The Prep Beat

Sequim’s Taylor Balken was named to the 28th annual Washington State Volleyball Coaches Association All-State 2A roster.

The matches, for seniors only, will take place Saturday at Fife High School.

Balkan was the only West Sound player named.

In the first match, the 1B/2B/1A East squad will play the 1B/2B/1A West squad at 2 p.m.; the second match pits 2A East vs. 2A West at 4 p.m.; and the third match has the 3A/4A East taking on the 3A/4A West at 6 p.m. Tournament passes are available for $7.

Here are the complete rosters:

3A/4A ROSTER

Abbie Younkin, Camas
Brenna Bruil, Auburn Riverside
Brittany Rutherford, North Thurston
Brooke Brown, Eisenhower
Chloe Watson, Kent-Meridian
Danielle Saltarelli, Enumclaw
Darby Santos, Shadle Park
Hunter Durham, Kamiakin
Jessica Malchow, North Thurston
Kris Brackmann, Mercer Island
Laughton MacAulay, Mercer Island
Leia Roy, Emerald Ridge
Madison Zinsli, Kennewick
Melina Seabrook, Monroe
Michaela Berendt, Olympia
Missy Sanders, Enumclaw
Nicole Pittelkau, Timberline
Roshel Muzzall, Oak Harbor
Sophie Kuehl, Columbia River
Lisa Demrick, Bonney Lake
Emmy Allen, Jackson
Haley McDonald, Jackson
Jade Finau, Juanita
Kennadie Clute, Mount Spokane
Monica Postor, Shorewood

2A ROSTER
Dakota Adams, West Valley of Yakima
Taylor Balken, Sequim
Taylor Blackman, Mark Morris
Brianna Glass, Washington
Brittani Harvey, Pullman
Meagan Hollis, R.A. Long
Kendall Koch, Cedarcrest
Lara Linden, Fife
Molly McTaggart, Burlington-Edison
Hope Mortenson, Black Hills
Karlee Jo Sampson, Tumwater
Brittany Smith, Sumner
Danielle Tabor, Capital
Jacy Vining, Colville
Kailee Wood, Selah
Audra Koke, Fife
Carley Riehl, West Valley of Yakima
Julia Nathe, West Valley of Yakima
Courtney Bowen, Tumwater
Callie Hanson, East Valley of Yakima
Hannah Hanson, Tumwater
Ally Moore, West Valley of Yakima
Payton Parris, Grandview

1A/1B/2B ROSTER
Alex Martinez, Bridgeport
Allison Hutchins, Goldendale
Amelie Bruya, Colfax
Andie Gebbers, Brewster
Brynna Stevens, ACH
Cassie Thompson, Garfield-Palouse
Courtney Dietrich, Chelan
Haley Adams, Cusick
Holly Leendersten, Garfield-Palouse
Jessica Hoogerhyde, Shoreline Christian
Katelyn Pendley, Thorp
Katie Renstrom, Tekoa-Oakesdale
Kaylen Meeker, Friday Harbor
Kendall Todd, Odessa Harrington
Koralynn Kuch, Odessa Harrington
Macee Utecht, Castle Rock
Madalyn Seidl, Castle Rock
Megan Rankin, Mossyrock
Shanda Gunter, Kiona-Benton
Kaitlin Druffel, Colton
Tierney Uhlenkott, Castle Rock

Sequim outside hitter Haleigh Harrison, the MVP of the Olympic League, has signed a letter of intent to play volleyball at Western Washington.

Harrison led the Wolves to a 20-3 record, league and West Central District titles, and a trip to the Class 2A state tourney. She was also a first-team all-league choice as a sophomore and junior,  earned all-league honors in basketball and set school track records in the high jump (5-5) and triple jump (34-10).
“Haleigh is a high-flying, hard-hitting athlete, and the emphasis is on the athlete,” said WWU coach Diane Flick in a press release. “She converted from the middle to the outside and brought with her an ability to handle the ball and terminate at the pins.”

WWU (23-3) is competing in the NCAA Division II West Regional this week after winning the Great Northwest Athletic Conference title.

Emma Burgess was named the Metro League Mountain Division’s MVP and the Bainbridge Spartans won the sportsmanship award. Burgess is a junior libero for the Spartans.

Also named to the team were Maggie Haskins (second team) and Kat Frickleton (honorable mention).

Metro League All-Mountain Division

MVP—Emma Burgess, Bainbridge

Coach of Year—Katie Wilson, Lakeside

Sportsmanship—Bainbridge

First team—Emma Burgess, Bainbridge; Phylly Knight, Seattle Prep; Maddie Koh, Holy Names; Jennie Glerum, Lakeside; Hannah Christie, Eastside Catholic; Kat Towslee, Eastside Catholic; Allyson Ahern, Bishop Blanchet; Erica Ciez, Holy Names; Madison Burnett, Seattle Prep.

