Heather Cox Tekoa-Oakesdale Year: Junior Sport: Volleyball Position: Middle Hitter

This time of year, Bi-County League volleyball teams argue over which one of them will win the State B title.

Their brazenness is understandable, since Bi-County teams have won the last 10 titles, and 17 of 18.

But Heather Cox asks the Bi-Co brigades to look south, to Whitman County, for another state contender.

Cox’s Tekoa-Oakesdale Nighthawks (18-1) claimed the Whitman County League title last weekend. T-O owns best-of-five wins over Bi-Co co-champs Davenport and Ritzville.

John Taylor coached Oakesdale to state titles in 1977 and ‘78, and T-O to fourth place in ‘87 and third in ‘88. He said Cox has played exceptionally despite little preparation for the volleyball season.

“She put most of her eggs in the basketball basket,” Taylor said of Cox, who played for the U16 Spokane Stars last summer. “But she has come into her own in volleyball.”

Cox totaled 26 kills and 13 digs in her final three matches.

“I wanted to play a lot more aggressively than last year because I’ve become a lot stronger,” said Cox, a Tekoa native whose father, Ron, coached T-O to the ‘93 State B basketball title.

Cox was the leading scorer as T-O placed fifth at last year’s girls basketball tourney. She followed that with a fourth-place finish in the javelin at the state track and field meet. , DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color photo