11/23/2024
By Sandy Ringer
(Yakima, WA) The Yakima SunDome was again the setting for the 4A State Volleyball Tournament. Unlike several other tournaments where a single team has dominated over the past several years, the 4A have had as different Champion for the past 6 years. #2 seed Wenatchee will try to do what Auburn-Riverside did back in 2016 and 2017 and that’s win 2 in a row.
The Panthers won’t have any recent winners to defend against with only #13 Tahoma winning in 2019 and #1 Curtis in 2015 in the final 16. We’ll cover each round of the tournament on this post with the schedule, results and round-by-round re-caps as the results become final. This story will cover all 26 matches.
State Championship Match
(1) Curtis 3, (3) Kennedy Catholic 0 (25-17, 25-20, 25-21)
Pick a player.
Avery Cakjati’s a good choice.
She’s definitely key to Curtis High School’s success on the volleyball court.
Or maybe Selena Morales? Another major piece.
How about Kayla Baker, the surprising sophomore who’s been cooking lately?
All three were instrumental in the Vikings’ run to the 4A state championship this weekend at the Yakima Valley SunDome and particularly stepped up when it counted most – the title match against Kennedy Catholic Saturday night.
But according to coach Taylor Bautista, it took the entire team to complete an unbeaten season with the 3-0 victory (25-17, 25-20, 25-21).
“We said all season it doesn’t just take one person, it takes all of them, and they all showed up today,” she said.
The top-seeded Vikings (27-0) put everything together against No. 3 Kennedy Catholic, but weathered some trying moments earlier in the tournament.
“This weekend was really challenging for us, a lot of ups and downs, emotionally and physically, and they just came together when it really mattered and pulled it out, Bautista said. “I am just so proud of them.”
The Vikings became comeback kids for much of the tournament. They had little trouble in their opener against No. 16 Arlington, but were tested in the quarterfinals by surprising Davis of Yakima, a No. 9 seed. The 3-1 final was closer than it sounds.
Then came the semifinal showdown with No. 4 Lake Stevens, which pushed them to five sets for only the second time this season (Puyallup did it in the fourth match of the year).
But just when it seemed Lake Stevens had momentum, someone stepped up for Curtis.
Cukjati, who has signed with Santa Clara for beach volleyball, said a calmness seemed to spread through everyone once they reached the final match.
“We just came out here and realized the beauty of being together,” she said. “We honestly all have a great connection and when we use that, all with each other, we tend to thrive. And tonight we thrived.
“Every player on this team is so amazingly talented. And when we all come together, it’s just like magic happens, and that’s what I feel like happened tonight. It was great.”
It’s the school’s second volleyball championship. Curtis also won the 4A title in 2015 and has a trio of second-place trophies (2021, 2013, 2009).
The match, scheduled for 5:30, started 90 minutes late as the 3A consolation final ran long.
The opening set was played under subdued lighting as there was a problem getting some banks lit after they were dimmed during player introductions.
The Lancers seemed to play in a fog, but Curtis was unbothered, bolting to an 8-3 advantage. Any time Kennedy put together a couple of points, the Vikings had an answer – many of those provided by Morales. She tomahawked back-to-back kills for a 24-17 lead and Ariana Medchill closed out the set with an ace.
The light issue was resolved between sets, and the Lancers’ prospects brightened for a bit as Samantha Lazar led them to a 9-8 lead.
But Curtis came alive again with six straight points. Dani Turcinec keyed a 6-1 Kennedy run to cut it to 16-15, then it was Avery Cukjati’s turn to take charge as she fueled a 5-1 spree that kept Curtis in charge.
The Lancers got as close as 23-20 from there, but a Medchill kill and Peyton Ensign ace ended the set.
Kennedy finally found a rhythm in the third set and used a 9-3 spurt to assume a 16-13 lead. Again, Curtis answered, this time with kills from Baker and Morales and another ace by Ensign.
Cukjati, chosen as the match MVP, smashed the kill that got the Vikings to match point, 24-19. Kennedy Catholic staved off two of them – one on a big hit by junior Maya Quitiquit – but a hitting error ended it.
The Lancers had played with so much poise in their semifinal win over No. 2 Wenatchee, last year’s champion, but didn’t seem to play up to potential in the finale.
Coach Liz Quitiquit cited two factors – jitters and the talented opponent, the same one responsible for her team’s only other loss one week earlier.
“There were emotions, with seniors playing their last match and feeling it a little bit,” she said. “But Curtis is a great team. They have so many weapons and they’re bigger. We always have to rely on our heart and our small-and-mighty attitude.
