Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Oakesdale and Pomeroy met for the district volleyball championship match Nov. 9 at tournament host Pomeroy and Oakesdale won 23-25, 25-20, 25-23, 25-19.
The Nighthawks now advance to state in Yakima, beginning Thursday, as District Nine's top seed. Pomeroy goes as the no. 2.
At the SunDome, Oakesdale, the four-time defending state champions, will open the tournament with a first round match against Providence Classical Christian (Bothell) at 8 a.m. Thursday. If they win, they play the winner of Klickitat/Glenwood and Mount Vernon Christian.
A first round loss would still allow for a chance to place as high as third in the double-elimination brackets. Pomeroy plays Naselle in the first round.
In 2019, after the departure of coach Brandy Brown, McKinzie Turner guides Oakesdale, which she also did as Nighthawks coach in 2014-15. The latter team won the state championship, starting Oakesdale's four-year streak.
The 2019 group (14-3, 11-1) is led by its two seniors, libero Lizzie Perry and middle blocker Lauryn Rawls; along with further starters junior setter LouEllen Reed, freshman outside hitter Gianna Anderson, sophomore middle hitter Bree Rawls, freshman outside hitter Jessie Reed and eighth-grade right side Payton Davis.
State send-off
Oakesdale was set to leave for state Wednesday morning at 9:10 a.m. in the traditional send-off downtown, just after school started. Students, teachers and town residents gather along Steptoe Avenue and the bus comes around the corner past the Post Office and stops. The team disembarks and are presented spirit buckets.
“We don't even pull over,” said Ken Lindgren, longtime Oakesdale athletic director, teacher and coach who is assisting this year with volleyball for the first time. “The bus just stays in the middle of the street.”
As the bus moves out, people throw Cheerios for “cheer.”
Arriving in Yakima Thursday afternoon, the team will practice at Riverside Christian, go to a spaghetti feed at the SunDome that night and return to their same hotel, the Oxford Suites.
“It's a tradition,” said Lindgren.
The state 1B/2B tournament will be played for the third year in a Thursday-Friday format, a change from the previous Friday-Saturday format, due to a WIAA decision to account for certain 1B schools which observe the Saturday Sabbath.
DISTRICT NINE TOURNAMENT WRAP-UP
At Pomeroy Saturday afternoon, Nov. 9, no. 4 district seed St. John/Endicott/LaCrosse met no. 3 Colton for the chance to advance to play Pomeroy for the second and last slot to state.
The Eagles lost in five; 25-23, 25-21, 19-25, 26-28, 14-16.
For Colton, Mary Pluid led with 12 kills and two blocks, Josie Schultheis added 24 digs, Rylee Vining 35 assists and Sidni Whitcomb 24 digs.
The SJEL season ended and Colton advanced to play Pomeroy.
The Pirates won 25-19, 25-19, 25-16.
Schultheis delivered 11 kills, Maggie Meyer got 16 digs and Vining 22 assists.
Colton finished the season 14-8, 7-5, St. John/Endicott/LaCrosse 12-14, 6-6.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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