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State volleyball preview: Big schools take center stage in Yakima for 4A, 3A, 2A tourneys

Mead outside hitter Cassie Moeller prepares to spike the ball during practice in early November. (COLIN MULVANY/THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW)
By Dave Nichols daven@spokesman.com(509) 459-5441
Mead outside hitter Cassie Moeller prepares to spike the ball during practice in early November. (COLIN MULVANY/THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW)

Now that the small schools have settled matters, the big-school volleyball tournaments get underway this week, with 3A starting on Thursday and 4A and 2A on Friday.

The Greater Spokane League will be well-represented at the Yakima Valley SunDome in all three classifications, with a potential in-league showdown looming in a quarterfinal.

4A

District 8, comprised of the GSL and the Mid-Columbia Conference, received three bids to state and the GSL earned two of those.

District champion Gonzaga Prep (12-5) is the No. 8 seed, district runner-up Central Valley (8-9) is No. 15, and Kamiakin (17-2), which was upset by CV in a semifinal, came back through the loser-out bracket to secure the third bid and the No. 10 seed.

The Bullpups take on No. 9 Olympia (14-7) on Friday. G-Prep is led by a quartet of seniors – outside hitters Bailey Benson and Lilli Etter, libero Sidny Pederson and middle blocker Sitara Byrd – and junior setter Kate Palelek.

The Bears drew second-seeded Curtis (20-4) in the first round. CV is led by outside hitter Robyn White, who signed with Midwestern State (Texas) last week.

3A

Two-time defending state champion Mt. Spokane (15-2) has just two losses this season – both to GSL and District 8 champion Mead (16-2).

That’s where the drama is to be had in the 3A bracket. Mt. Spokane finished No. 2 in the coaches’ poll and No. 3 in the RPI, and Mead was third in the poll and eighth in RPI.

Mead was awarded the fourth seed in the bracket and the Wildcats got the fifth. Should they both win their first-round matches, they would meet for the third time this season in a quarterfinal on the first day of the tournament.

As the fourth seed, Mead will face the winner of a play-in match between No. 13 Snohomish (16-4) and No. 20 Kentlake (11-9). Mt. Spokane takes on No. 12 Kelso (14-5) in the first round.

Mead is led by setter Madi Zorn, outside hitters Cassie Moeller and Mia Tunison, and middle hitters Emily Hutchinson and Danikah Johnson. Mt. Spokane’s leaders are outside hitters Teila Allen and Maggie Degenhart and libero Kyla Randall.

2A

Shadle Park (12-5) tied with Pullman at 9-1 in league, then beat Clarkston in the district tournament to earn the league’s sole berth to state.

The Highlanders received the 15th seed and face No. 2 Steilacoom (18-2) in the first round.

Shadle Park has nine seniors, with outside hitters Chloe Flerchinger and Mae Sorokin, setter Teagan Webster and libero Bailee Jones among key players.