Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Bulldogs finish the year 12-1 after spiking Liberty
Colfax's Asher Cai hits the ball past Liberty's Jaidyn Stephens during Tuesday night's championship game.
Colfax's Justice Brown, left, and Abree Aune nearly collide as they race to save a point.
COLFAX - The Colfax girls volleyball team wrapped up its 2020-21 season Tuesday night at home, winning the league championship in dramatic fashion.
The Bulldogs (13-1, 13-0 against Class 2B schools) spiked the Liberty (Spangle) Lancers (10-2), 3-1. Set scores were 26-24, 22-25, 25-21, 25-12.
The final set score was the largest margin of the night, as the Bulldogs racked up 13 unanswered points to close out the year.
"I just couldn't be more proud of these girls," Colfax Coach Brandy Brown said after the game. "We knew it was going to be touch and Liberty was a tough team. But we played some great Bulldogs volleyball."
Brown said all her varsity players stood at out moments Tuesday evening.
"They did what it takes to win a championship," she said.
Brown said Perry Imler came on strong in the final game to "really make a difference."
The coach also said Anni Cox, Asher Cai, and Abree Aune had outstanding nights.
Aune led the Bulldogs with 8 aces and 22 digs.
Teammates Cai had 13 kills and Justic Brown had 31 assists.
Cai and Brown each also logged 4 blocks.
Individual Lancer stats were not available at press time.
Liberty Coach Kaci Tee said she was happy with the way her team played, despite going home with a loss.
The team is much improved and would've been following Colfax to state in a normal year, she said.
"To come here and give Colfax a run for their money in their home gym, without a trip to Yakima, I'm pretty proud of them."
She said the Lancer girls played a much improved game, having been swept by the Bulldogs in their previous meeting this abbreviated season.
Liberty led Colfax by as many as 12 points in the second set, but the Bulldogs slowly chipped away the margin. But the Lancers held tough at the end to take the set.
After that, "we just ran out of gas," Tee said, noting Liberty was coming off a narrow 3-2 win over Lind-Ritzville/Sprague/Washtucna Kahlotus in the district semifinal Monday night.
"I'm just so proud of my girls," she said.
Like tee, Brown said she would have liked to had the opportunity to take the Bulldogs to the state 2B tournament, which takes play in the Yakima Valley SunDome in Yakima each year.
Colfax is graduating five seniors - Cox, Sophie Klaveano, Imler, Riane Jones and Sydney Berquist.
"I'm said they don't get to compete at state, she said.
Roger Harnack is the owner/publisher of Free Press Publishing. Having grown up Benton City, Roger is an award-winning journalist, photographer, editor and publisher. He's one of only two editorial/commentary writers from Washington state to ever receive the international Golden Quill. Roger is dedicated to the preservation of local media, and the voice it retains for Eastern Washington.
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