State volleyball preview: Freeman hopes to continue winning ways in first tournament back at 2B level

During the past decade of State 1A volleyball tournaments, Freeman has returned home carrying hardware 11 times.

Now the Scotties will hope to continue their winning ways in the 2B classification after moving down from the 1A ranks this year for the first time since the mid-1990s.

Freeman (17-2) was dominant in Northeast 2B South league play this season, going 10-0 while dropping just one set. That impressive résumé led the Scotties to the No. 3 seed in the State 2B tournament, which takes place Wednesday and Thursday at the Yakima Valley SunDome .

After taking second place in last year’s 1A tournament, Freeman will face a tough road if it wants to lift its first state championship trophy since 1981. Freeman opens Wednesday morning against 14th-seeded Goldendale and would face either No. 11 Davenport (15-5) or sixth-seeded Rainier in the second round with a win.

Two wins Wednesday could set up a rematch against second-seeded Manson, one of two teams to beat the Scotties this season – a 3-1 home loss on Oct. 11.

Other opening-round matches for Northeast 2B teams looking to make a run toward a trophy include Davenport against Rainier; eighth-seeded Liberty (13-6) against No. 9 Tri-Cities Prep; and No. 13 Colfax (9-12) against fourth-seeded Mossyrock.

Adna earned the top seed in the 2B tournament, which is scheduled to hold its title game at 5:30 p.m. Thursday.

Oakesdale top seed in 1B: The Oakesdale senior class is just four wins away from making it four State 1B titles in four years, and again – the Nighthawks look to be the team everyone is trying to beat.

Oakesdale (21-0) earned the tournament’s top seed and will play either 16th-seeded Liberty Christian or 17th-seeded Grace Academy in Wednesday afternoon’s opener.

The Nighthawks are joined by five fellow Northeast 1B teams in the 20-team tournament in Yakima.

Second-seeded Wilbur-Creston-Keller (18-2) will face either No. 15 seed Naselle or No. 18 seed Garfield-Palouse (15-5) in its opener; ninth-seeded Springdale (10-4) opens against No. 8 seed Northwest Christian (Lacey); 10th-seeded Valley Christian (12-7) will face seventh-seeded Waterville-Mansfield; and No. 14 seed Inchelium (14-6) takes on No. 19 seed Providence Classical in a play-in game.

The 2B title game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Thursday.

Pullman, Lakeside set for weekend action: After the 1B and 2B tournaments conclude, it will be time for the 1A and 2A tournaments to take center stage at the SunDome on Friday and Saturday.

In the 2A tournament, ninth-seeded Pullman (13-6) was the lone Greater Spokane League team to make the field after defeating Selah in a district crossover game last weekend.

The Greyhounds open their tournament against eighth-seeded Washington on Friday morning.

In the 1A ranks, Lakeside (12-2) advanced to the state bracket by winning the Northeast 1A title and is the league’s only state participant.

The 12th-seeded Eagles will face fifth-seeded Cashmere in Friday afternoon’s opening round.

The 2A title game is scheduled for 6:15 p.m. Saturday, with the 1A title game to follow at 8 .