YAKIMA — West Valley earned the CBBN 3A crown Saturday with a three-set win over Kennewick in the district tournament championship match at West Valley High School in Yakima.
The Lions were strong throughout the day with Meghan McIntyre posting a 45 total kills and teammate Maddie Zinsli provided vigorous support with 85 assists.
“We played with a lot of energy all day today,” Kennewick coach Julie Maciboba said. “Worked really hard and never gave up.”
The Lions nearly got tripped up in the first round, falling behind Southridge two sets to none. But Kennewick rallied behind a raucous student section and prevailed in five sets.
* Kamiakin finished with the No.3 seed after surviving a five-set clash against Southridge, who walked away the No. 4 to regionals.
“That was a long one for them,” Braves coach Mary Opitz said of the game against the Suns. “They came out fired up. Crosstown rivalries are always big games and they wanted to play well against Southridge, and they did a good job.”
Opitz said that the final set was a nailbiter, with the Braves digging themselves out of several holes.
“It was like 5-1, 5-2, or something like that in the fifth set, then it was 10-4 and he (Southridge coach John Lengphounpraseut) took another timeout. The girls were fired up in that last set and wanted to finish strong. They’re excited to get into the regional tournament.”
Kamiakin defeated Hanford in a first-round loser-out contest, but Falcons coach McKenzie Garberg thought it apt that her team ended its season in a matchup with the Braves.
“They beat us two times during the season,” Garberg said. “I was hoping for that to change, but when you look at the set scores, all three games were close and they had enough to pull it out from us.
“I’m glad it was the game we ended on and the competitor we faced. ...If we had to go out anyway, it was a good one. I can’t wait until next season.”
Kennewick—Maddie Zinsli 85 assts, 8 kills; Meghan McIntyre 45 kills, 20 digs; Torie Szendre 14 kills, 14 blks; Carlee Rhodes 23 kills, 30 digs; Sophie Clinton 13 kills, 14 blks; Lizzy Ridley 27 digs; Kelly Dyer 19 digs; Brittany Evans 13 digs.
Kamiakin—Alexis Scott 33 kills, 42x45 srv, 3 aces, 43 digs; Amanda Miller 22 kills, 31x34 srv, 5 aces, 4 blks; Laura Phillips 19 kills, 12 aces, 55 assts, 29 digs; Abby Blanchard 14 kills, 9 blks; Kayla Emineth 20x22 srv, 2 aces, 64 digs; Kourtnee Coleman 21x22 srv, 4 aces, 4 kills, 14 digs; Libby Davison 11 kills, 19 digs.
Hanford—Nikki Eldred 5 blks, 2 aces, 12 kills; Suzi Davison 30 assts, 4 digs, 3 aces; Elise Simunds 18 digs, 4 aces; Tori Smith 4 blks, 3 kills.
Southridge—Kylie Fraga 103 assts, 9 kills, 21 digs; Emma Spurlock 30 kills, 11 digs; Shelby Warner 23 kills, 26 digs; Isabella Midili 23 kills, 34 digs; Kensey Mix 18 kills, 10 blks; Breanna Baasch 35 digs; Rylee Russo 29 digs; Kimberly Brinkworth 8 kills, 26 digs, 5 blks.
Union 3, Stanfield
PILOT ROCK — Vanessa Herrera swooped into the fray with 17 digs but Stanfield (10-14, 5-9) still ended its season with a three-set loss to Union at the Oregon 2A Blue Mountain Conference district tournament at Pilot Rock.
“I’m really proud with how hard the girls worked,” Tigers coach Noelle Carstens said. “They girls were committed to improve each day.”
Set scores: 25-18, 25-14, 25-12. Stanfield—Kacy Kamm 6 blks; Vanessa Herrera 17 digs.
