MONTESANO — La Center put on a power show to sweep East County opponents on the opening night of the District IV Class 1A Volleyball Tournament on Wednesday.
The hard-hitting Wildcats opened Wednesday night’s program at Bo Griffith Memorial Gym by eliminating Montesano, 25-13. 25-14, 25-16, in a loser-out contest. They then downed Evergreen 1A League champion Elma, 25-23, 25-8, 25-19, in a district semifinal later in the evening.
Elma (13-2) remains alive for its first-ever state volleyball berth, but must win two matches under a new tourney format Saturday at Castle Rock to do so.
The Eagles first face King’s Way Christian in a loser-out contest at 1:30 p.m. The winner of that match will take on the loser of the La Center-Castle Rock district championship game to decide the district’s second and final state slot.
Montesano concluded its season with a 7-8 record.
Wednesday’s results also maintained the Trico League’s domination of this tournament. Montesano, in 2006, remains the only northern team to win a district volleyball title since the current 1A classification was formed.
Wildcats 3, Eagles 0
Outgunned in the front row for one of the few times this season, Elma scrambled admirably on the defensive end to keep the first and third sets close.
Eagle sophomore Quin Mikel brought up 19 digs, senior setter Kenna Stoney had 13 digs and sophomore Kali Rambo was perhaps conservatively credited with eight. Rambo, in particular, hit the floor repeatedly to keep points alive.
“We knew going in that we had to be scrappy and we were,” Elma coach Kendra Henry said. “I know it’s disappointing, but I’m very proud of how they played today.”
In the end, however, La Center had too many weapons. Laynie Erickson was the most impressive of the Wildcat hitters, but teammates Emma Shahbazi, Sydney Mairose and Abby Banholzer also delivered numerous kills.
Erickson output included a spike that the Eagles bumped into the gym’s rafters, with the ball staying there. The point was replayed.
Rallying from an 18-12 deficit, the Eagles fought off three set points at 24-20. Rambo made a great save of an apparent winner on the first, which Elma won on a Sarah Bridge block.
After a pair of La Center errors, Elma had an opportunity to draw even. But they were unable to return a Banholzer tip.
La Center breezed through the second set. The Eagles, however, went on a 4-1 run late in the third to trim the deficit to 17-15 when Mikel delivered a kill from the back row.
Erickson, however, delivered two kills and a service ace as the Wildcats responded with a 5-1 spurt to take command at 22-16. Shahbazi’s kill ended the match.
Mikel and Stoney had eight kills apiece, with many of Stoney’s coming on tips, pushes and dumps. Rambo had five kills.
Wildcats 3, Bulldogs 0
Even more so than Elma, Montesano was playing defense for most of its encounter with La Center.
The Bulldogs never led and, in fact, scored only 14 points on their own serve.
“They are a good team, they have a lot of good hitters,” Montesano coach Renee Volz said of La Center.
McKenna Miller led Monte’s hitters with a modest four kills. She also combined for six solo or assisted blocks.
Bulldog setter Janessa Otterstetter contributed 11 assists.
Montesano staved off three match points in the third set. Miller saved the third with a stuff block before the match ended somewhat anti-climatically on a missed serve.
“I’m super-proud of my girls,” Volz said. “For 98 percent of them, this was their first district tournament, we had a really young team. I’m really looking forward to working with them next year and coming back to district.”’
