STATE VOLLEYBALL: Post Falls reaches 5A semis; Lake City also assured of trophy
5A
For the first time in 11 years, the Post Falls Trojans have reached the semifinals of the state 5A volleyball tournament.
The third-seeded Trojans beat sixth-seeded Timberline of Boise 25-22, 27-25, 31-29, then recovered from a first-set loss to beat 5A Inland Empire League foe and second seed Lake City 10-25, 25-21, 28-26, 25-16.
Post Falls (26-6) will play top-seeded Madison (17-0) of Rexburg today at 10 a.m. PDT in the semifinals, for a berth in the championship match at 3 p.m.
“We are playing the top teams in the state, so the competition is tough,” Post Falls coach Willow Hanna said. “Our team played well today, working through adversity and making adjustments quickly.”
Lake City is also guaranteed a trophy for a top-four finish.
The Timberwolves bounced back from their loss to Post Falls, beating No. 4 Thunder Ridge of Idaho Falls 25-23, 14-25, 25-22, 27-29, 15-10 in a loser-out game.
Lake City (22-5) will play Timberline (14-7) today at 8 a.m. PDT, with the loser fourth. The winner will play the Post Falls-Madison winner, with the loser third and the winner reaching the championship round.
For Post Falls in the match against Timberline, junior Kylie Munday had 15 kills, 25 assists and 14 digs, junior Jenna Sarff had 16 kills and two blocks, senior Carleen Codd 17 assists, junior Sam Anderson four blocks, junior Maleah Wilhelm two blocks, sophomore Vanessa Kison 11 digs, junior Maddie Brazee three aces.
Against Lake City, Munday, the University of San Diego commit, had 20 kills, 15 assists and five aces, sophomore Trinity Byrne seven kills and three blocks, Codd 19 assists, Anderson six blocks, Sarff 22 digs and three blocks, sophomore Lexi Norisada 21 digs, Brazee three aces.
Against Madison, “we will need to control all aspects of our game, and adapt as necessary,” Hanna said. “We are looking forward to a good match.”
In its first match of the day, Lake City swept No. 7 Owyhee of Meridian 25-11, 25-16, 25-18.
“We just played with heart all day long,” Lake City coach Michelle Kleinberg said. “Post Falls was a battle the whole time; Post Falls is playing on a whole new level. We’re the underdogs (in this tournament), because we’re so short and unconventional. We’re just trying to show ’em we can play, too.”
Against Owyhee, senior Aubrey Stennett had 11 kills and 20 assists for Lake City. Senior Ella Hosfeld had seven kills and 21 assists, senior Allie Bowman 18 digs, senior Payton Peugh nine kills, senior Emberlyn Reynolds seven kills.
Against Post Falls, Stennett had 15 kills and 22 assists for the Timberwolves. Bowman had 19 digs and three aces, Peugh 15 kills, 19 digs and three aces, Reynolds seven kills.
Against Thunder Ridge, Stennett had 11 kills and 22 assists for Lake City. Bowman had 26 digs, Hosfeld six kills and 29 assists, Peugh 19 kills, junior Ava Johnson nine kills.
“Their block was unreal,” Kleinberg said of Thunder Ridge. “We told them to just keep swinging, and either squeak the ball through the block or off their hands. Ava Johnson, that was the best game I’ve ever seen her play; she carried her team in that Thunder Ridge match.”
“We’re excited to bring home hardware, to represent the work we’ve put in all season,” Kleinberg added.
4A
At Thunder Ridge High in Idaho Falls, sixth seed Moscow was eliminated in three matches. The Bears beat No. 3 Columbia of Nampa, then lost to No. 7 Century of Pocatello and to No. 5 Bonneville of Idaho Falls.
3A
At Hillcrest High in Ammon, No. 6 seed Bonners Ferry went two-and-out, losing to third seed Weiser and seventh seed Buhl.
2A
At Shelley High, third-seeded St. Maries won once and lost twice and was eliminated, finishing in a tie for fifth, one win short of a trophy.
The Lumberjacks opened by losing to No. 6 Nampa Christian 25-23, 25-19, 25-20. St. Maries then beat No. 7 Cole Valley Christian 25-19, 25-21, 21-25, 16-25, 15-11, before bowing out with a loss to No. 5 Malad 25-14, 25-21, 25-17.
St. Maries finished 19-8.
Against Nampa Christian, Taci Watkins had six kills and two blocks for St. Maries. Ava Stancil had seven kills, Stacie Mitchell five kills, Lily Daniel 26 assists, Berkli McGreal 17 digs.
Against Cole Valley Christian, Daniel had 27 assists and two blocks for the Lumberjacks. Stancil had seven kills, Watkins, Mitchell, Mia Asbury and Tayla Janssen five kills each, Watkins two blocks, Asbury three aces.
1A Division I
At Madison High in Rexburg, fifth-seeded Wallace went two and out, losing to No. 4 Oakley and to No. 8 Grace.
1A Division II
At Madison High, No. 8 seed Clark Fork went two-and-out, falling to top-seeded Horseshoe Bend and to fifth-seeded Kendrick.