High school volleyball state tournament roundup: Curtis drops 4A title game, Ridgefield eliminates Steilacoom in 2A semis
SATURDAY’S GAMES (NOV. 20)
4A
No. 1 BOTHELL 3, No. 2 CURTIS 0
25-17, 28-26, 25-15
Curtis battled until the very end, but their 4A title hopes faded in the tournament’s final match.
Bothell only needed three sets against the second-ranked Vikings, and swept Curtis for the state championship on Saturday night.
“We just battled the whole way through,” Curtis coach Taylor Buell said. “We never gave up. I couldn’t be more proud of how hard we worked all season. Even getting into the finals was a huge accomplishment. And we are are so proud to have done it together.”
The Vikings were an eye-popping 11-2 in the 4A SPSL, but never faced a team like Bothell that uses a plethora of offensive options and maintains a quick pace, Buell said. And Curtis couldn’t match Bothell’s size on the court, further damaging their title hopes.
Bothell handled Curtis in the opening set, 25-17. They needed 28 points in the second set to grab a commanding 2-0 lead, and secured the game’s final set, 25-15.
“We fight as hard as we can,” Buell said. “We set very high goals, and we work toward those goals every day in practice and in matches.”
Ella Ensign battled all weekend long, Buell said. She’ll do anything to get a point, and her leadership helped Curtis reach the final game. Senior captain Rudi Reyes also caught Buell’s attention, and stepped up in the season’s biggest moment.
“She really stepped up and did everything she could for our team,” Buell said of Reyes.
Curtis faced elimination on Friday night, too; in the quarterfinals, the Vikings needed all five sets to topple No. 7 Mount Si.
They’d sweep No. 14 West Valley in the ensuing semifinals, but couldn’t muster a set against the top-ranked Cougars.
No. 2 CURTIS 3, No. 14 WEST VALLEY (YAKIMA) 0
25-15, 25-18, 25-22
The Vikings are one win away from a state title.
Their opponent remains undecided, but Curtis punched their ticket to the 4A state championship game with a semifinal win over West Valley on Saturday afternoon.
And the Vikings needed only three sets to do it, winning handily in the opening pair and stealing a contested third set for a sweep.
With a state title officially on the line, Curtis plays top-ranked Bothell at 7:15 p.m. Saturday night.
No. 4 GRAHAM KAPOWSIN 3, No. 14 WEST VALLEY (YAKIMA) 0
25-22, 25-20, 25-15
The Eagles have landed themselves third place in the 4A state volleyball tournament, marking their highest ever finish in the history of the school.
Entering the semi-finals having won against Kennedy Catholic and Camas, the Eagles were set to have a showdown against Bothell. Unfortunately, the state’s number one ranked team took down Graham-Kapowsin 3-1 (25-19, 23-25, 20-25, 15-25).
The loss bounced them to the 3rd/4th place game against the Rams, making an impressive run as the number 14 ranked seed in the tournament. This time, it was a victory in straight sets for the Eagles as they took all three games with scores of 25-22, 25-20, 25-15.
2A
No. 3 RIDGEFIELD 3, No. 2 STEILACOOM 0
25-19, 25-13, 25-12
Steilacoom’s 2A title hopes are over.
The Sentinels hadn’t lost since Sept. 28, but third-ranked Ridgefield snapped that streak on Saturday afternoon. The Spudders only needed three sets to advance to the title game and defend their 2019 championship.
Ridgefield went on to lose the 2A state title to No. 1 Columbia River.
No. 2 STEILACOOM 3, No. 4 BURLINGTON EDISON 2
20-25, 14-25, 25-20, 25-16, 15-11
At the beginning of the season, the Sentinels set a goal to finish the season in the top 8 in the state. They did about five better, finishing third in the 2A state tournament, the school’s highest finish in program history.
Their second day in the tournament started with a 3-0 loss to Ridgefield (19-25, 13-25, 12-25). Although the Sentinels played competitively against the Spudders, Steilacoom could not compete with the size of their opponents.
