Defending state volleyball champion Columbia River starts fast with packed schedule

There is no easing into the season for the Columbia River volleyball team.

On Tuesday, the Rapids opened with a 25-9, 25-15, 25-7 win over Woodland to begin play in the very competitive 2A Greater St. Helens League.

“We wouldn’t have it any other way,” River coach Breanne Smedley said. “We play Mark Morris on Thursday, then we go up to Seattle for a tournament this weekend. Then we play Skyview on Monday, Ridgefield on Tuesday. So we are just going in hot.”

While All-Region player of the year Rylie Reeves graduated, the Rapids return first-team all-leaguer players in junior Lauren Dreves and sophomore Sydney Dreves from a squad that won the 2A state championship last fall.

“This team is so special,” Lauren Dreves said. “There are so many good players on this team. Our roster is so deep this year.”

Smedley said the Rapids return much of the core from last year’s roster.

“So they are coming in hungry, they’re focused, which is really fun as a foundation of our team,” Smedley said. “We’ve added in five players that we pulled up from JV who are also really great, really solid.”

Senior Sophie Worden, another all-leaguer, has taken over the role as the setter on the team, feeding the big hitters.

“Sophie, our setter, has stepped in and seamlessly stepped up as a leader, and how she’s been running the offense has been great so far,” Smedley said.

The work toward building the 2022 roster began with a commitment from players throughout the program during the summer.

“We had a lot of open gyms that every single person on our varsity team came to and we worked out a lot this summer,” Sydney Dreves said. “And over the summer, we became really close. We didn’t know what our (varsity team was going to be), but the whole program is really close. I think that really helped. And coming into the actual season, we are already a close team.”

Smedley said that familiarity has fostered a healthy competitive spirit in practices as teammates push each other to get better.

“For us it’s all about effort,” Lauren Dreves said. “Like no matter who’s on the floor next to you, you always have to play your best. That’s what is really important for our team. For us, it’s effort and attitude, just getting there and getting the ball to the player who is in front of you. … Even though we are a new team, we are still going to build up together. We’re going to be a better together.”

Lauren Dreves has taken on a bigger role as a team leader this season, and Smedley said her teammates have reacted well to her.

“Lauren, now that she’s a junior, she is night and day from last season as far as her leadership,” Smedley said. “And her abilities get her teammates rallying around her. So while we’re still just feeling things out, a lot of the girls are coming back thinking ‘we know what we want and we’re going to step in and fill the roles that are needed.’ And they’re making it happen.”

As Tuesday’s season opener showed, the Rapids are off to a good start. But Lauren Dreves said this is only the beginning.

“I’m just looking forward to getting everyone better as the season goes on,” she said. “We don’t want to be the best at the start. We want to be the best at the end.”

Players to watch

Returning first-team all-league players

Drew Eggleston, sr. Union

Kendall Mairs, so., Camas

Ella Conklin, sr., Prairie

Makenna Gamby, jr., Mountain View

Keanna Salavea, sr., Heritage

Rielee Gourde, sr., Kelso

Lauren Dreves, jr., Columbia River

Sydney Dreves, so., Columbia River

Madison Noel, sr., Mark Morris

Ella Schoene, sr., La Center

Paige Kessler, sr., Castle Rock

Kynsi Bayes, jr., Castle Rock