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| Updated December 07, 2005 :: Home |
Colfax's Mission Ends With Third State Title By ROGER UNDERWOOD YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC During the pre-match introductions, Colfax coach Sue Doering jumped to give sophomore Lauren Mellor a high-five. By the time the first game started, Doering would have needed a stepladder. The Bulldogs, playing with added emotion since learning their coach had breast cancer, dominated LaConner 3-0 in the Class 1A state volleyball championship match Saturday night in the SunDome. The scores were 25-15, 25-18, 25-22. "These girls have been on a mission all season," a tearful Doering said after adding to state titles her teams won at Colfax in 2000 and 2001. Earlier this season, she won her 500th career match. "Actually, these seniors have been on a mission since seventh grade," she said. "This has been one of the most ... emotional seasons I've been through. It's been more rocky for me than it has for them, even though they didn't know if I'd be at practice or not from one day to the next after they found out I had cancer." Doering has worn a stocking cap to cover the effects of chemotherapy, and others among her coaching staff and team have adopted the practice in a show of unity, so to speak. "It was really hard when we first found out (about Doering's illness)," said Mellor, a 5-foot-11 sophomore who helped the Bulldogs control play at the net. "But she's been awesome. We weren't going to lose tonight." None of the games was in doubt, even though coach Suzanne Marble's young Braves fought throughout. While Colfax's roster listed only four seniors, LaConner had no seniors and only one junior. The Bulldogs had reached the final by sweeping Onalaska 25-21, 25-10, 25-16 earlier Saturday. LaConner had subdued Goldendale 21-25, 25-22, 25-15, 25-21. Last year, Colfax was the tournament runner-up to Lind-Ritzville. "After that tournament," Doering said, "I thought this would be a rebuilding year." Then Marble, who's expecting her second child within days, congratulated Doering and said, "I'll call you next week and let you know if it's a boy or girl." |
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