“We did what we could, and I’m just proud of my girls. They fought hard.”
One of the emerging weapons for Curtis has been Baker, who had big moments Saturday night.
“She was so tough today,” Bautista said. “Her confidence has just grown over the season.”
Bautista had high praise for Kennedy, too.
“They’re a phenomenal team,” she said. “We were nervous. We were excited to play them, because we know how good they are and how scrappy they are.”
The Lancers had won six consecutive state matches dating back to last season, when they lost their opener to Puyallup and then swept the final three to finish seventh.
Their only state championship came in 2015, when they beat Columbia River in the 3A final. They placed second in 2002, 1995, 1992 and 1989.
ESN Postgame Show
Kennedy Catholic takes the lead in the 2nd set
Curtis holds off K-C go up 2-0
Curtis rips thru 3 straight sets to win the Championship
Semifinals (Winner to Championship, Loser to 3rd-place game)
(3) Kennedy Catholic 3, (2) Wenatchee 1 (29-31, 25-18, 25-23, 25-23)
(1) Curtis 3, (4) Lake Stevens 2 (22-25, 25-15, 25-19, 23-25, 17-15)
Semifinal Round Recap
Perhaps this rematch was in the making all week.
When No. 1 Curtis and No. 3 Kennedy Catholic played for the District 3-4 championship, both seemed capable of winning it all.
Now, one of them will.
Curtis, which beat JFK in that match (the Lancers’ lone loss), fought off No. 4 Lake Stevens to get there, while Kennedy Catholic ended No. 2 Wenatchee’s hope of a repeat.
The Vikings (26-0) were pushed to five sets for only the second time this season as Lake Stevens left everything on the floor. Puyallup made them go five back in late September.
Lake Stevens, which opened the season with a 3-0 loss to Curtis, rode Laura Eichert to a 25-22 victory in Saturday’s opening set. But Curtis answered by claiming the next two, 25-15, 25-19.
Eichert, a 6-foot junior who has committed to San Diego, made sure this one would go to five with a big kill to end the fourth, 25-23.
Lake Stevens was up 11-8 in that final set before Curtis came back to make it 12-12. Both teams had match points, but couldn’t seal the deal until Avery Kukjati and Ariana Medchill came up with back-to-back kills for Curtis.
Kukjati, a hard-hitting senior, was the MVP choice among many candidates.
Lake Stevens came up short in the semis for the second year in a row. The Vikings lost to eventual-champion Wenatchee last your and wound up fourth. The two meet again in Saturday’s third-place match.
Wenatchee, which had ended a 40-year title drought a year ago, made Kennedy Catholic work from start to finish. The Panthers came from behind to grab the opening set, 31-29. From there, it was a JFK sweep, 25-18, 25-23, 25-23, with MVP Vivian Yount notching the final kill.
The Lancers threatened to run away with the fourth set with sizeable leads, but Wenatchee wasn’t having it. Down 23-19, the Panthers reeled off three straight points and survived one match point on a kill by Keira Demirjian.
But Yount ended the comeback hopes and immediately fell to the floor.
Kennedy Catholic seeks only its second championship. The Lancers took the 3A title in 2015.
Trophy Round
7th/8th (10) Eastlake 3, (13) Tahoma 1 (25-23, 26-24, 15-25, 26-24)
5th/6th Place (5) Camas 3, (6) Puyallup 2 (15-25, 25-9, 20-25, 25-15, 18-16
3rd/4th Place (2) Wenatchee 3, (4) Lake Stevens 0 (25-19, 25-19, 25-21)
Trophy Round Recap
After their bid for a second straight championship was derailed by Kennedy Catholic in the semifinals, the No. 2 Wenatchee Panthers didn’t pout.
Instead, they pounced on the next opportunity – a chance to finish on a winning note and earn the third-place trophy.
And that’s what they did, blanking No. 4 Lake Stevens, 25-19, 25-19, 25-21.
Senior Ava Jo Berry led the way, piling up 15 assists and four aces enroute to the MVP nod. Her final ace gave Wenatchee a 24-21 lead in the third set and Kiera Demirjian closed it out with a kill. Fellow senior Maren Stuber also stood out at key moments.
Junior Laura Eichert had another solid match for Lake Stevens, which wound up fourth for the second straight season. The Vikings were second in 2022 and have five other state trophies.
