Everything you need to know about the 4A and 3A high school volleyball state championships

2018 WIAA VOLLEYBALL STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

2017 champion: Auburn Riverside def. Mead, 3-2

Friday’s first round: 8 a.m. — Tahoma vs. Lake Stevens, court 1; North Creek vs. Richland, court 2; Camas vs. Issaquah, court 4; Kennedy Catholic vs. Kentridge, court 5. 9:45 a.m. — Chiawana vs. Puyallup, court 1; Auburn Riverside vs. Monroe, court 2; University vs. Olympia, court 4; Kamiak vs. West Valley of Yakima, court 5.

Rest of schedule: Friday quarterfinals at 5:15 p.m.; Saturday semifinals at 1 p.m.; Saturday championship match at 7 p.m.

FAVORITES

West Valley of Yakima (17-0)* can complete the trifecta of state volleyball championships with a win in 4A this weekend. The Rams won a 3A title in 1989 and 2A titles in 2011 and 2012. This year’s squad is also loaded with veterans, led by 6-foot-5 middle blocker Shea Rubright (244 kills, 60 blocks), who is the 4A Columbia Basin Big 9 MVP and committed to Minnesota. West Valley didn’t drop a set in league play or the Big 9 district tournament. ... Kentridge is the state’s top team, and ranked ninth in the MaxPreps national poll, but, can the Chargers rise to the moment in their first state trip since 2001? A trio of seniors in Zaiah Calvin, Kate Wick and Austin Ibale led Kentridge, which last won the 4A title in 1989. ... Richland (16-1) is another solid contender with a pair of big hitters in Sage Brustad (225 kills) and Lindsay Rosenthal (221). The Bombers were the 4A Mid-Columbia Conference runners-up, but beat league champion Chiawana for a district title.

SOUTH SOUND QUALIFIERS

Auburn Riverside (13-8): Two-time TNT player of the year Calley Heilborn led the Ravens to three state titles in the past four years — including the past two 4A titles — but she’s graduated and playing at Western Washington. Auburn Riverside is still making its sixth consecutive trip to the state playoffs without Heilborn and her veteran cast, and won an undefeated 4A NPSL Olympic division title.

Kennedy Catholic (15-7): In last year’s tournament, the Lancers won their opener before dropping their next two, and were knocked out of trophy contention by Tahoma. Three years removed from a 4A title win in 2015, Kennedy Catholic finished third in the 4A NPSL Cascade, and rallied for the final state berth out of the 4A West Central/Southwest bidistrict tournament, sweeping Skyview for seventh.

Kentridge (22-0): The Chargers have posted 14 shutouts on their way to undefeated 4A NPSL Cascade and 4A West Central/Southwest bidistrict titles, and enter their first state tournament in nearly three decades without a loss. Calvin, an outside hitter, is the 4A NPSL Cascade MVP and balanced by outside hitter Wick, who is committed to Western Washington. Ibale, the Chargers’ veteran setter, is committed to Seattle Pacific.

Olympia (12-9): The Bears caught fire the past few weeks, rallying from a sixth-place finish in the 4A SPSL to a runner-up finish at the 4A West Central/Southwest bidistrict tournament, where they lost to Kentridge in the final. Outside hitter Bea Asomaning, a first-team 4A SPSL pick, leads an Olympia team making its first tournament appearance since 2014.

Puyallup (16-5): Outside hitter Sophia Spoja, a Carroll College commit and the 4A SPSL MVP, leads a young group that graduated five seniors from last year’s sixth-place squad. The Vikings won a 4A SPSL regular-season title, and swept Camas for third place in the 4A West Central/Southwest bidistrict tournament. Puyallup has proven it can play with the heavy hitters, with a pair of close losses to Kentridge.

Tahoma (18-3): The Bears might fare better if outside hitter Paige Anthony (ankle) were healthy, but still qualified with a No. 5 seed out of the 4A West Central/Southwest bidistrict tournament, shutting out Auburn Riverside in their final match. Last season, Tahoma topped Puyallup in five sets for fifth at the state tournament.

2017 champion: Capital def. Mercer Island, 3-1

Friday’s first round: 11:45 a.m. — Stanwood vs. Eastside Catholic, court 1; Stadium vs. Mount Spokane, court 2; Bishop Blanchet vs. Snohomish, court 4; Seattle Prep vs. Capital, court 5. 1:30 p.m. — Southridge vs. Wilson, court 1; Roosevelt vs. Ferndale, court 2; Oak Harbor vs. Prairie, court 4; Mountain View vs. Lakeside of Seattle, court 5.

Rest of schedule: Friday quarterfinals at 8:15 p.m.; Saturday semifinals at 2 p.m.; Saturday championship match at 7 p.m.

FAVORITES

Defending state champion Capital returned much of its core from last year, including reigning 3A state player of the year Maia Nichols. The Cougars won another undefeated SSC title this season, and swept Lakes and Stadium, and topped Prairie in four sets to claim their second consecutive 3A West Central/Southwest bidistrict title. ... Mount Spokane (14-1) is back for the first time since 2012 after sweeping its district-tournament matches against Kamiakin and Southridge. The Greater Spokane League champion Wildcats dropped their opening match to Lake City of Idaho, but haven’t lost a match in state, and have posted 12 shutouts and dropped just two sets since that Aug. 31 tilt. ... Ferndale (18-0) posted 15 shutouts on its way to an undefeated 3A/2A Northwest Conference title and didn’t lose a set in its district tournament. Outside hitter Kylie Honrud leads the way for the Golden Eagles with 275 kills.

SOUTH SOUND QUALIFIERS

Capital (17-0): Nichols, an outside hitter who is verbally committed to play beach volleyball at Arizona State, is a consistent force, was last year’s 3A tournament MVP, and has back-to-back 3A SSC MVP nods. First-team 3A SSC selections Devyn Oestreich, Maddie Matthews and Betsey Knutson-Keller are also back.

Stadium (14-6): This is just the third state tournament trip in school history for the Tigers, who advanced last year, but went two-and-out. Stadium was the 3A Pierce County League runner-up, and three of its losses have come against league champion Wilson. Middle blocker Mia Hall leads the Tigers in kills (176) and blocks (43).

Wilson (16-2): Making their first appearance in a state tournament since 1992, the Rams won an undefeated 3A PCL title before losing in five sets to Prairie in the 3A West Central/Southwest bidistrict semifinals, and rallied for third, sweeping Stadium for the second time this season. The Rams have four players — Caitlyn McClaud (178), Lauren Torrest (156), Ella Dorsey (149) and Emily Cook (103) — with triple-digit kills.

* - records listed do not include invitationals