Second team—Esther Purcell, Bishop Blanchet; Maggie Haskin, Bainbridge; Sarah Hill, Eastside Catholic; Jenny Smith, Lakeside; Nina Baek, Lakeside; McKenna Buck, Holy Names; Maddi Holman, Seattle Prep; Rachel Hunter, Bishop Blanchet.

Honorable mention—Bainbridge: Kat Frickleton.

Just one Chimacum player was named to the All-Nisqually League volleyball team Friday. Lauren Thacker, a junior middle blocker, was named to the second team.

The Cowboys and Seattle Christian were won the sportsmanship award.

Here’s the team:

MVP—Jessi Walters, Cascade Christian, sr.

Coach of the year—Tracy King, Life Christian Academy

Sportsmanship—Chimacum/Seattle Christian

First team—Johnnise Moore, Life Christian Academy, jr.; Emily Stoppler, Bellevue Christian, jr.; Mikayla Massad, Cedar Park Christian, jr.; Shelby Fisher, Charles Wright Acdemy; Grace Bouffiou, LCA, jr.; Hannah Kumasaka, Seattle Christian, jr.; Madi Dumars, CC, sr.

Second team—Ashlee Hamilton, LCA, jr.; Rachel Kumai, CPC, fr.; Carly Normandeau, LCA, jr.; Gioria Leonardi, Vashon, jr.; Sierra Smith, CC, sr.; Lauren Thacker, Chimacum, jr.; Lauren Pate, Eatonville, jr.

The All-Olympic League volleyball team was announced Tuesday and was voted on by OL coaches.

Sequim outside hitter and senior Haleigh Harrison was named the Offensive MVP and North Kitsap’s Jennifer Gell, a junior libero, was named the Defensive MVP.

Olympic’s Keith Peden, Sequim’s Jennie-Weber-Heilman and Klahowya’s Dragan Karadzic were named the co-coaches of the year. The team sportsmanship award went to Sequim and Port Angeles.

Here’s the all-league team:

First team—Haleigh Harrison, Sequim, sr., M; Taylor Balkan, Sequim, sr., S; Paige Eberhard, Klahowya, sr., OH; Sarah Holt, North Kitsap, S/OH, so.; Serafina Ma’ae, Olympic, jr., OH; Jennifer Gell, North Kitsap, jr., L; Briar Perez, North Kitsap, MB, so.; Brooke Haag, Kingston, sr., OH.

Second team—Hanna Hudson, Sequim, jr., L; London Bockenstedt, Klahowya, jr., MH; Madison Hinrichs, Port Angeles, jr., OH; Ashli Payne, Olympic, sr., MB; Lex Besand, Sequim, jr., OH; Abbey McGuire, Port Townsend, so., S.

Honorable mention—North Mason: Jennifer Hicks, sr., DS/L; Julie Johnson, sr., MB. Olympic: Jenna tippets, sr, S; Destinee Ramos, jr., DS/L. Port Angeles: Holli Williams, jr., S; Kendra Harvey, jr., L. Kingston: Aimee Zehrung, jr., L; Kimmie Gerken, jr., S. North Kitsap: Mareena Clotfelter, so., S; Amanda Ladner, sr., OH. Klahowya: Alexa Orkiolla, jr., MH; Sarah Cooper, jr., S. Bremerton: Hanna Sersha, sr., OH. Sequim: Emma LeBlanc, so., DS. Port Townsend: Megan Lee, so., L.

The Crosspoint Academy volleyball team was named the sportsmanship award-winner in the Sea-Tac all-league team this week.

Crosspoint advanced to the Class 2B Tri-District tournament last weekend.

Senior Caitlin Maguire was named to the first team and sophomore Holly Bandara was named to the second team.

Sea-Tac 2B All-League

Co-players of year — Michele Brown and Makena Schoene, Bear Creek

Coach of year — Sherrie Brown, Bear Creek

Sportsmanship — Crosspoint Academy

First Team

Michele Brown, Sr., Bear Creek; Makena Schoene, Sr., Bear Creek; Morgan Cadigan, Sr., Bear Creek; Catherine Fernandez, Jr., Bear Creek; Alyssa Jenson, Sr., Bear Creek; Caitlin Maguire, Sr., Crosspoint Academy; Hailey Meyer, Jr., Seattle Lutheran; Brianna Phillips, Sr., Seattle Lutheran; Natalie Snyder, Jr., Tacoma Baptist.

