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State volleyball: Columbia River, Battle Ground are top contenders

By Micah Rice, Columbian Sports Editor
Published: November 12, 2015, 1:18pm

Clark County has dual title hopes in the Tri-Cities.

Columbia River and Battle Ground are top contenders to win state volleyball championships this weekend in Kennewick.

Columbia River is No. 1 in the 3A state coaches poll after topping some of the state’s best teams at the District 3/4 tournament last weekend.

The Chieftains handed No. 2 Kennedy Catholic just its second loss of the season in the championship match and beat a strong Auburn Mountainview squad in the semifinals. Outside of holiday tournaments, River’s only loss came to one of the state’s top 2A teams in Tumwater.

Most of River’s key players are back from the team that finished third in state last year. Senior outside hitter Evi Wilson just won her third straight 3A Greater St. Helens League MVP. Seniors Esti Wilson, Page Heller, Andrea Demlow and junior Abby Wilmington all won first-team all-league honors.

The Chieftains open state tournament play at 9:45 a.m. Friday against 3A GSHL rival Prairie. The Falcons survived two loser-out matches at bi-districts to claim the last of that tournament’s six state berths.

After placing third in last year’s 4A state tournament, Battle Ground also hopes to make a title push at the Toyota Center.

Led by NCAA Division-I signees Brooke Van Sickle (Oregon) and Ashley Watkins (Montana), the Tigers enter the tournament ranked No. 3 after having lost just once this season.

Van Sickle, an outside hitter, just won her second straight 4A GSHL MVP and is joined on the all-league first team by Watkins, a setter, and defensive specialist Hana Wyles.

The Tigers open play in the 16-team state bracket at 1:30 p.m. Friday against No. 5-ranked Eisenhower. Teams that win twice on Friday will play in the semifinals Saturday afternoon with the finals in the evening.

Ridgefield and Woodland are in the 2A state tournament, which begins Friday at St. Martin’s University in Lacey.

The No. 7 Spudders have won seven of their past eight matches, the only loss coming to Tumwater in the finals of the District 4 tournament. Madi Harter is the 2A GSHL player of the year and is backed up by 6-foot-3 outside hitter Sarena Bartley and Bella Gama, who were first-team all-league.

No. 8-ranked Woodland is led by first-team all-leaguers Hayley Yoder and Elle Nesbitt. The Beavers have won 12 of their past 14 matches and placed third at the district tournament after losing to Tumwater in the semifinals.

King’s Way Christian is in the 1A state tournament in Yakima. The No. 10-ranked Knights are 14-4, with three of those losses coming to No. 1-ranked Kalama.

King’s Way opens with No. 4 Lakeside (Nine Mile Falls) and wouldn’t face Kalama until the finals.

State volleyball tournaments

Play in the 16-team tournaments begins Friday morning with the championship matches on Saturday evening.

For updates from the 3A and 4A tournaments in Kennewick, follow Columbian sports editor Micah Rice on Twitter @col_mrice.

For updates on the 2A tournament in Lacey and the 1A tournament in Yakima, follow @360preps.

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