Nighthawks win showdown to lead SE volleyball race

Tekoa/Oakesdale Nighthawks Tuesday night took out Pomeroy in four games to win the SE showdown as the league run enters its final week. The league leaders have nailed one of the bye slots in the SE District qualifier which starts at Colfax Nov. 3. They have a chance to win one of the three SE state tickets with one win.

The top two clubs will get a bye and then match up with first round winners.

TEKOA/OAKESDALE Tuesday took the first two games in the showdown at Pomeroy, lost the third one, but came back to win the fourth.

Coach Brandy Brown said the ‘hawks Tuesday were determined to wrap up the win after getting the first two games. In the first round on the home court they also went up two games, but let Pomeroy off the hook.

Line score Tuesday for the Nighthawk win was 25-10 25-19 24-26 and 25-21.

Cassy Mendoza rapped 15 kills for the ‘hawks and Mandy Neill put down four blocks. Kaela Dewan put up 21 assists and had eight digs off the back court.

Kindsey Bott again led the Pirates with 11 kills and six blocks and Melissa Bartlow had 12 assists.

SE STANDINGS

Tekoa/Oakesdale 11-1

Pomeroy 10-2

Colton 8-4

St. John/Endicott 8-4

Garfield/Palouse 6-6

LaX/Washtucna 2-10

Rosalia 2-10

Touchet 1- 11

The Tuesday showdown between the league leaders almost vanished in the Thursday round when Colton girls jumped the Nighthawks for a two-game lead at Oakesdale. The hosts managed to turn it around with a five-game win and advance their league mark to 10-1 before the trip to Pomeroy Tuesday.

Tekoa/Oakesdale prevailed over the Wildcats in five sets, 17-25 20-25 25-15 25-19 and 15-12.

Dewan had 32 assists, five digs and five blocks against the Wildcats, and Alex Overton had 22 kills and 8 blocks. Mendoza hit 13 kills and five aces.

Mollie Kramer had 12 kills and 2 aces for the Wildcats, and McKenzie Heaslet had five blocks. Haley Moser had 14 assists, and Kaitlin Druffel had six digs.

COLTON Tuesday dropped Rosalia in three games, 25-9 25-15, and 25-8 with Kramer hitting six kills, five aces and two blocks. Moser had 15 assists against the Spartans.

Briann Maley had Spartan three kills, and Maddy St. John had three assists.

GARFIELD/PALOUSE, which rattled Pomeroy in the first two games of the league round Thursday, dominated Touchet Tuesday night at Palouse, 25-11 25-17 and 25-23. Cassie Thompson had 10 kills for the Vikings and Holly Leendertsen put up 10 assists. Terry Taylor hit five aces and booked eight digs. Emily Witthuhn had five blocks.

Taylor Jasperson had six assists for Touchet.

Thursday at Palouse, Pomeroy struggled in the first two games, but managed to take it in five, 22-25 17-25 25-19 25-17 and 15-9 to also move their record to 10-1 and set up the big clash Tuesday.

Bott finished with 12 kills and 11 blocks at Palouse.

Cassie Thompson put down 11 kills for the Vikings and Leendertsen had 12 digs.

ST. JOHN/ENDICOTT in the other Tuesday round put down the LW Tigercats in three games, 25-19 25-14 and 25-8 with Gretchen Van Lith booking nine kills and Carmen Lust 15 assists. Logan Harder had seven kills for the Tigercats and Annie Fleming had 15 assists.