State volleyball
4A
Where: Toyota Center, Kennewick
Teams going: Mead, Lewis and Clark, Shadle Park
Outlook: The Mead Panthers are favored to win an unprecedented fifth straight state title, while LC and Shadle are contenders to bring home hardware. LC took second last year and Shadle finished eighth.
Friday’s first-round schedule: Bellarmine Prep vs. LC, Shadle vs. Kamiak, both noon; Inglemoor vs. Mead, 8:30 p.m.
3A
Where: Toyota Center, Kennewick
Team going: Mt. Spokane
Outlook: The Wildcats have a tough go at it right away when they meet fourth-ranked Camas in their opening match. Moving up to a fifth-place ranking this week, a trophy is not out of the question.
Friday’s first-round schedule: Mt. Spokane vs. Camas, 9 a.m.
2A
Where: Toyota Center, Kennewick
Teams going: West Valley, Colville, Pullman
Outlook: All three will be hard-pressed to bring home hardware. Colville has the toughest first-round matchup with top-ranked Grandview, favored to win the tournament.
Thursday’s first-round schedule: Ellensburg vs. West Valley, noon; Colville vs. Grandview, Archbishop Murphy vs. Pullman, both 2 p.m.
1A
Where: Yakima SunDome
Teams going: Chewelah, Lakeside (Nine Mile Falls), Colfax
Outlook: Three-time defending state champion Colfax is again the top-ranked team heading into the weekend with Lakeside, last year’s runner-up, earning the No. 2 ranking this week.
Friday’s first-round schedule: Chewelah vs. Nooksack Valley, Annie Wright School vs. Lakeside, both noon; Castle Rock vs. Colfax, 2 p.m.
2B
Where: Yakima SunDome
Teams going: Wilbur-Creston, Northwest Christian, Lind-Ritzville, Davenport
Outlook: The Bi-County League is well represented, with Wilbur-Creston being the best of the local bunch and the state’s second-ranked team behind La Conner. Davenport and Northwest Christian are also ranked inside the top 10. Definite trophy possibilities here.
Friday’s first-round schedule: King’s West vs. Wilbur-Creston, Northwest Christian vs. South Bend, Rainier Christian vs. Lind-Ritzville, all 9 a.m.; Riverside Christian vs. Davenport, 10:30 a.m.
1B
Where: Yakima SunDome
Teams going: Tekoa-Oakesdale, Odessa, Garfield-Palouse, LaCrosse-Washtucna, Northport
Outlook: With no defending state champion in the field, Tekoa-Oakesdale has emerged as the favorite to win and Northport, ranked second, also has a solid chance of going deep. With five local teams playing, trophies are all but inevitable.
Thursday’s first-round schedule: Sunnyside Christian vs. Tekoa-Oakesdale, Odessa vs. Lake Quinault, both 2 p.m.; Garfield-Palouse vs. Pateros, LaCrosse-Washtucna vs. Northport, both 3:30 p.m.