In a match where teams exactly lived up to their seedings, Camas beat Puyallup to decide fifth and sixth places. They were evenly matched as the scores indicated – 15-25, 25-9, 20-25, 25-15, 18-16.
Gabriella Thompson was the difference-maker and garnered MVP status.
It was a measure of revenge for Camas, which lost the fifth-place match to Puyallup a year ago, 3-1.
Eastlake made history with its best state finish, edging No. 13 Tahoma to take home the seventh-place trophy, 25-23, 26-25, 15-25, 26-24.
The Wolves were eighth in 2017, their only other trophy performance. They went 0-2 last year and in 2019.
Tahoma wound up eighth – the Bears’ best effort since winning the title in 2019. They were 1-2 a season ago.
Both teams bounced back from first-round losses – Eastlake to Olympia and Tahoma to Lake Stevens.
MVP honors were spread between all seniors on both teams – Eastlake’s Ela Neubauer, Kylie McCartney, Sydney Ort, Finley Johnson, Lucy Graceffo, Ali Phipps, Zoe Pound and Evelyn Reid and Tahoma’s Hailey Judd, Roxy Dow, Annika Wright, Hayden Underwood, Hannah Peschel and Isabelle Foote.
Consolation (Winner to Trophy Round, Loser Out)
(10) Eastlake 3, (14) Mead 2 (23-25, 25-19, 26-24, 14-25, 15-12)
(13) Tahoma 3, Arlington (25-19, 25-21, 25-12)
(6) Puyallup 3, (7) Olympia 2 (25-16, 25-15, 21-25, 19-25, 15-12)
(5) Camas 3, (9) Davis 0 (25-10, 25-18, 27-27)
Consolation Round Recap
How appropriate.
No. 5 Camas and No. 6 Puyallup get to play for fifth and sixth places at state.
Again.
Puyallup beat Camas in that same match a year ago, 3-1.
They took different routes Saturday morning to get there. While Camas cruised past No. 9 Davis in one elimination match, 3-0, Puyallup and to outlast No. 7 Olympia in five.
Camas ended the Cinderella ride of Davis, which reached the tournament for only the second time (first since 1996). The Pirates had pushed No. 1 Curtis in the quarterfinals and while this one was in straight sets, the final one was decided by just two points (25-10, 25-18, 27-25).
Shaylee Stephen, a 6-3 junior, made sure the job got done, emerging as MVP.
The Vikings won the first two sets against Olympia, 25-16, 25-15, coming from behind twice to take the second. Then the Bears battled back. They used a pair of 5-0 runs to win the third, 25-21, and squared the match with a 25-19 victory in the fourth.
Puyallup jumped ahead 10-5 in the final set, then had to hold Olympia off, 15-12. Sienne Hanson was the difference, nabbing MVP honors.
No. 10 Eastlake and No. 13 Tahoma will meet to decide seventh and eighth places.
Again, their paths differed.
Tahoma topped No. 16 Arlington in three (25-19, 25-21, 25-17), while Eastlake had to go the distance against No. 14 Mead (23-25, 25-19, 26-24, 14-25, 15-12).
Tahoma wore the crown in 2019, but went home empty handed last season. Junior Nohea Alo played like an MVP to assure the Bears of some hardware. Senior Annika Wright clocked the final kill to end the match.
Arlington fell just short of what would have been their first 4A trophy. The Eagles finished sixth in 3A in both 2021 and 2019.
Eastlake came from behind in the fifth set to knock out Mead, last year’s 3A champion, 15-12. Mead made away with the first set, 25-23, but the Wolves prevailed in the next two, 25-19, 26-14. Momentum seemed to be on the Panthers’ side as they rolled in the fourth, 25-14.
But Eastlake had the final say, thanks to MVP Ali Phipps, a senior who did a little bit of everything. Finley Johnson and Zoe Pound, two other seniors, were key as well.
Storied Mead missed a trophy for the first time since 2019, despite the play of Romy Tyler, Gabrielle Rich and Ava Durgan, all seniors.
