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| Published November 15, 2003 :: Home |
Woodland Rolls to 2A Title By MICHAEL ANDERSON YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC Woodland’s powerful net attack and tenacious defense derailed Chelan’s dream of a state title one game short for a second straight year as the Beavers captured the Class 2A state title in the SunDome on Saturday, 25-16, 25-14, 25-16. For Woodland coach Jeff Nesbitt and his veteran players, the win was redemption of sorts. The Beavers were beaten by Lakeside in the 2001 title game and didn’t make it out of pool play in 2002. On Saturday night, the Beavers overcame an early Chelan lead, and after a couple of adjustments by Nesbitt, the Beavers rolled. “They got off to a real good start,” Nesbitt said. “Number 8 (Sarah Schramm) was causing us some problems, but we made some adjustments and then our kids started digging her.” Once Woodland was able to counter Schramm at the net, the Beavers started focusing on defending the serve. The matched turned quickly after that. “Once we could handle the serve we were able to keep them from putting all the focus on Jamie (Richards).” Chelan and Woodland roared into the title match, making short work of South Whidbey and Lynden Christian respectively. Chelan, the CWAC district champion but not considered a favorite to win the title coming in, was in the title match for the second straight year. The Goats were blitzed in the 2002 finals by McKenzie Burgess-led Kiona-Benton. Woodland, which lost the 2001 title match to Lakeside but didn’t advance out of a pool-play tiebreaker in 2002, swept Lynden Christian, 25-18, 25-12, 25-14. That set up an all Northwest District match for third place with South Whidbey taking on Lynden Christian. For South Whidbey -- in the state tournament for the first time since 1996, the consolation was literally that -- consolation. The Falcons take home a sixth place plaque after being beaten by Lynden Christian for the second time in three weeks. Lynden Christian finished the season with its highest placing ever -- third. The Lyncs barely had time to change jerseys before disposing of league rival South Whidbey, 25-13, 25-21, 25-20. “We didn’t have much time but we talked about having a new objective now and to come out strong,” LC coach Kim DeValois said. Shaking off a disappointing first-round loss to semifinalist Chelan, No. 6 ranked Meridian made short work of Forks, 25-19, 25-19, 25-7, in the morning elimination match. Meridian coach Diane Axelson was worried that her team wouldn’t shake off the tightly called first match. She said she could tell fairly quickly in Friday’s second match that her kids were relaxed and that against Forks the Trojans started playing like they expected to when they headed here. The Trojans equaled their 2002 finish -- fifth -- when they toppled Omak later in the afternoon, 25-12, 25-21, 25-17. Omak, the No. 2 seed out of CWAC district, dispatched Ridgefield, 25-17, 25-12, 25-14 to get to the trophy match. Ridgefield, rebuilding under first-year coach Kara Monahan and back to state after a three-year absence, struggled to find any rhythm offensively or defensively against the Pioneers. But Monahan sees that as part of a first-year state tournament experience. “The kids worked really hard and it was good for us to see this level of competition,” she said. “It’s hard sometimes to see the potential we have and not see it step up. “A big change for us is learning to play a faster tempo game,” she said. “We have some room for improvement and we will be back.”
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