CWAC qualifies two of three entries for
semifinals; Ellensburg just misses out
 
By PAUL SHUGAR
YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC

A few points are all that kept the CWAC from turning an impressive Friday at the Class 2A state volleyball tournament into an outstanding one.

Grandview and Selah needed only six games each to roll into Saturday’s semifinals in the SunDome. Ellensburg, the third and final entry from the CWAC, wasn’t far from joining its counterparts.

The Bulldogs fell 25-18, 12-25, 13-25, 25-20, 15-12 against R.A. Long in the closest quarterfinal of the night. After missing a chance to close the Lumberjills out in the fourth game, Ellensburg found itself tied 12-12 in the fifth and final game before R.A. Long notched three points to close out the match.

“It was really tight and I really felt we just missed on a couple key points,” Ellensburg coach Tara Affholter said. “... We really came together and we did a great job either way. I just wish we had the fourth game back.”

The loss means the Bulldogs will be the only local team battling through the consolation bracket Saturday. The Greyhounds and Vikings are both into the final four and eyeing what would be the third meeting of the season if they win their respective semifinals to reach the championship.

The teams finished 1-1 against each other this season. Grandview won the only matchup during the regular season 3-1; Selah swept the Greyhounds in three games to clinch the CWAC district championship.

Both squads will have semifinal games to take care of first. Grandview will meet R.A. Long at 10:45 a.m. Saturday before Selah takes on top-ranked Pullman — the defending Class 2A state champs — at 12:30 p.m. Ellensburg will play Mark Morris in a loser-out game at 10:45 a.m.

There weren’t many things going wrong for either the Vikings or the Greyhounds on Friday. In a tournament with so many fresh faces because of reclassification, both squads showed the ability to adjust to what their opponents were doing after close first games.

Sweeping past Eatonville 25-17, 25-6, 25-16 to start the day, Selah was forced to do some work against Tumwater. After pulling out the first game 26-24 against the Thunderbirds, the defending Class 3A state champs won the next two games 25-12 and 25-20.

Allyson Powell finished up a good day setting up the offense with 42 assists. Kierea Meloy led the team with 16 kills, Courtney Hutchins chipped in 12 to go with six blocks, and Amanda Barnett led the defense with 27 digs.

The biggest thing Selah coach Kay Aberle liked about her second-ranked squad was how well it adjusted to what Tumwater was trying to do. Something she’ll need the team to do Saturday when it meets Pullman for the first time this season.

“Tumwater came out and ran a couple different offenses we’re not used to and we had to talk about them and adjust in the first game,” Aberle said. “We haven’t played them all year, so everything is different and nothing is never the same; its always different.”

Grandview got even more of a scare in its first game against Mark Morris. The Monarchs led 22-18 before the fourth-ranked Greyhounds rallied to tie the game at 23-23. Grandview won the match 25-23 and won the next two games 25-20, 25-13.

“I think we were a little overconfident,” Grandview coach John LaFever said. “Mark Morris did a good job controlling the tempo and made us play their way. They wanted to play controlled and they did so really well.”

Rallying to take the fifth-place trophy last year after falling in the first round to Mount Baker, the Greyhounds found themselves in another 9 a.m. match this season. The same time slot in which they lost in last year. There was no letdown this tournament with a 25-9, 25-18, 25-9 victory against Riverside to open up play.

Kinzi Poteet led the offense with 21 kills and five blocks on the day. Kealey Johnston had strong all-around with 20 kills, 25 digs and four blocks, and Chante Bottineau helped generate all that offense with 45 assists for the night.

As for another early-morning collapse, there was little reason to worry about that.

“This team is older and more experienced,” LaFever said. “They’re still young, but they’re a little older.”

Ellensburg appeared to be ready to make another run through the state tournament like last year — when the Bulldogs got all the way to the championship game of the Class 3A tournament before losing to Selah. They opened play with 25-21, 25-23, 25-21 victory against North Mason before falling in the five-game matchup with fifth-ranked R.A. Long.

The 6-foot-3 Kayla Standish made her presence known with 15 kills and 12 blocks on the night. Becca Sharon led the defense with 33 digs, and Talia Venera had 12 digs to go along with her team-high 27 kills.

While Selah and Grandview are guaranteed to bring home trophies for the second straight year, the Bulldogs have some work to do if they want to play for either the fourth- or seventh-place trophy. If they manage to do that, all three teams will be heading home from the state tournament with trophies for the second straight season.

“They just have established programs,” said Affholter of Selah and Grandview leading the CWAC’s charge. “That’s huge of course.”

Grandview highlights: Kealey Johnston 2 aces 20 kills, 1 asst, 4 blk, 25 digs; Chante Bottineau 45 assts, 4 digs; Raissa Licano 9 kills, 3 blks; Jessica Gonzalez 6 digs; Kinzi Poteet 21 kills, 5 blks; Danika Martinez 10 digs; Sydney Mottice 3 kills, 3 blks, 8 digs; Katie Veloz 12 digs.
Ellensburg highlights: Becca Sharon 33 digs; Talia Venera 27 kills, 12 digs; Kayla Standish 15 kills, 12 blks; Liz Shenyer 15-15 serving; Mercedes Chandler 18 digs.
Selah highlights: Rachel Fickes 5 aces, 9 kills, 9 digs; Kierea Meloy 16 kills, 2 blks; Courtney Hutchins 12 kills, 6 blks; Allyson Powell 2 kills, 42 assts; Sasha Valdez 11 assts, 1 kill, 8 aces; Amanda Barnett 2 aces, 27 digs.