_________________________________
Friday, November 22 Day 1
Opening Round (Winners to Quarterfinals, Losers to Consolation)
Crt 1 (6) Puyallup 3, (11) Skyline 1 (25-10, 25-12, 25-15)
Crt 2 (3) Kennedy Catholic 3, (14) Mead 1 (17-25, 25-19, 25-19, 25-20)
Crt 3 (7) Olympia 3, (10) Eastlake 1 (25-16, 25-18 26-28, 26-24)
Crt 4 (2) Wenatchee 3 (15) Kamiakin 0 (25-14, 25-7, 25-15)
Crt 5 (5) Camas 3, (12) Glacier Peak 1 (25-18, 22-25, 28-26, 25-21)
Crt 1 (4) Lake Stevens 3, (13) Tahoma 1 (25-20, 25-17, 25-27, 25-14)
Crt 2 (8) Issaquah vs (9) Davis 3, (8) Issaquah 0 (25-7, 25-15, 26-24)
Crt 3 (1) Curtis 3, (16) Arlington 0 (25-9, 25-15, 25-18)
Opening Round Recap
Second-seeded Wenatchee, the defending champion, wasted little time waltzing through the first round, blanking No. 15 Kamiakin, 3-0 (25-14, 25-7, 25-15). Kamiakin held its own early in the third set before the Panthers pulled away.
Wenatchee’s Keira Demirjian was dubbed MVP of the match.
Next up for the Panthers is No. 7 Olympia in the quarterfinals. The Bears had their hands full with No. 10 Eastlake before advancing, 3-1 (25-16, 25-18, 26-28, 26-24). Olympia had to erase an 18-15 deficit in the fourth set. Ellie Johnson, a 5-7 junior, was the sparkplug in taking MVP accolades.
After suffering its first loss of the season in the championship match of the District 3-4 tournament to No. 1 Curtis, No. 3 Kennedy Catholic took a little time to get its mojo back. The Lancers dropped their opening set against storied Mead of Spokane, 25-17, which won last year’s 3A tourney but jumped back to 4A this year and came in seeded 14th. Mead has won nine state crowns.
But Kennedy Catholic quickly righted the ship and won out, 25-19, 25-20, 25-20. The Lancers got solid back-court play by senior Dani Turcinec and ended the match on a kill by MVP Vivian Yount.
No. 5 Puyallup awaits in the quarterfinals. The Vikings got there with a 3-0 victory over No. 11 Skyline, 25-10, 25-12, 25-16, with senior MVP Reese Sheppard setting the pace. Puyallup also got solid efforts from seniors Rachel Dixon and Haylee Tavares and sophomore Sam Pirillis.
Skyline’s standouts included senior Nicole Matsuda, junior Piper Hawryluk and sophomore Carly Maginnis.
Shaylee Stephen, a 6-foot-3 junior, led No. 5 Camas into the quarterfinals as the Papermakers topped No. 12 Glacier Peak in four sets, 25-18, 22-25, 28-26, 25-21. GP played tough throughout.
Camas meets No. 4 Lake Stevens in what should be an entertaining quarterfinal. Heavy-hitting Laura Eichert, a 6-foot junior who has committed to San Diego, keyed the Vikings’ 3-1 win over No. 13 Tahoma (25-20, 25-17, 25-27, 25-14) and drew MVP notice.
Lake Stevens had an opportunity to sweep with a 24-21 advantage in the third set, but Tahoma said not so fast and came back for the win with junior Nohea Alo providing the final kill. The Bears fought off a pair of match points before Mia Turner ended things with a block at the net.
Ella Iseminger and Jayci Stevens were also solid for the Vikings, while Roxy Dow had some big moments for Tahoma.
No. 1 Curtis remained unbeaten with a straight-sets triumph over No. 16 Arlington, 25-9, 25-15, 25-18. Arlington inched closer each set, but an upset never seemed likely. The Vikings feature plenty of weapons, but senior OH Avery Cukjati got the edge as MVP.
Curtis next takes on No. 9 Davis of Yakima, back in the tournament for the first time since 1996.
Davis dropped No. 8 Issaquah with relative ease, 25-7, 25-15, 26-24. Isa Garcia, a 5-8 sophomore, flashed her setting skills enroute to earning MVP. Seniors Malia Wheeler and Kailey Willsey were among the other instrumental performers.
Consolation Round (Loser Out)
Crt 3 (14) Mead 3, Skyline 0 (25-15, 25-16, 25-13)
Crt 4 (10) Eastlake 3, (15) Kamiakin 0 (26-24, 25-23, 25-11)
Crt 5 (13) Tahoma 3, (12) Glacier Peak 0 (25-17, 25-20, 25-22)
Crt 5 (8) Issaquah vs (16) Arlington 3, (8) Issaquah 2 (26-24, 24-26, 20-25, 25-19, 15-12)
Consolation Round Recap
One more victory.
That’s all these teams need to leave the 4A tournament with trophies after surviving loser-out matches Friday.
