Oakesdale v-ball makes bid for state repeat

– Don Marshall photo

Oakesdale senior Jacey Johnson delivers another kill in a 3-1 win over Pomeroy.

Oakesdale's Nighthawks will return to the Yakima SunDome Friday in a bid to take a repeat win in the state 1B volleyball round. The Nighthawks earned the ticket with a four-game win over Pomeroy Saturday in the district championship match at Colfax.

Pomeroy took the number-two SE ticket to the state with a four-game win over LaCrosse/Washtucna/Kahlotus.

Oakesdale will start its bid for a second title Friday morning at 9:45 against Neah Bay. They are bracketed opposite Valley Christian-Pateros, and a win in the opener would put them up against the winner of that match in the quarter-finals Friday evening.

Coach Brandi Brown and the Nighthawks roll to Yakima with a 26-6 overall record. They are undefeated in matches aganist 1B opponents.

Oakesdale rates as a veteran club with just one player graduating off the team that rolled to the championship last year.

Coach Brown expects Pomeroy to be one of the tough contenders in the state run. Almira/Coulee/Hartline starts as the NE champion with an undefeated record and Quilcene from the west side also has an undefeated record.

Pomeroy will start in the bottom half of the tourney and face Naselle in the opener. The Pirates are bracketed opposite the Evergreen Lutheran-Callam Bay match.

Oakesdale and Pomeroy collided Saturday in the title match after Oakesdale shut down the Pirates in the last league round to finish with an 8-0 record.

Oakesdale took the win in four games after Pomeroy took the opening game at Colfax. Line score for the title win by the `Hawks was 17-25 25-12 25-15 and 25-11.

Oakesdale's Jacey Johnson had 21 kills in the win, and Madi Schrope put up 25 assists. Johnson, Shrope and Lindsey Lindgren each hit an ace in the four-gamer.

Pomeroy came back to claim the other other SE ticket with a three-game sweep of LWK in the last round. The Pirates prevailed 25-10 25-18 and 25-17.

Pomeroy advances to state with a 20-8 overall record. Deana Carusao had 24 kills at Colfax, and Kacey Halbert hit 17 kills and 17 digs.

Pomeroy advanced to the final round by winning a five-game battle over Colton in the Wednesday round of the SE playoffs, 18-25 25-19 24-26 25-20 and 15-7 in the deciding game.

Hallie Tarduf eight straight points in the decider game and was 24-24 serving in the match.

Colton stayed in the hunt, but they were stopped by LWK in another five-game battle in a loser-out game Saturday. The Tigercats took the battle 22-25 29-27 19-25 25-23 and 16-14 . That finished the Wildcats' season at 16-10 with Kendyl Druffel, the lone senior, hitting 14 aces and 21 kills in her last match.

Colton and LWK locked up in the elimination match after the Wildcats eliminated Waitsburg and the Tigercats eliminated St. John/Endicott in first-round action Saturday.