6A DISTRICT 1 VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: Vikings keep smiling, all the way to state

By MARK NELKE 

Sports editor 

COEUR d’ALENE — Throughout the match — and especially after a point that didn’t go her team’s way — there was Coeur d’Alene High volleyball coach Carly Curtis, up off the bench, a smile on her face, and often an encouraging word. 

“Our main thing was to play with intent, and have focused fun,” Curtis said after her top-seeded Vikings rolled to a 27-25, 25-16, 25-18 victory over the second-seeded Lake City Timberwolves on Tuesday night, sweeping the best-of-3 series for the 6A District 1 championship. “As long as they were out their smiling and having fun, we knew good things would happen. We are all about positive energy, and we knew it would result in good plays.” 

Senior outside hitter Paisley Goings, a four-year starter, had the kill on match point for Coeur d’Alene (26-6), which won their second straight regional/district title to advance to state Oct. 31-Nov. 2 at the Mountain America Center in Idaho Falls. 

“It meant a lot with this team,” Goings said. “We’ve been focusing a lot on our mindset this season, which has helped us play together as a team, and selflessly.” 

“Honestly, I think it just paid off with all of our hard work; we’ve been working a lot on our mindset, and I think that we just proved that we’re really strong.” 

The Vikings are seventh in 6A in the most recent MaxPreps rankings, which are used to seed the state tournaments. Coeur d’Alene will likely learn its first-round opponent at state on Sunday morning.

“I’m just excited for this group of girls,” Curtis said. “They’ve worked hard all season, both physically and mentally, and they’ve done a lot of things to work on their team chemistry to make this happen.” 

Lake City (18-13), which lost in four sets at Coeur d’Alene on Saturday in the first match of the championship series, moves on to a state play-in match Saturday at Grangeville against the fifth-place finisher from District 3.

Goings had nine kills, nine digs and two blocks for Coeur d’Alene, which was pushed by Lake City in the first set, jumped out quickly to a lead in the second set, and took control of the third set midway through. 

Junior Kaylee Paulson had 12 kills for Coeur d’Alene. Junior Gianna Callari finished with nine kills, three blocks and five aces. Senior libero Gracie Legg had 17 digs and four aces. Senior Lizzy Hardy had 16 assists, sophomore Hannah Shafer 14 assists. Sophomore Bridget Maiani had nine digs, senior Aiva Reed two blocks. 

“We’ve grown so much as a team since the beginning of the season,” said Hardy, one of the two setters in last year’s 6-2 offense.  

Reed had surgery to repair a torn meniscus prior to last season, and was limited to playing with the junior varsity team. 

“It means a lot (to get to state), especially since it’s my senior year,” Reed said.  

“We really worked hard in the gym and off the court on the mental side of our game,” said Legg, also a returning starter. “We’ve put a lot of effort into each other, and we play for each other. And I think it shows that, even when the game’s close, that we’re able to pull it through together.” 

On some of Coeur d’Alene’s aces, the ball darted in crazy directions after it crossed the net as if the ball was warped.  

For Lake City, senior Jessalyn Wilson had 11 kills and 17 digs, sophomore Camryn Woodman six kills and one aces, senior Taylor Winey 26 assists and one aces, senior Lola Jeanselme 14 digs. 

“Congratulations to Coeur d’Alene,” Lake City coach Michelle Kleinberg said. “They’ve put together a special season and will represent the North with a strong presence at the state tournament. We plan to be right there with them with a win in Grangeville on Saturday. Historically, Grangeville has been a great experience for us so the play-in game is a welcomed opportunity.” 

“Lake City played great tonight,” Curtis said. “They came out and played with fire, and were ready to go. They had some great serves, and we had to battle through that. But I felt like our setters did a good job of moving the ball around, and it opened up our hitters, and we were able to get some pretty amazing kills.” 

   MARK NELKE/Press Kaylee Paulson (4) of Coeur d'Alene hits between the block of Camryn Woodman (1) and Taylor Winey of Lake City in the second match of a best-of-3 series for the 6A District 1 volleyball championship Tuesday night at Lake City.

    MARK NELKE/Press Josie Hocking (11) of Lake City hits between the block of Gianna Callari (11) and Hannah Shafer (13) of Coeur d'Alene in the second match of a best-of-3 series for the 6A District 1 volleyball championship Tuesday night at Lake City.