CdA working on defense; LC pushing offense; Sandpoint returns with experience

The Sandpoint High volleyball team was picked to cruise to the State 4A championship last year.

The Bulldogs got to the final, but they used up so much energy after a first-round loss that they ran out of gas as they fell to Bonneville.

Sandpoint is determined not to let that happen again.

Coeur d’Alene and Lake City both qualified for the 5A state tourney, and upstart LC surprised by capturing fourth. CdA is favored to capture the region’s automatic state berth while LC, Post Falls and Lewiston will battle to see which team advances to play for a state berth in a play-in match.

Here is a look at each team.

Coeur d’Alene

The Vikings (19-8 overall, 9-3 league) thought they were poised for a breakthrough state trophy season last year.

But they collapsed at state, falling short of their goals.

So the Viks spent the spring club season working on their most striking deficiency – defense.

“The one thing we’ve really improved on is our defense,” CdA coach Carly Curtis said. “We worked on different ways to get balls up. We’re greatly improved in that area.”

CdA returns nine lettermen including six starters. They are seniors Hanna Johnson (outside hitter), Natalie Stewart (setter), Shelby Robb (middle hitter/oh), Kama Griffitts (oh), Marissa Armour (defensive specialist) and Lindsey Ritzheimer (ds).

Others who will see playing time are seniors Michelle Bonasera (ds) and Shari Strom (mh/oh) and juniors Faith Hazard (mh) and Shae Carson (mh).

Griffitts and Stewart have been three-year starters. They were first-team all-league selections last year.

CdA has nine seniors, seven of whom have been on varsity since they were sophomores. Curtis says this is the most talented team she’s fielded.

“Obviously our goal is to win state every year, but this is probably the year that it’s actually attainable,” Curtis said. “Last year we had some weaknesses. This year we’ve filled those holes and made adjustments.”

CdA will be chasing defending league champ Sandpoint. There could be a sizeable gap between Sandpoint and CdA and the rest of the league.

Lake City

It was an up and down year for the Timberwolves (14-13, 5-7) and their coach, Jen Kelly, last year. But it definitely ended on a high when LC shocked the state field by taking fourth.

Kelly had to take maternity leave during the season, returning in time for the postseason. That’s about the same time that LC, which began the season inexperienced, began to peak.

The T-Wolves return six lettermen and four starters. They are seniors Alivia Johnson (mh) and Rose Brooks (libero) and juniors Madie Daugh (oh) and Hilary Ayers (oh).

Seniors Rachel Stiles (ds/s) and transfer Jacquline Adamson (s) will play key roles. In fact, Adamson, who originally lived in Coeur d’Alene and moved back, will step in at setter. She’s making the transition from outside hitter. Two other transfers – juniors Britta Forsythe (mh) and Haleigh Frank (rightside hitter) – will come off the bench.

“We know what it’s going to take to be competitive,” Kelly said. “We’ll take our lumps early. But if we continue to push the pedal, we’ll have a good outcome in the end. We just have to push the pace with our offense and our learning curve.”

Kelly was ecstatic with the way the season ended last year.

“It was storybook,” Kelly said. “I have to give them a lot of the credit. They had to deal with a lot of stuff. We’re ahead of where we were last year in every aspect of the game.”

Whether it’s enough to compete with Sandpoint and CdA remains to be seen.

“We have to stay grounded,” Kelly said. “We can’t be comfortable with where we’re at.”

Sandpoint

The Bulldogs (26-4, 11-1) weren’t sizing up the state title trophy before state last year. But it’s fair to say they thought they were the favorites.

But then Sandpoint lost its state opener and had to fight all the way back through the consolation bracket to get into the title match. By that time, the Bulldogs were spent physically and emotionally.

Sandpoint coach Karen Alsager said her team won’t take anything for granted this season. The Bulldogs return eight letter winners and six starters. They are seniors Linnia Hawkins (s) and Abby Helander (l) and juniors Koko James (s/rh), Christina Johnson (oh), Piper Wahlin (oh) and Kaiti Lunde (mh).

Others who will see time off the bench are senior Adrianna Bucholtz (mh), junior Emilie Kuster (ds) and sophomores Allison Halliday (mh), Blake Plaster (ds), Ariel Moe (s) and Sam Buratto (mh/oh).

“I like our experience,” Alsager said. “They had a good club season and we’ve had a great (fall) training camp. They’re focused. We feel we learned a lesson from last year. I’d like to say we earned what we deserved (at state). This year we want to earn what we get every night – not because we’re Sandpoint or that it’s expected of us.”