Watkins sets the table for Battle Ground

BATTLE GROUND — This year, the Battle Ground volleyball team expects big things from a senior who is expected to sign with a Division I college.

Oh, and the Tigers also have Brooke Van Sickle.

Ashley Watkins is Battle Ground’s other star. The University of Montana-bound setter is a strong complement to Van Sickle, the returning 4A Greater St. Helens League player of the year who expects to sign with the University of Oregon.

Watkins and Van Sickle are two reasons Battle Ground has its sights on a state title. The Tigers placed third in last year’s state tournament, nearly beating powerhouse Bellarmine Prep in the semifinals.

And while Van Sickle might be the main course, Watkins sets the table.

“The setter, I like to attribute it to the quarterback of a football team,” Battle Ground coach Cheyanne Knight said. “You’re running plays and setting up the offense. If you don’t do that, the hitters won’t execute.”

Watkins is in just her second year of being a setter. She learned the position last fall after an injury sidelined Battle Ground’s starting setter.

A position change wasn’t all that was new for Watkins. She had transferred from Seton Catholic to Battle Ground, where she already knew her Excel NW club teammates Van Sickle and Hana Wyles.

“We definitely use our friendship outside of the court to feed us on the court,” Watkins said. “I distribute it to everyone, so it helps to have a good relationship with everyone.”

Watkins, who stands 6-feet tall, still wields a sharp spike. She had 12 kills in Battle Ground’s season-opening sweep of Ridgefield.

But she balances that power with a setter’s soft touch.

“It’s definitely about the type of hands you have,” Knight said. “It’s a pretty graceful position, placing the ball where it needs to go. You can’t force it.”

Watkins says it’s a relief to have her college choice made. While Van Sickle verbally committed to Oregon during her sophomore year, Watkins’ recruiting journey took a longer road.

Part of that was her position change. Becoming a setter made her more attractive to colleges like Montana, which recruited her for that position.

She leaned on advice from Van Sickle.

“She definitely told me to be calm about it, that it would all play out the way it’s supposed to happen,” Watkins said.

She also wanted to make sure the choice felt right. She immediately felt a connection with Montana upon a visit to the campus in Missoula.

“The campus was beautiful, the coaches were amazing and everything about it felt right,” she said. “It’s going to help me calm down on the court. I have the peace of mind of knowing something is there.”

Volleyball players can sign their letters of intent Nov. 11.

With her college choice made, Watkins can now focus on her final high school season. Battle Ground has its sights high with six key players returning from last year’s team.

Van Sickle says the team’s well-rounded talent stops opponents from stacking their best blockers in front of her.

“Freshman and sophomore year, (opponents) would cheat over,” she said. “But now all my teammates have improved majorly. Now I have a seam to hit. That’s really nice.”

And many of those hits are set by Watkins.

“She makes everyone around her look better,” Van Sickle said.

Volleyball storylines for 2015

River rolling: Battle Ground isn’t the only local team with state title ambitions. Columbia River lost just two seniors from last year’s team that placed third in Class 3A. Two-time 3A GSHL player of the year Evi Wilson is back. So is twin sister Esti Wilson, who has been first-team all-league the past two years. Senior setter Page Heller and junior middle blocker Abby Wilmington are also key returners.

Camas transition: Camas placed fifth in the 4A state tournament under Julie Nidick, who led the Papermakers to the state tournament each of her 10 years as coach. But Nidick claims she was forced to resign in November after being told the program wanted to go in another direction. Now it’s up to Michelle Allen, an assistant under Nidick, to sustain the success at Camas after graduating eight seniors from last year’s team.

Other new coaches: With Carlie Price now coaching Prairie, another one of the area’s historically successful programs is also under new leadership. Price takes over for Paige Person, who led the Falcons to two straight state tournament berths. She resigned as her and husband Trevor start a new family. Heritage is also under new leadership with Courtney Wallenborn taking over for Chelinda Dettorre, who had coached Heritage  since the school opened in 1999. At Union, Lori Piland, who coached at Evergreen from 1999 to 2007, has taken over for Tove Papenfuse, who also has a young family.

Small schools, big goals: Ridgefield is looking to return to the Class 2A state tournament while La Center and King’s Way Christian hope to get back to the 1A tournament. Ridgefield is led by seven returning varsity players, including returning first-team all-league middle blocker Madi Harter. King’s Way returns Trico League MVP Kari Staples while La Center is led by a pair of juniors in libero Abby England and outside hitter Maddie Stimmel.

State goes east: The Class 3A and 4A state tournaments are returning to Kennewick after being held the past four years in Lacey. The 2A tournament will be in Lacey while all smaller classifications will be in Yakima.