La Jolla tournament serves Panthers well

A couple years ago a volleyball team from La Jolla, Calif., a city near San Diego, came north and played Washington teams, including Mead.

“They won everything in Southern California that year and we ended up sweeping them,” said Panthers coach Judy Kight.

La Jolla’s coach invited Mead to one of his tournaments and after fund-raising for the trip, the Panthers traveled to last weekend’s La Jolla Beach City Invitational, finishing second, losing in three games to Vista Murrieta.

There were 40 teams, mainly from California, but also from Arizona, Utah and Nevada, as well as Mead, Kight said.

“It was great competition,” said Kight. “It really was awesome. It was like the semis and finals of the state tournament.”

Mead won seven matches in pool play and the tournament to reach the finals.

“When we got to the gym on Saturday, holy cow, everybody was tall, everybody was athletic, everybody was good,” Kight said. “I didn’t sub much, but it was great for the team. We really needed it.”

Usually Mead uses a season-opening tournament in Walla Walla to bond and gel, said the coach. This one shook off any lethargy by the four-time Washington 4A champions.

“The experience was wonderful; you don’t get to do it very often,” said Kight. “Now that we know it’s worth it we’ll probably try it again.”

Confidence building

An early season eighth-place finish in an invitational volleyball tournament in Auburn helped build confidence for an East Valley team that has quadrupled its GSL win total from a year ago.

The young Knights enter this week 4-1 in the GSL, two wins from equaling their best GSL season, with a match tonight against winless Rogers. Thursday, EV enters the most difficult stretch of its season at home against Mt. Spokane in a pivotal match between the league’s top two 3A teams.

The Auburn tournament, said coach Jim Dorr, “ended up being a blessing. It built confidence.”

EV has only two seniors. Seven others were on varsity as sophomores last year when EV won but one match.

Several gained experience in club ball, including at the national level and, said Dorr, players have sacrificed by switching positions for the good of the team.

“The scary part is we have a long way to go to get to our full potential,” said Dorr. “But each win builds confidence.”

Nelson sets record

Shadle Park distance runner Andrea Nelson broke a five-year-old course record by four seconds when she timed 17 minutes, 22.52 seconds in last weekend’s Mt. Baker Invitational. She won the race by 30 seconds.

Central Valley’s girls won the team title. Among those finishing behind the Bears was Squalicum, winner of three of the last four state 3A titles, which placed fourth. The Bears also had the first five finishers in the junior varsity race.

CV boys remain No. 1 and Mead girls moved to the top of the coaches’ polls with victories over Gig Harbor at the SunFair Invitational in Yakima.

The Bears had four first places, a second and third in flight races that pit racers against each other according to their position on the team. The Panthers had all seven of their runners among the top four.

Defense prevails

Asotin hasn’t had to score many points in non-league wins over two Bi-County League football teams, because it hasn’t allowed many.

Last week the Panthers defeated Reardan 13-6 by controlling the ball on the ground and surviving a scoring bid when time ran out on the Indians at the goal line. Early this year, Asotin defeated Lind-Ritzville 14-6.

Both times Asotin scored in the fourth quarter for the win.