That sent the Sentinels to the 3rd/4th place game against the Tigers. However, it was not the first time these two teams met on the court. On October 23 during a tournament, Steilacoom and Burlington-Edison met up in a match where the Sentinels won 3-1. Both teams already knew each other well.
After letting the first two sets in the match get away from them, senior Danielle Faamausili brought the team together and told them they were still in it. She lit several fires in her teammates, including fellow seniors Taylor Albert and Erin Riekena.
Albert showed up by making hard digs as she had in their game against the Spudders, and Riekena dominated the court from the outside with smart decisions on ball distribution.
The Sentinels completed their comeback and won the match with scores of 20-25, 14-25, 25-20, 25-16, and 15-11. The win sends the senior class out accomplishing the goal they made at the beginning of the year: be one of the top teams in the state.
No. 7 WHITE RIVER 3, No. 9 ANACORTES 0
25-23, 31-29, 25-20
For the fifth year in a row (last year notwithstanding), the Hornets placed at the 2A state tournament. This time, they come away with a 5th place finish in their match over the Seahawks.
After winning a 3-2 nail-biter against Lynden (26-24, 25-15, 21-25, 20-25, 15-10), the Hornets found themselves in a state-placing game.
No. 16 MARK MORRIS 3, No. 11 ENUMCLAW 1
23-25, 18-25, 25-22, 17-25
The Hornets scored eighth place in the 2A state volleyball tournament as they lost to the Monarchs in the 7th/8th place game.
They arrived there after defeating Shadle Park 3-0 (25-16, 25-11, 25-22). Eighth place is the highest finish the Hornets have had in the state tournament since 2006 when they finished 7th playing in the 3A division.
FRIDAY’S GAMES (NOV. 19)
4A
No. 2 CURTIS 3, No. 7 MOUNT SI 2
25-21, 22-25, 25-19, 21-25, 15-10
It took five sets, but Curtis will play on Saturday with 4A title hopes still alive.
A back-and-forth match led the Vikings to a 15-10 win in the fifth and decisive set. They took the first set, but Mount Si stormed back to equalize the score in the second. Curtis would win the third set, inching closer to a semifinal berth, but the Wildcats won the fourth, and tied it up again.
Curtis moves on to a Saturday meeting with No. 14 West Valley of Yakima; they’ll start at 1:30 p.m. with a trip to the state title game on the line.
No. 4 GRAHAM KAPOWSIN 3, No. 5 CAMAS 1
23-25, 25-23, 25-13, 25-18
The Eagles are two wins away from a state title.
Graham Kapowsin swept No. 13 Jackson earlier in the day, and beat Camas in the 4A quarterfinals to advance on Friday night.
The Papermakers took the first set, 25-23. But the Eagles would snag a competitive second set, and cruise in the following pair to secure a semifinal spot and win in four sets.
Graham Kapowsin meets top-seeded Bothell in a state semifinal game at 1:30 p.m. Saturday.
No. 8 GONZAGA PREP 3, No. 9 OLYMPIA 1
18-25, 25-23, 25-23, 25-19
Olympia took the opening set, but the Bullpups rallied for the next three, and beat the Bears for a first-round victory in the 4A state tournament.
Gonzaga Prep moved on to the quarterfinals, and Olympia currently sits in the consolation ladder.
After their first-round loss to Gonzaga Prep, the Bears swept No. 16 Kennedy Catholic in the first consolation round, and will continue Saturday in hopes of a seventh-place finish.
3A
No. 4 MEAD 3, No. 2 PENINSULA 1
25-11, 25-16, 21-25, 25-23
Peninsula cruised through the bracket until the final game. They won’t be hoisting the trophy in Yakima.
No. 4 Mead beat Auburn Riverside earlier in the day, and won the 3A state championship Friday night after beating Peninsula in four sets.
