Volleyball

Saturday morning, hours before his TigerScots would face Portland Christian in a rematch of the 2A volleyball championship match, Weston-McEwen head coach Shawn White said he sure enjoys watching the Royals’ Kim Hill play volleyball; but the veteran coach also added, “But I can’t wait for her college career to start.”

Unfortunately for Coach White and his always tough TigerScots, Hill and her Royal team mates had one last task to finish before Kim starts her volleyball career at Division 1 Pepperdine next year. As she did in 2006, Hill led Portland Christian to a second consecutive OSAA 2A volleyball championship as the Royals beat Weston-McEwen 25-17, 25-22, 15-25, 25-16.

Saturday also marked the end of every senior’s high school career, an inevitable rite of passage that brings tears of joy and sorrow to players and parents alike. In the case of Kim Hill, Saturday marked not only the end of a remarkable individual career, but it also ended what many have known as “The Hill Era.”

First Team:

Rachel Swanson, Junior, Central (Unanimous)

Josi Lyman, Senior, LaGrande (Unanimous)

Shikara White, Senior, Estacada

Leigh Anne MacCarthy, Junior, Central

Sam Stoneback, Senior, Sisters

Laura Siltanen, Senior, LaGrande

Second Team:

Rachael Tenneson, senior, Sisters

Katy King, Senior, Douglas

Brook Goins, Senior, Sisters

Haylee Schaab, Sophomore, Sisters

Brittany Barstad, Senior, Estacada

Felicia Pledger, Junior, Sisters

Sportsmanship Award: Tillamook High School

The LaGrande Tigers will take on the Sisters Outlaws to determine bragging rights for the 07-08 season plus the coveted State Championship Title. LaGrande, Veterans of this Tournament, have never played in the State Championship game prior to this evening. They are led by senior, Setter and Right-Side Hitter Josi Lyman who is a legitimate candidate for 4A Player of the Year.

The GOL Lady Tigers, coached by Teresa Dowdy, enter the tournament as the #1 ranked team in 4A, with a League record of 9-0 and overall record of 35-4. Sisters, coached by Diane Bremer, have surprised and impressed a great many this weekend make it to the finals after upsetting #2 ranked Estacada in first round play. Led by senior quarterback and Setter, Sam Stoneback, Sisters has peaked at the right time and for their efforts, find themselves in a position this program hasn't been in since 1996 when they won their first and only State Championship.

First Team:                                                                   

Libby Morrison, Senior, OES (Unanimous)                       

Brittnee LaFollette, Senior, Burns (Unanimous)                

Jaela Dinsmore, Senior, Burns                                        

Kristin Knaupp, Senior, Santiam Christian                         

Marybeth Wikander, Senior, Valley Catholic 

Second Team:    

Emily Miller, Senior, Creswell     

Courtney Toney, Junior, Burns

Megan McMahon, Senior, Creswell

Tayla Woods, Sophomore, Santiam Christian

Amber Moser, Sophomore, Sheridan

Erika Thorpe, Senior, Cascade Christian

Sportsmanship Trophy--Santiam Christian

QWest Players of Championship Match:

Mattea Zabala, Junior, Burns

Libby Morrison, Senior, OES

The Final Dance: #1 Ranked Burns Hilanders vs #7 Ranked Oregon Episcopal Aardvarks. Both teams are veterans to this Tournament with Burns taking 1st and OES taking 3rd in last years Tournament plus numerous, consecutive trips prior. OES is led by Senior, OH, Libby Morrison. She was a 2006 Unanimous Pick 1st Team All-Tournament and All State selection.

A phenomenal hitter with stats that make most gasp in disbelief. She's only 5'6 but plays like a 6 footer. Libby and her cast of teammates have been rock solid all season, finishing 12-0 in League and 23-1 overall. Burns is led by senior Setter, 2006, 1st Team All Tournament selection Brittnee LaFollette. She's led her team to a 10-0 League record and an impressive 47-0 season.

Santiam Christian and Creswell square off to determine 3rd and 5th Place finishes for this years State VB Championships. Both teams coming out of the PacWest League, they've already faced one another 3 times this season with SC winning 2 of the 3.  Santiam Christian lost to OES in the second round last night. It was a hard fought battle and honestly, could have went either way but in the 5th game, OES reached 15 pts., first and gave them the exclusive right to advance to the State Championship game.  Cresswell met #1 ranked Burns in the second round and went down swiftly in 3. 25-10, 25-12 & 25-19. 

Central High School takes on Douglas High School for the 3rd Place Trophy today at Noon.  These two quarter-finalists find themselves here after successfully winning their first match of the tournament yesterday then losiing their second match in evening play. Central put up quite a fight against #1 ranked LaGrande last night going 5 games with the GOL Powerhouse. 25-23, 22-25, 21-25, 25-20 & 16-14. Like I commented on yesterday, this Central team is impressive and expect great things out of them next year with a Roster chalk-full of sophomores and juniors, Central will be back at Lane next year.

Consolation play began this morning at 10:00 am between Reedsport-Valley Catholic and Cascade Christian-Sheridan. Winners of the two matches will play for the Consolation Championship at 2:15 today. A strong Valley Catholic team swept Reedsport in 3. 25-21, 25-14, 25-11. Meanwhile, on the other court, Sheridan refused to give Cascade Christian the match without putting up a late fight. CC wins the first 2 games before Sheridan says "No more" and takes the next 3, sendiing them to the Consolation Championship Game today at 2:15 to face League rival Valley Catholic. Both teams have met 3 times this already this season with Sheridan winning two of those meetings. All the right ingredients for high intensity, action-packed Volleyball. Winner of the match takes 4th Place honors. (Consolation Trophy).

Saturday morning kicked off with Consolation matches between Junction City and Estacada, Tillamook and Henley. Estacada proved too much for the Junction City Tigers winning all 3 games. 25-14, 25-22 and 25-12. Tillamook-Henley went 5 games, Henley winning the first two and the Cheesemakers battling back to take the next 3. 17-25, 21-25, 25-17, 25-20 & 15-11. Estacada will play Tillamook at Noon on Court 1 for the Consolation Trophy (4th Place).

Adrian avenged its 2006 semifinal loss to Griswold (Helix) with a hard-fought 25-10, 25-22, 22-25, 25-21 victory over the Grizzlies in the first of two 1A semifinals Friday night. With the win, the Antelopes will play for the 1A title at 6:00 pm Saturday. Adrian will face Dufur, which overcame a 2-1 game deficit to beat Imbler, in a 25-21, 10-25, 23-25, 25-13, 15-11 thriller in the other late semifinal match.