Timberlake to 3A semis; St. Maries alive in 2A
Lake City, Kootenai clipped in late loser-out matches
3A
REXBURG — The Timberlake Tigers volleyball team was not going to be denied Friday at the state 3A tournament at Madison High.
Kenzie Dean had 19 kills and 33 digs for the Tigers in a 25-23, 25-20, 25-27, 28-30, 15-12 opening round win against South Fremont. Timberlake later swept Weiser 25-21, 25-20, 25-22 to advance to the semifinals for the first time in program history today against Sugar-Salem at 10 a.m. PDT. Timberlake’s highest finish at state was third in 2005.
“They’re fighters and they’re going to fight until their last breath,” said Timberlake coach Michelle Garwood, who started the program when the school opened in 1998. “They weren’t going to give up (against South Fremont) without a fight. Courtney Jurgens made some fabulous plays. Their personalities showed up throughout that match. South Fremont is a good team.”
Glori Cheevers had 13 kills and four blocks and Matraca Rocheleau had 58 assists, 29 digs and four aces for Timberlake against South Fremont.
Jacquelyn Mallet had 21 kills and 21 digs, Jurgens 26 digs, Caitlin Garwood and Cheevers two blocks each and Ashlyn Mallet two aces and three kills for Timberlake (22-10) against Weiser.
“Getting the momentum, from playing five sets, every point, our kids were dog tired from that match against South Fremont,” Garwood said. “We started the same lineup, but had to get some leg breaks, so we had most of the kids come off the bench and had five kids to give us fresh legs and it helped everyone rested. The girls stuck together. It was phenomenal to watch.”
5A
Lake City goes 1-2, ousted on first day
IDAHO FALLS — The Timberwolves won their first-round match, then lost the next two and were eliminated at the state 5A tourney at Skyline High.
Lake City opened by sweeping Mountain View of Meridian 25-19, 25-20, 25-19, then lost to Madison of Rexburg 22-25, 25-19, 20-25, 27-25, 15-9. The T-Wolves were sent home by a 10-25, 25-21, 25-23, 25-22 loss to 5A Inland Empire League foe Lewiston.
Sophomore Ashley Kaufman finished the day with 50 kills in three matches for Lake City, which finished 23-3 — two of those losses to Lewiston.
“Collectively as a team, they just all came ready to play and played well together,” first-year Lake City coach Jenna Leggat said. “Madison came ready to play and in the end, we just fell short. I’m proud of how our girls finished as a team and collectively what we saw as coaches this season.”
Klaire Mitchell had 97 assists and two aces, Arlaina Stephenson four aces for Lake City.
2A
St. Maries still
in trophy hunt
IDAHO FALLS — St. Maries is still alive in the state 2A tournament after going 2-1 at Idaho Falls High.
The Lumberjacks defeated Declo in a losers’ bracket match, 25-12, 25-19, 25-23, to advance to the fourth-place match, which will be held at 9 a.m. today at Idaho Falls. St. Maries will play against Cole Valley Christian, which beat Melba in a loser out match 3-2.
“The girls had a determination to win their third match (against Declo),” St. Maries coach Rachele Asbury said. “There was some high intensity and they put the ball away.”
St. Maries (18-15) beat Declo behind eight kills by junior outside hitter Devyn Wilson. Senior setter Kelsey Auer finished with 18 assists, Kaylee Auer had two blocks and McKenna Borgman added nine digs and three aces.
St. Maries opened with a 12-25, 25-19, 25-20, 25-22 win against West Side of Dayton.
Kaylee Auer had 14 kills and four blocks. Kelsey Auer 29 assists, Borgman seven digs and Kaylene Peet four aces.
“We had a slow start in the first match,” Asbury said. “I have a bunch of young players going into the state tournament. The team picked it up with good passing and overall we moved the ball around. Our loss to Malad was against a great team, they’re the defending champs and we just couldn’t get a good blocking game going against them.”
Wilson had seven kills and two aces, Kelsey Auer 17 assists and Borgman five digs in a 25-15, 25-17, 25-20 loss to Malad.
1A Division II
Kootenai
eliminated
IDAHO FALLS — The Warriors went 1-2 at Bonneville High, losing in the opening round to Dietrich before bouncing back to beat Kendrick in a loser-out match, then losing to Watersprings to finish the season 21-4.