They get their opportunities Saturday at 8 a.m.
No. 10 Eastlake plays No. 14 Mead, while No. 13 Tahoma faces No. 16 Arlington.
Eastlake eliminated No. 15 Kamiakin, 26-24, 25-23, 25-11.
Sophomore Alayna Smeltzer showed her serving prowess to help push Mead through. She served the final five points in the opening set and ultimately got the nod as MVP.
Eastlake was pushed early by Kamiakin, then dominated in the third set. Senior MVP Ella Neubauer was the catalyst.
Nohea Alo was the MVP for Tahoma in a match that was close throughout.
Arlington outlasted No. 8 Issaquah in a five-set marathon, 26-24, 24-26, 20-25, 25-19, 15-12. The fifth set was 9-9 before Arlington inched away. Match MVP went to senior Melissa Hadley. Junior Emme Shaffer also was key. Issaquah was led by a pair of freshmen, Molly Hoshino and Bryn Wolcott.
Quarterfinals (Winners to Semifinals, Losers to Consolation)
7:15pm
Crt 1 (6) Puyallup vs (3) Kennedy Catholic 3, (6) Puyallup 0 (25-18, 25-22, 25-18)
Crt 2 (2) Wenatchee 3, (7) Olympia 0 (25-13, 25-17, 25-17)
Crt 4 (4) Lake Stevens 3, Camas 2 (27-29, 25-19, 25-22, 26-28, 15-10)
Crt 5 (9) Davis vs (1) Curtis 3, (9) Davis 1 (20-25, 25-22, 29-27, 25-23)
Quarterfinal Round Recap
Storylines galore.
That’s what the semifinals of the 4A state volleyball tournament bring.
Can No. 1 Curtis remain unbeaten and go on to claim the championship?
Or does No. 4 Lake Stevens finally make the leap to the top after oh-so-close?
Maybe No. 2 Wenatchee will wear the crown for a second straight year?
Or is it No. 3 Kennedy Catholic earning the chance to play for its first 4A title?
It will all play out Saturday at 10 a.m. as the top four seeds battle it out, Curtis vs. Lake Stevens and Wenatchee vs. Kennedy Catholic.
The winners play in the championship match at 5:30.
No. 9 Davis, the hometown favorite, nearly pulled off the upset of the day against Curtis.
The Pirates raised eyebrows with a 25-20 win in the opening set, proving they are for real. Curtis came back to win the second set, 25-22, but Davis wouldn’t go away.
The Pirates had a several chances to claim the third set before falling short, 29-27. Then in the fourth they took a 23-22 advantage only to see the Vikings reel off the final three points – including a pair of aces by Kennedy Kinley for the last two.
Selena Morales emerged as the MVP.
Lake Stevens, which placed second in 2022 and 2019 and was fourth a year ago, had a tougher time advancing and had to outlast No. 5 Camas in five.
After coming up short in the opening set, 29-27, the Vikings pulled even with a 25-19 win in the second. They jumped up 10-5 and 19-14 in the third, then had to hold Camas off, 25-22. Oliva Gonzales got the MVP and Lake Stevens also got solid efforts from Laura Eichert, Audrey Iseminger, Mia Turner and Kamryn Strom.
The Papermakers faced match point twice in the fourth, but wound up winning 28-26 on a kill by junior Gabriella Thompson.
In the end, though, Lake Stevens simply had too much fire-power – most notably by Eichert, who delivered three of the final four points. The Vikings played outstanding defense for most of the match.
In addition to Thompson, Camas saw clutch play from Emmah Sanchez, Kendall Mairs and Quinn Petersen.
Wenatchee improved to 20-0 with a 3-0 victory over No. 8 Olympia, 25-13, 25-17, 25-17. Senior Ava Jo Berry is determined to go out on top again and keyed the sweep to snag MVP rights. Her fight at the net gave the Panthers match point.
Kennedy Catholic, which won a 3A title in 2015, swept past No. 6 Puyallup, 25-18, 25-22, 25-18.
The Lancers feature a dynamic duo in senior hitter Vivian Yount and junior setter Maya Quitiquit. Quitiquit, the daughter of head coach Liz Quitiquit, has a pretty jump set and is adept in all phases. Yount took down the stretch as Kennedy pulled away and was named MVP.
Puyallup led 18-17 before the Lancers tied it up. Yount then served out the match with Quitiquit nailing the final kill. Kennedy’s lone loss of the season came in the District 3-4 championship bout against Curtis.
www.elisportsnetwork.com
