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KENNEWICK -- Here are the team-by-team outlooks for this weekend's girls 2A volleyball tournament at Toyota Center in Kennewick:
Favorites
Archbishop Murphy Wildcats
Location: Everett. Record: 25-4. Coach: Jeff Curtis. How qualified: Won Northwest District title. Last appearance: 2008. History: 3 trips, 1 trophy. Key players: OH Becca Gotz, sr.; MH Savannah Fletcher, sr.; MH Megan Carlson, sr.; L Hannah Linsenmayer, soph. Quick set: Wildcats got blessed by the draw gods after knocking off Burlington-Edison in five sets to win their first district title. They avoid heavyweights B-E, Black Hills, Pullman and Selah in their half of the bracket.
Selah Vikings
Location: Selah. Record: 24-2. Coach: Kay Aberle. How qualified: Won CWAC district title. Last appearance: 2008 (second). History: 25 trips, 18 trophies. Key players: OH Erin Smith, jr.; L Veronica Sanchez, sr.; S Jamie Allison, sr. Quick set: Vikings had 18-match state winning streak snapped in last year's final by Tumwater, ending three-year title run. But they tested themselves at the Kent Classic and Capitol City Invite -- losing only to 4A Olympia at both -- and will need that mettle in the brutal bottom half of the bracket.
Contenders
Black Hills Wolves
Location: Olympia. Record: 18-2. Coach: Kara Peterson. How qualified: Won Southwest District title. Last appearance: 2008 (sixth). History: 9 trips, 4 trophies. Key players: MB Kailah Lenz, sr.; S Taylor Aschenbrenner, sr.; MH Hillary Lutz, sr.; OH Rachel Warick, sr. Quick set: Wolves finally broke through at districts, ending a three-year run as runners-up by beating Mark Morris in the final led by a senior quartet that has started three straight years.
Burlington-Edison Tigers
Location: Burlington. Record: 16-3. Coach: Tawnya Brewer. How qualified: Finished second at Northwest Districts. Last appearance: 2008 (seventh). History: 14 trips, 6 trophies. Key players: S Katlyn Mataya, soph.; OH Cheryl Eubanks, sr.; MB Anna Swanson, sr. Quick set: B-E didn't lose a step despite graduating all-state MB Kinsey Davis, among others. Its only loss in league play was to Lynden Christian, but the loss to ATM in the district final proved costly in terms of the tournament draw.
Mark Morris Monarchs
Location: Longview. Record: 21-7. Coach: Lisa Verage. How qualified: Finished second at Southwest Districts. Last appearance: 2008 (eighth). History: 14 trips, 7 trophies. Key players: S Danielle Gilchrist, sr.; L Jill Isaacson, jr.; OH Shantelle Savage, sr.; OH Shawna Smith, soph. Quick set: Monarchs qualified for the seventh time in eight years and won their first trophy since 2002 last year.
Pullman Greyhounds
Location: Pullman. Record: 25-2. Coach: Dave Weitz. How qualified: Won Great Northern district title. Last appearance: 2008 (fourth). History: 10 trips, 5 trophies. Key players: S Katie Guettinger, sr.; MH Danielle Hodge, sr.; MH Shelby Cheslek, jr.; OH Jordan Levenseller, sr. Quick set: The Greyhounds are making their eighth straight state appearance and have their top three players back from a year ago.
Darkhorses
Fife Trojans
Location: Fife. Record: 13-3. Coach: Jan Kirk. How qualified: Won West Central District title. Last appearance: 2008. History: 21 trips, 10 trophies. Key players: S Taylor Dillard, jr.; RS Jessica Miller, jr. Quick set: Fife won another Nisqually League title and earned a seventh straight state trip. Now, can the Trojans parlay a spot in the softer side of the bracket into their first trophy finish since 2005?
