Warriors qualify for state, call it something else

PLUMMER – Don’t tell the Kootenai High volleyball players they’re headed to state. The way they see it, they’re just headed to another tournament.

Kootenai captured its third straight 1A District I championship as the Warriors easily dispatched of Wallace 25-8, 25-11, 25-19 Saturday at Lakeside Middle School’s gym.

The Warriors (24-2) have had a mental barrier at state the last two years, going a combined 1-5 in pool-play matches and never qualifying for double-elimination play.

“They have something against state, so we’re going to the ‘Lewiston tournament’ – we’re not going to state,” said Kootenai coach Mandy Love of the state tourney that will be held at Lewis-Clark State College and Lewiston High beginning Thursday and at LCSC the final two days. “That’s what they’re calling it. They decided to call it the Lewiston tournament about a month ago.”

If Kootenai plays at Lewiston like it did Saturday, though, the Warriors not only should play deep into the tourney, but they’ll likely call it by its proper name.

Wallace (14-8) bounced back to earn the second state berth as the Miners held off scrappy Clark Fork 25-22, 28-26, 25-21.

In opening matches, Kootenai breezed past Lakeside 25-11, 25-10, 25-12, and Wallace topped Clark Fork 25-19, 25-16, 25-19. In the first loser-out match, Clark Fork (12-12) held off Lakeside (8-11) 25-23, 25-19, 18-25, 25-22.

In the district title match, Kootenai notched its fifth win in as many matches against Wallace. It was the Warriors’ most convincing win over the Miners.

Kootenai needed just 50 minutes to dispose of the Miners, who were constantly on their heels against the Warriors’ aggressive and varied attack.

The Warriors enjoyed leads of 4-0, 11-3, 18-6 and 20-7 before reeling off five unanswered points for the win in the opening game. Kootenai had similar advantages in the second game before outscoring Wallace 10-4 in the final stretch.

Wallace took advantage of three consecutive errors by Kootenai to pull within 21-19 in the final game. After a timeout, the Warriors closed out the match behind three straight kills from senior Darcy Collins.

Collins finished with a team-high 14 kills. Teammates Hannah Nyrop and Hanna Thomas added six and five, respectively. Warriors Cassie Scheffelmaier and Adrian Dahlkey had three aces apiece to lead an aggressive serving attack.

“They stuck with the game plan and did a super job,” Love said. “We took (the Miners) out of their game and we got a lot of free balls back.”

Collins thought it was one of Kootenai’s best matches of the season.

“It was probably one of the top ones all year,” Collins said. “We came out aggressive and went after it.”

Wallace is making its first trip to state in 1A after dropping down from 2A last year, and the Miners are returning to state for the first time since 2000.

But the Miners had to shake off a bad memory from a year ago when, as the co-North Star League champ with Kootenai, they were upset in the winner-to-state, loser-out match by Clark Fork.

For a while Saturday in a rematch of the same match, Wallace played tightly as Clark Fork appeared loose. In the first game, a kill by Clark Fork’s Jolene Meredith tied the score at 20-all. But an ace by Krista Williams and a block by Staci Hinsz on game point seemed to ignite Wallace.

Clark Fork built a 19-17 lead in the middle game. The game was tied seven times thereafter before an ace by Heather Moore, coupled with a Wampus Cat hitting error, allowed the Miners to go ahead by two games.

The Wampus Cats didn’t back down in the final game. An ace by Lisa Carver highlighted the final four points when Wallace broke from a 21-all tie.

Wallace coach Corki Mattila wore a tense expression the entire match until Williams’ state-berth clinching kill on match point.

“We thought about (last year) a lot,” Mattila said. “We hated to do it – we didn’t talk about it last year – but we talked about if we lose to Kootenai (to remember) what’s important. We had to focus on one more (match).”

•Danielle Jacobson finished with 15 kills as Lakeland earned a 4A state berth by beating Bishop Kelly 22-25, 25-17, 25-16, 25-23.

Scarlett Pruitt had 25 assists and four aces as the Hawks earned a second seed to state with the win.

Melissa Frank added 13 digs and Brigitte Boucher four blocks for Lakeland.

•Rachel Moore had 14 kills and seven blocks but it wasn’t enough as Borah earned a state berth by holding off Coeur d’Alene 25-14, 25-22, 24-26, 25-19 in a 5A loser-out match.

Jackie Lenz had 18 kills for the Vikings, who see their season end.

•Jenna Robinson had eight kills and Shawna Heath four aces and three digs as St. Maries beat Fruitland 25-14, 25-7, 25-18 in a 3A loser-out match to earn a second seed into state.

Erin Sather, who finished with 26 assists and four aces, served 11 straight points in Game 2 for the Lumberjacks, who begin state play Friday.