Chelan rolls to fourth consecutive 1A volleyball state (WIAA) title, while Columbia River earns three-peat in 2A
YAKIMA, Wash. – Having graduated five senior starters – all of whom garnered all-state honors – it almost seemed a show of respect rather than expectation to rank the Chelan volleyball team near the top of any Class 1A preseason poll.
A three-peat earned the Goats at least that.
This weekend, with a roster much heavier on sophomores and freshmen than seniors, Chelan proved itself worthy of the lofty rankings and silenced any doubts.
The Goats fought past a gutsy Freeman squad, 25-15, 18-25, 25-20, 25-23, to capture their fourth consecutive WIAA 1A title in the Yakima Valley SunDome.
“It has been a huge, huge growing year,” Chelan coach Abby Lewellen said. “We sat down at the beginning of the year and said, ‘Hey, this is a possibility. I don’t think anybody else believes it but we’re gonna believe it.’”
That took the Goats believing in themselves, and the new parts they would play. Spectacular sophomore hitter Brynn Hughbanks, whose crushing spikes announced her arrival last season, helped fill the leadership void that graduation left.
“It was definitely a big challenge for me at the beginning of the year because I felt a lot of the seniors led last year and I wasn’t really sure how to lead,” Hughbanks said. “Once we figured it out that was a game-changer and everyone stepped up and played their role very well.”
Photo by Lane Mathews
The Goats needed it in Saturday’s final.
The Northeast A champions pushed Chelan, taking the second set and slowing the versatile Goats’ attack with their own staunch front.
“We knew we were going to have nerves going into that match,” Freeman coach Kaela Straw said. “The girls did such a good job just settling into it and accepting the challenge.”
Chelan finished the third and fourth sets strongly, though, with Hughbanks and Lydia Petersen often finishing it off for the champs.
The championship is the fifth for Chelan, and denied Freeman – which hadn’t appeared in the title match since 2003 – its first title in more than 40 years.
Key to the Scotties’ run were seniors Ava Semprimoznik, an all-state setter, and spirited hitter Kate Schneider.
“That is why they are our co-captains,” Straw said. “Kate has that fire and then Ava calms it down. They do such a good job of balancing each other and it’s been so fun to be around them all season.
“They’ve really helped build the culture of Freeman volleyball.”
CLASS 2A
Photo by Lane Mathews
Top-seeded Columbia River and No. 6 Ridgefield again took their neighborly rivalry to Saturday night’s main event of the Class 2A state tournament in the Yakima Valley SunDome.
Consider this one a knockout.
For the third year in a row, the Rapids roared past the Spudders for the state crown, sweeping 25-14, 25-8, 25-7. It capped a dominating day for Columbia River, which swept past No. 4 Burlington-Edison in the semifinal round, winning each set by at least 11 points.
“It says we have a lot of mental toughness and when the stakes are high that’s when they perform the best,” Columbia River coach Breanne Smedly said.
The Rapids, led by Auburn-bound senior hitter Lauren Dreves, dropped just one set this season and finished 24-0.
“It doesn’t feel real right now,” she said of her final high school match. “Every single person I’ve played with has helped me develop as a player and it’s just been so amazing.”
Stanford signee and Ridgefield middle blocker Lizzy Andrew also capped her prep career.
Photo by Lane Mathews
(All photos by Lane Mathews)
