The 1B District 4 Tournament got underway on Monday, with Twin Harbors teams Ocosta, Taholah and Willapa Valley advancing with victories.
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PREP VOLLEYBALL
Ocosta 3, Firm Foundation 0
Ocosta got its district tournament off to a solid start with a straight-set victory over Firm Foundation on Monday at Ocosta High School in Westport.
The Wildcats (15-2 overall) were in postseason form in the 25-12, 25-13 and 25-16 1B District 4 Tournament first-round victory over the Eagles (7-7).
Several Wildcats made significant contributions to the victory, particularly from the service line.
Ocosta senior libero Noel Cuzdey had a game-high seven aces while junior Millie Tucker was a perfect 24 for 24 from the service line, leading to 19 points for the Wildcats.
PHOTO BY VAN ADAM DAVIS Ocosta’s Noel Cuzdey (left) receives a serve during a victory over Firm Foundation in the first round of the 1B District 4 Tournament on Monday in Westport.
Junior middle hitter Anna Davis and senior outside hitter Jolissa Schlegel led Ocosta with eight and six kills, respectively.
“I am looking forward to moving forward in the bracket,” said Ocosta head coach Erin Snider, who also commended the defensive effort of sophomore Veronica Gruber. “We are reaching our full potential at the right time.”
PHOTO BY VAN ADAM DAVIS Ocosta’s Veronica Gruber (10) sets the ball during a 3-0 victory over Firm Foundation in the first round of the 1B District 4 Tournament on Monday in Westport.
The Wildcats will face Willapa Valley in a district-semifinal matchup scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Thursday at Toledo High School, with a berth in the state tournament at stake.
Firm Foundation 12 13 16 – 0
Ocosta 25 25 25 – 3
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Willapa Valley 3, Pe Ell 2
For the second consecutive week, Willapa Valley defeated Pe Ell in a five-set thriller.
Behind a clutch service streak from senior libero Alana Neva in the critical fifth and final set, the Vikings (12-5) advanced in the 1B District 4 Tournament with a 3-2 victory over Pe Ell (11-8) on Monday at Pe Ell High School.
The two teams split the first four games, with Valley taking games two and three while the Trojans won the first and fourth games, setting up a winner-take-all fifth set.
Fortunes didn’t favor Willapa Valley as the Vikings found themselves five points away from a loss, trailing 10-7 in Game 5.
With the help of the aggressive net play from junior outside hitter Paislee Hurley and freshman middle blocker Tylar Keeton, Neva would run off an eight-point service streak to win the game 15-10 and the match 3-2.
“We were prepared for a tight match as Pe Ell plays well on their home court. Coming off a five-set win in Pe Ell the previous week, we practiced very intentionally for this game,” Valley head coach Chelsea Kempton said. “Serving was our best friend at times and then our worst enemy at other times. … Paislee and Alana came up with some really important serves when we needed them the most. I’m most impressed with how the girls refused to give up even when we were down three to four points. We came back one by one. That’s huge in district play.”
Neva and Eliza Barnum had six aces apiece for a Vikings squad that had 22 aces in the match.
Hurley had a big game at the net, recording a team-high 12 kills and four blocks in the victory.
The win sends Valley to the district-semifinal round against Ocosta in a game scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Thursday at Toledo High School.
In their two meetings this season, Ocosta beat Valley by scores of 3-2 and 3-1.
Willapa Valley 25 25 25 21 15 – 3
Pe Ell 27 18 20 25 10 – 2
Leading players: Willapa Valley – Neva (6 aces, 8 digs, kill); Barnum (6 aces, 8 kills); Hurley (4 aces, 12 kills, 4 blocks); Matlock (4 aces); Hodel (ace, 3 digs); Channell (ace, 5 kills); Ruddell (4 digs); Lynch (kill, block); Borden (block).
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Other games
Taholah 3, Wahkiakum 1
(Taholah versus Columbia Adventist, quarterfinal game, 6 p.m. Thursday, Toledo High School)