Second Team

Jasena Baker, So., Chief Leschi; Holly Bandara, So., Crosspoint Academy; Kathryn Carlson, Jr., Tacoma Baptist; Cailyn Cattell, So., Crosspoint Academy; McKenna Nuefeld, Jr., Tacoma Baptist; Olvia Wake, Jr., Seattle Lutheran.

Just one West Sound team made the final statewide coaches poll that was released Monday and that was Sequim.

The Wolves won the Class 2A West Central District tournament last weekend.

Bainbridge had been ranked for the majority of the season, but the Spartans failed to make the Class 3A state tournament, thanks to losing several players at the SeaKing district meet.

Here’s the full rankings:

Class 4A—1, Mead. 2, Jackson. 3, Bellarmine Prep. 4, Camas. 5, Emerald Ridge. 6, Skyline (Sammamish). 7, Union (Vancouver). 8, Olympia. 9, Newport (Bellevue). 10, Richland.

Class 3A—1, Mercer Island. 2, Columbia River. 3, Mount Si. 4, Mount Spokane. 5, Shorewood. 6, Seattle Prep. 7, Bonney Lake. 8, Southridge. 9, Auburn-Mountainvew. 10, Stanwood.

Class 2A—1, Tumwater. 2, Burlington-Edison. 3, Selah. 4, Colville. 5, Anacortes. 6, West Valley (Yakima). 7, Sehome. 8, Capital (Olympia). 9, Sequim. 10, East Valley (Spokane).

Class 1A—1, Castle Rock. 2, Lakeside. 3, Annie Wright (Seattle). 4, Cascade (Leavenworth). 5, Granger. 6, King’s Way Christian. 7, Life Christian Academy. 8, Naches. 9, Freeman. 10, Connell.

Class 2B—1, Colfax. 2, Bear Creek. 3, Reardan. 4, PE Ell. 5, South Bend. 6, LaConner. 7, Riverside Christian. 8, Davenport. 9, Northwest Christian (Colbert). 10, Darrington.

Class 1B—1, Tekoa-Oakesdale. 2, Pateros. 3, Colton. 4, Wilbur-Creston. 5, Moses Lake Christian. 6, Odessa-Harrington. 7, Sunnyside Christian. 8, Mount Vernon Christian. 9, Rainier Christian. 10, Almira-Coulee-Hartline.

Here are the state brackets for soccer, and we have a load of local teams: North Kitsap, Klahowya, Kingston and Bainbridge all advanced. Looks like some of the dates, times and venues still need to be shored up on Monday for some of these games.
Sequim is the only local team to qualify for the state volleyball team. Here are all those brackets, should you wish to peruse them.

The North Kitsap Vikings and Olympic Trojans were eliminated from the Class 2A West Central District volleyball tournament Saturday in similar fashion.

NK lost to Sumner 25-15, 25-22, 25-12 and Olympic was beaten by Fife, 25-23, 25-20, 25-17, in the morning quarterfinals.

The only area team to make the state tournament is Sequim.

Olympic lost to White River in five, 25-27, 22-25, 25-13, 25-22, 15-8, in a loser-out match. Trojans coach Keith Peden said it was a frustrating day, but he should return the majority of squad that saw playing time. Sarafina Ma’ae, a junior, finished with 32 kills, 42 digs and seven aces for the day; Geena Hernandez had 11 kills and 34 digs; and Isabella Luchini added 20 digs, eight kills and six aces.

The Vikings won the first two games against Steilacoom, but the Sentinels picked up their level of play to force a fifth game.

NK will lose just one senior, Amanda Ladner, but should return the majority of its team.

At the 2B Tri-District, Crosspoint Academy lost to Orcas Island 3-1 in a loser-out match at Stanwood HS.

Attrition hurt the 10th-ranked Bainbridge volleyball team as the Spartans lost four players due to injuries and saw their chance for a state berth disappear.

Bainbridge lost to Lakeside 3-0 for the fifth and final seed to state at the Class 3A SeaKing District 2 tournament at Chief Sealth. The Spartans began the day in the semifinals, but lost to No. 1 Mercer Island, 22-25, 25-22, 25-13, 25-22, to drop them into the consolation bracket.

Bainbridge lost to Seattle Prep 25-23, 25-13, 25-22, and lost junior outside hitter Lauren Sheehan, senior setter Maggie Haskin, junior libero Emma Burgess and junior backup setter Rowan Atherley to various injuries.

“Just a crazy evening,” said Bainbridge coach Julie Miller. “A lot of things out of control (that) really affected the girls.”