The title game was considerably behind schedule — not starting until after 9:30 p.m. — but the Panthers wasted no time in their title pursuit. They won the first set in a hurry, 25-11. They won the second, 25-16, and took a quick, commanding lead over the Seahawks.
Peninsula took one back, winning the third set, 25-21, but Mead clinched the state title with a 25-23 win in the fourth.
On paper, No. 2 Peninsula was the favorite over No. 4 Mead. And the Seahawks had already taken down a team ranked higher in the seeding; earlier in the day, Peninsula beat third-ranked Ferndale in the semifinals to punch their title game ticket (25-17, 25-22, 25-14).
They were just one win away.
Peninsula departs Yakima with second-place honors in the 3A state tournament.
No. 4 MEAD 3, No. 8 AUBURN RIVERSIDE 0
25-21, 25-19, 25-22
The Ravens stunned the previously undefeated No. 1 seed Lakeside Lions on Thursday night in the quarterfinals of the 3A state tournament. However, their championship hopes dimmed and eventually extinguished after a semifinal loss to Mead on Friday.
Auburn Riverside kept every set close, but couldn’t overtake the Panthers.
The loss put the Ravens into a third-place match with No. 3 Ferndale, however they again were swept in three sets (25-19, 25-23, 25-23).
“I’m proud of my girls. We’ve had a few changes at coach, and for them to do what they did is amazing,” said coach Mike Tienda. “I have a great core group and they are going to want to work hard to come back again next year.”
Seniors Kristeen Copeland and Hannah Couch, and freshman Briana Dawson held both lines for the Ravens, keeping the matches as close as they could. Where Couch kept the back row moving the ball offensively, Copeland was upfront getting the blocks and kills for the team.
Dawson’s consistency on the court also bodes well for the future for the Ravens as she will be part of the next group of Auburn Riverside players with championship experience to compete in the next few years.
The Ravens will leave Yakima with fourth-place honors in the 3A tournament, matching their fourth-place finish from the 2019 4A tournament when they last competed in the playoffs.
2A
No. 12 NORTH KITSAP 3, No. 5 WASHINGTON 0
25-20, 25-23, 25-22
The Patriots took an undefeated season into late October, but their state title hopes ended Friday after a first-round loss to North Kitsap in the 2A state tournament.
Washington couldn’t even muster a set against the 12th-ranked Vikings. All three sets came down to the final points -- the Patriots scored 20 or more in each -- but North Kitsap finished the job every time, and moved on to the quarterfinal matchup with No. 4 Burlington-Edison.
In the consolation ladder, Washington rebounded from their first-round loss and shut out No. 13 Tumwater. They’ll play for seventh place on Saturday.
No. 6 LYNDEN 3, No. 11 ENUMCLAW 2
25-19, 20-25, 21-25, 25-13, 17-15
Enumclaw fought to the final set, but couldn’t pull off the upset as Lynden moved on in the 2A state tournament on Friday afternoon.
The Hornets moved to the consolation ladder, where they’ll battle for seventh place. They took down No. 14 Sequim in that bracket’s opening round, and punched a ticket for Saturday play.
Up next: a match with No. 15 Shadle Park at 9:45 a.m. on Saturday.
No. 2 STEILACOOM 3, No. 15 SHADLE PARK 1; NO. 2 STEILACOOM 3, No. 7 WHITE RIVER 0
25-18, 25-17, 18-25, 25-15; 25-19, 25-15, 25-14
Their mixture of having a fluid offense and playing solid defense gave the Sentinels the edge in both their matchups in the opening rounds of the 2A state volleyball tournament.
First up against the Highlanders, the Sentinels took the first two games of the match. After giving up the third set 18-25, they came back thanks to great defensive play from senior captain Taylor Albert who had 25 digs in the match.
Keeping the good times rolling into their second match of the day, the Sentinels swept their league rival Hornets. Junior Sophie Derout really ushered the Sentinels along in the game with 15 digs and four aces.
