STATE VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT: Vikings finish second
IDAHO FALLS - It wasn't a state title, but it was the best result at state in 27 years for the Coeur d'Alene High volleyball team.
The Vikings finished second to Idaho Falls on Saturday at the state 5A tournament at Skyline High.
Coeur d'Alene lost to Idaho Falls 25-20, 25-19, 25-23 in the semifinal match, then beat Vallivue of Caldwell 25-15, 17-25, 25-20, 25-17 to make it back to the title match, where the Vikings lost to Idaho Falls 25-15, 26-24, 22-25, 25-15.
"These girls are competitive, so they were disappointed not to win it all," Coeur d'Alene coach Dee Pottenger said. "But Idaho Falls is a really strong team, and many of our girls had the best matches of their careers ... it makes us feel better to get beat by a team that earned it."
Coeur d'Alene, a team with no seniors on its roster, finished 21-5 in its first trip to state since 2008, when it placed third. The Vikings won the state title in 1987, and this was their first trip back to the title match since then.
It was the fifth state volleyball title for Idaho Falls (33-9), all since 2003. The Tigers beat Post Falls in 2011 for their last state title, and also won three-peated in 2003-05. Idaho Falls was state runner-up to Lewiston last year; Lewiston, the two-time defending state champions, went two and out this year.
"They're a better team than us right now," Pottenger said. "We still have potential with this group; we're going to get even stronger. That team (the Tigers), they were in the championship match last year, and I think that experience, for sure, is going to give them an edge."
In the first Idaho Falls match, Megan Ramseyer had 11 kills, 12 assists and 10 digs for Coeur d'Alene. Missy Huddleston added eight kills and 10 digs, Sydney Bybee had five kills and five blocks, Ali Williams 11 assists, Maura Donovan 11 digs and four aces.
Against Vallivue, which finished third, Ramseyer had 15 kills, 21 assists and 10 digs, Huddleston had 12 kills, six assists and four blocks, Williams 10 kills and 17 assists, Bybee six kills and four blocks, Donovan 12 digs.
In the championship match, Ramseyer, a junior who has verbally committed to Idaho, had 16 kills, 17 assists and eight digs, Huddleston had nine kills and seven digs, Williams 18 assists and eight digs, Bybee 14 kills, Donovan 13 digs.
"Some of our girls have played at a really high level all year," Pottenger said. "Megan and Missy played at an even higher level (at state), and Sydney Bybee played great as well.
"They (the Tigers) are graduating a couple of key players, but they are returning a few of their strong athletes," Pottenger added. "So it should make for hopefully a fun rematch next year."
No other District 1 teams advanced to Saturday's play in any of the other divisions.
STATE VOLLEYBALL SCHEDULES
at Skyline High
Saturday
Vallivue d. Rocky Mountain 25-17, 25-20, 25-23 (Rocky Mountain fourth)
Idaho Falls d. Coeur d’Alene 25-20, 25-19, 25-23 (semifinal)
Coeur d’Alene d. Vallivue 25-16, 17-25, 25-20, 25-17 (Vallivue third)
Idaho Falls d. Coeur d’Alene 25-15, 26-24, 22-25, 25-15 (championship match)
at Kimberly High
Saturday
Skyview d. Twin Falls 21-25, 25-13, 26-24, 28-26 (Twin Falls fourth)
Century d. Bishop Kelly 25-23, 25-10, 25-22 (semifinal)
Bishop Kelly d. Skyview (25-23, 25-22, 25-21 (Skyview third)
Century d. Bishop Kelly 12-25, 12-25, 27-25, 25-22, 15-12 (championship match)
at Twin Falls High
Saturday
Sugar-Salem d. Kimberly 25-21, 25-14, 23-25, 25-23 (Kimberly fourth)
Fruitland d. Shelley 25-19, 14-25, 25-16, 23-25, 15-4 (semifinal)
Shelley d. Sugar-Salem 25-19, 25-16, 25-18 (Sugar-Salem third)
Fruitland d. Shelley 29-27, 21-25, 18-25, 25-16, 15-10 (championship match)
at Buhl High
Saturday
Firth d. Nampa Christian 3-0 (Nampa Christian fourth)
Malad d. Declo 20-25, 25-11, 25-17, 15-9 (semifinal)
Firth d. Declo 25-22, 19-25, 25-19, 25-23 (Firth third)
Malad d. Firth 3-2 (championship match)
1A Division I
at Wendell High
Saturday
Genesee d. Challis 20-25, 25-18, 25-16, 25-16 (Challis fourth)
Prairie d. Troy 25-20, 25-21, 25-11 (semifinal)
Genesee d. Troy 25-19, 25-17, 25-13 (Troy third)
Prairie d. Genesee 25-18, 25-21, 26-24 (championship match)
1A Division II
at Declo High
Saturday
Lighthouse Christian d. Logos 25-22, 18-25, 25-17, 25-22 (Logos fourth)
Dietrich d. Mackay 25-22, 25-21, 25-22 (semifinal)
Lighthouse Christian d. Mackay 25-22, 25-21, 25-7 (Mackay third)
Lighthouse Christian d. Dietrich 25-15, 25-22, 25-10 (championship match)
Lighthouse Christian d. Dietrich 25-10, 25-15, 25-14 (if-necessary match)