Balanced Vikings win regional
Now that’s the level of volleyball that can do something at state.
With junior setter Natalie Stewart involving as many as five teammates, Coeur d’Alene had too many weapons for Lake City to defend as the Vikings captured a second consecutive 5A Region I championship with a telling 25-15, 25-10, 25-17 win Thursday at Elmer Jordan Court.
CdA (18-6) advances to state at a local high school to be determined. Under a new state rule, no team that qualifies for a state tourney may play host to state. Three state tournaments are scheduled to be held at three sites in Kootenai County. Since Lake City can still earn a state berth that means only one site is definite at this point – CdA will serve as the venue for the 3A state tourney. The 5A and 4A sites will be determined Saturday afternoon.
LC (11-11) will take on Lewiston (6-14) Saturday to decide the region’s second berth. The match is at 2 p.m. Lewiston topped visiting Post Falls (5-20) 25-14, 25-18, 25-16 in a loser-out match Thursday.
CdA will meet Boise (24-8), the District III (Boise-area) fourth-place team, in a state opener. Defending state champ Eagle (30-2) captured the District III title and Centennial (16-3) and Capital (9-10) finished second and third, respectively, to earn berths. The LC-Lewiston winner will open against Capital.
Senior middle hitter Maggie Reno was literally in the middle of CdA’s efficient play, serving up a team-high four aces to go with three kills and two blocks.
“Everything just came together,” Reno said. “We had awesome passing, our back row really stepped it up and Natalie (Stewart, setter) didn’t even have to move,” Reno said. “And when she doesn’t have to (move), our hitters are available and we’re confident.”
It showed. Kama Griffitts led CdA with 12 kills, Hanna Johnson had eight and Shelby Robb added six. Stewart had 36 assists.
“We have a lot of hitters that can put the ball down and we’re all very smart where we put the ball,” Reno said. “We have a lot of potential to do some great things, but tonight I think we proved that we have what it takes to win a state championship.”
In the first game, CdA seized the momentum with a seven-point surge and opened a 19-12 lead.
The Vikings ran off the final eight points in an impressive second game.
Despite being down two games, LC didn’t roll over in the third game. A tip by Alivia Johnson pulled the T-Wolves even at 15, but the Vikings gradually pulled away.
CdA coach Carly Curtis was especially pleased with Stewart.
“Natalie Stewart had a phenomenal night,” Curtis said. “She looked like a D-1 (NCAA Division I) setter out there. She was bringing balls back to her hitters – she was putting it where they needed it – and really made our offense successful. Our hitters were on tonight. It was all based on our ball control.”
Curtis relished the offensive diversity.
“That’s what we’re proud of. Our offense is very spread out,” Curtis said. “We have a lot of talent and we’re able to use that to our benefit by not having to set (just) one person. We’re able to spread it around and keep the other team guessing on what we’re running. And we have a very deep bench.”
The good news for LC coach Jen Kelly is that her team can still earn a state berth.
“It’s not all negative,” Kelly said. “I didn’t think we competed as hard as we could have. We just kind of hurt ourselves in spots. We need to not beat ourselves.”
“In the other 5A Region I game, Jessica Ulrich had eight kills and 16 digs and Rachel Fike added 22 assists and four aces to lead host Lewiston to its win.
“Moscow defeated Lakeland 25-20, 25-19, 25-10 in a 4A Region I match at Moscow. Kristyn App and Ali Whitted had six kills each for the Hawks in a losing effort. Moscow will play at top-seeded Sandpoint on Saturday.