee. Davenport placed third in volleyball in Andee’s senior year.

The fourth Davenport title in a span of five years came last November, with Kylene as starting setter for a team with one senior. The Gorillas have returned eight roster players and four full-time starters.

The new season had some downs, including a league and tournament loss to Wilbur-Creston, and non-league losses to Wilbur-Creston and Pomeroy.

“But we only played four league games with our normal starters,” said Marriott, who wasn’t immune when injuries, mainly to shoulders, popped up on the team.

Davenport, last week’s District 7 champion, has regained its health and a ranking of No. 2 in this week’s state coaches poll.

Pomeroy, with Memphis University-bound Jessica Henry, is ranked No. 1. The Pirates hope to buck a trend that has seen 10 consecutive Bi-County League teams, and 17 of 18, win state. Pomeroy is coached by former Bi-Co coach Jim Greene.

Bi-County blood runs throughout the Marriotts’ extended family. Stacia recently married Reardan grad Monty Soliday. Former Sprague-Harrington players Brad and Ryan Floyd, and current S-H player Jacob Timm are all cousins.

“We have family games on Thanksgiving and Christmas,” Kylene said. “That’s the ritual.”

Father Nick Marriott, who has coached girls and boys basketball at Davenport, never coached his daughters in varsity sports but laid the early foundations. Kylene saw what worked for her sisters and developed similar skills.

That leads to interesting league games, when Stacia coaches S-H against her sister’s team.

“She’d never tell her team the stuff that I do,” Kylene said.

The versatile Stacia also placed fourth at the ‘92 State B cross country championship.

Andee, after a year of playing basketball for Big Bend in Moses Lake, transferred to Washington State. She’s involved in intramural sports.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: About the teams State B volleyball, Friday and Saturday at Eastern Washington University and the Arena (placing matches): Defending champion: Davenport Returning teams: Seven Returning placers: 1, Davenport; 3, Lopez; 4, Pomeroy; 7, Ritzville; 8, Darrington Area participants: Davenport, Northwest Christian, Tekoa-Oakesdale, Ritzville, Reardan Toughest pool: Pool C has four teams ranked in the top 10 Morton, Lopez, T-O and Ritzville Times: Friday’s sessions 8 a.m., 2 p.m., 6:30. Saturday quarterfinals, 8:30 and 10 a.m.; semifinals, 11:30; 5-8 places, 4:30 p.m.; 3-4 places, 6; championship, 7:30 State 3A volleyball, Friday and Saturday at Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma: Defending champion: Fife won the Class AA title Area participants: None State 2A volleyball, Friday and Saturday at St. Martin’s College, Lacey: Defending champion: Woodland won the Class A title Area participants: Colville, Newport, Pullman Toughest pool: Pool D has four teams ranked in the top 10 Woodland, Nooksack Valley, Goldendale and Pullman State 1A volleyball, Friday and Saturday at Chelan: Top returners: Colfax was runner-up in Class A; Toutle Lake was runner-up in Class B Area participant: Colfax From B, with love: Warden, fourth last year, and Kalama, runner-up in 1995, also are recent Class B placers