Through both games, every point was a celebration and the players on the court played with a competitive edge by having genuine fun on the court. The Sentinels will continue their state title chase against Ridgefield at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, at the Yakima Valley SunDome.
THURSDAY’S GAMES (NOV. 18)
3A
No. 8 AUBURN RIVERSIDE 3, No. 1 LAKESIDE 1
26-24, 25-18, 16-25, 25-22
Auburn Riverside jumped up and down, screaming with jubilation after their match-sealing point against the top-seeded Lakeside Lions. They were two wins away from a state title.
After sweeping Stanwood in the first round Thursday afternoon, the Ravens became the next team to face a then-undefeated Lakeside team in the 3A state quarterfinals. Lakeside was 27-0. They hadn’t lost a set since September.
But Auburn Riverside won the first set, 26-24. Then, they won the next, 25-18.
Lakeside took a set back, but they couldn’t make up the ground: a 25-22 fourth-set win for the Ravens clinched a massive upset at the Yakima Valley SunDome, and handed the Lions their first loss in 28 games.
“Shock. Shocking,” Ravens coach Mike Tienda said after the win. “Keep believing and fight hard. Love each other, and fight for each other, and believe that we can go all the way to the (championship).”
So how did the Ravens pull it off? They were in a good mental place, to start. They took advantage of the service line, and hitters placed shots accurately. In any match against an undefeated team, minimizing mistakes are a priority, and the Ravens did that, too.
“My girls definitely had more determination and more drive to want this game against Lakeside,” Tienda said. “The girls just wanted it, because Lakeside never had a loss before. The girls just really wanted to give them their first loss.”
Alisia Silverthorn set up Auburn Riverside’s offensive attack, and Hannah Couch led the team with 28 digs. Couch ran the back row, Tienda said.
They’ll shift gears and prepare for Friday’s semifinal game, with a state championship match on the line.
“We’re gonna have some team talks to mentally prepare ourselves for tomorrow,” Tienda said. “And just have some fun.”
No. 8 Auburn Riverside faces No. 4 Mead on Friday at 2:15 p.m. in the state semifinals. The 3A title match tips off at 7:15 p.m. later that night.
No. 2 PENINSULA 3, No. 7 BELLEVUE 0
25-8, 25-19, 25-22
The Seahawks scored two more wins in the unprecedented run they are making in the 3A state volleyball tournament. Notching a 3-0 victory over the Wolverines and a 3-1 win over Eastside Catholic earlier in the day, the Seahawks have made it to the state semifinals.
In their first match-up against the Crusaders, the Seahawks started off hot with a 7-1 streak in their first game. And even though the players are playing in a championship setting under the bright lights of the Yakima Valley SunDome, the Seahawks played with a laser focus.
“The kids were pretty nervous. They tried to keep themselves calm and they played really great volleyball,” said coach Katrina Cardinal. “You could see their nervousness but they came out hyped and ready to play. We practiced in Yakima and we have been so dialed in and focused. We had our spaghetti dinner here and watched film on our opponents.”
One of the Seahawks that really made a big difference on the court was junior Langley Griffin. In both games, Griffin played lights out by combining to get around 35 kills, making her almost untouchable.
Fellow senior Lauren Whitmers also did a great job for the Seahawks running their offense. She has the ability to see how the opposing team is set up, pull opposing players a different way, and knock the ball in whichever direction she wants.
Peninsula has found success in the state tournament by sticking to what has made them a now 19-0 team on the year: by playing a calm, cool and fast game against their opponents. Reaching the semifinals is a milestone for the Seahawks as well, as they have never made it past the quarter-finals.
However, their journey is not over as the Seahawks advance to the 3A state semifinals and will face Ferndale at 2:15 p.m. Friday, November 19 at the Yakima Valley SunDome.
This story was originally published November 18, 2021 at 10:01 PM.