R.A. Long Lumberjills
Location: Longview. Record: 13-9. Coach: Jennifer Hefley. How qualified: Defeated Tumwater in winner-to-state match at Southwest Districts. Last appearance: 2006. History: 16 trips, 10 trophies Key players: MH Rachel Morrow, jr.; S/OH Hannah Johnson, jr.; MH Katie Sarysz, sr. Quick set: No team is entering state on a bigger high than the Lumberjills, who knocked off the defending state champs in five sets to earn their berth. And they have a pedigree -- they won 3A titles from 1983-85 and in 1990.
Longshots
Anacortes Seahawks
Location: Anacortes. Record: 12-6. Coach: Ashley Abrams. How qualified: Finished fourth at Northwest Districts. Last appearance: 2008. History: 3 trips, 1 trophy. Key players: OH Tyler Calles, sr.; S Faith Vandeway, jr.; MB Jessica Straight, jr. Quick set: Two years for Abrams as Seahawks coach, and two state berths after sweeping Sehome in the winner-to-state match.
Colville Indians
Location: Colville. Record: 14-8. Coach: Missy Bennett. How qualified: Defeated Cheney in winner-to-state match at Great Northern districts. Last appearance: 2007. History: 11 trips, 7 trophies. Key players: OH Makayla Carr, sr.; S Leanna Carr, fr.; MH Ashley Knight, sr. Quick set: Indians returned to state after a one-year absence by beating Cheney, which was looking to end a 22-year drought.
East Valley Red Devils
Location: Moxee. Record: 18-6. Coach: Darci Dekker. How qualified: Defeated Ellensburg in winner-to-state match at CWAC districts. Last appearance: 1998. History: 7 trips, 0 trophies. Key players: OH Mercedes Yates, sr.; OH Annie Martinez, sr.; L Dani Najera, sr. Quick set: The hard-luck Red Devils are finally back at state after losing in the winner-to-state match at districts the past three years.
Grandview Greyhounds
Location: Grandview. Record: 17-7. Coach: John LaFever. How qualified: Finished second at CWAC districts. Last appearance: 2008. History: 11 trips, 8 trophies. Key players: MB Adriana Ramos, jr.; S/OH Payton Parrish, fr.; L Gabby Sauve, jr. Quick set: The Hounds graduated almost all their key offensive players from a year ago but relied on defense and a balanced offense to make their 10th straight appearance.
Hockinson Hawks
Location: Brush Prairie. Record: 14-8. Coach: Shannon Hunt. How qualified: Defeated Ridgefield in a winner-to-state match at the Southwest Districts. Last appearance: 2008. History: 1 trip, 0 trophies. Key players: S/RS Lisa Farrey, sr.; OH Tiffany Karlsen, sr.; MB Mariah Keller, jr. Quick set: The Hawks are back for the second straight year with almost an entirely different cast than the one that delivered the school its first-ever state berth.
Lynden Lions
Location: Lynden. Record: 15-3. Coach: Angie Dallas. How qualified: Finished third at Northwest Districts. Last appearance: 2008 (third). History: 18 trips, 5 trophies. Key players: OH Laura Webb, jr.; OH Hannah Shine, jr.; S Justine Ellingson, sr. Quick set: Lions graduated college signees Jessi Roberts (Oregon State) and Averyl Shindruk (CWU), but led by first-year coach Dallas and an entirely new starting group, they are back for the fourth straight year.
Washington Patriots
Location: Tacoma. Record: 13-3. Coach: Paul Souza. How qualified: Defeated Sequim in winner-to-state match at West Central Districts. Last appearance: 2003. History: 5 trips, 1 trophy. Key players: S Brianna Glass, fr.; OH Loha Faafolau, jr. Quick set: Patriots are making only their second trip in 27 years. They won the state title in 1977.
West Valley Eagles
Location: Spokane. Record: 16-5. Coach: Drew Wendle. How qualified: Finished second at Great Northern districts. Last appearance: 2008 (fifth). History: 3 trips, 2 trophies. Key players: OH Bailey Wold, sr.; MH Shaniqua Niles, jr.; S Brooklyn Robinson, soph. Quick set: Eagles are back for third straight year and have trophied each of the last two.
-- Records include best-of-3 and best-of-5 match results reported.
