State volleyball play-in matches: Lake City, Coeur du Christ come up short

• 6A

GRANGEVILLE — Lake City’s bid to return to state for the first time since 2022 fell short Saturday, when the Timberwolves lost to Rocky Mountain of Meridian 25-23, 25-22, 23-25, 25-11 in a state 6A volleyball play-in match at Grangeville High. 

Senior Jessalyn Wilson had 15 kills and 21 digs for Lake City, which finished 18-14. Senior Taylor Winey had 27 assists, sophomore Camryn Woodman six kills and one block, senior Lola Jeanselme 15 digs.  

“One win shy of our ultimate goal, but proud of this team and what we accomplished,” said Lake City coach Michelle Kleinberg, who saw two players suffer season-ending injuries during the season. “High school sports are a special thing to be a part of and while the wins are sweet, sometimes you’re on the losing side of it. This team has handled every setback with high character, including the loss today. It was a challenging season, but a special one.” 

Rocky Mountain (26-10) advances to state Thursday through Saturday at the Mountain America Center in Idaho Falls. 

• 1A

St. John Bosco d. 

Coeur du Christ 

COEUR d’ALENE — The Saints, in their first year as a member of the Idaho High School Activities Association, got off to a strong start in a state 1A play-in match against the Patriots of Cottonwood. 

But St. John Bosco got its hitting game going after that, and beat Coeur du Christ 22-25, 25-17, 25-11, 25-12. 

“St. John Bosco did a really good job changing what they were doing,” third-year Saints coach Natalie Kiefer said. “When they saw where we were, they started finding some spots on the court, and our defense had to really adjust. Honestly, all credit to them, they kept us on our heels defensively.” 

Junior Maddie Junkin had 11 kills and six blocks for Coeur du Christ (8-7), which played as an independent of sorts the past two seasons, featuring some JV and smaller IHSAA schools, as well as some Mountain Christian League squads. 

Junior Kate Clemens had four blocks and two aces for the Saints, and senior Emma Anderson had 13 digs. 

At one point, both Coeur du Christ middle blockers were on the sidelines — one due to exhaustion, the other because of a right ankle injury — as the Patriots turned their attack to the middle. 

“We had some girls who were playing super hard for the first set and a half, and they just hit a wall; weren’t feeling very well, feeling lightheaded,” Kiefer said. “There were some really long plays, and we lost a little bit of gas. They started running everything through the middle, and it wore our middles out.” 

St. John Bosco (7-12) advances to state Thursday through Saturday at Canyon Ridge High in Twin Falls.