All-Region Volleyball: Sydney Dreves, Columbia River

For many high school volleyball players, just reaching the state tournament is the goal.

For a smaller group, the aim is to leave the Yakima Valley SunDome with a top-eight trophy.

For an elite bunch, winning a state championship is the highlight of their prep career.

And then there’s Sydney Dreves.

The Columbian’s All-Region volleyball player of the year earned her fourth state championship when she led Columbia River past Ellensburg in a thrilling five-set Class 2A title match last month.

Whether four years ago as a promising freshman or most recently as the Rapids’ undisputed senior leader, Dreves played 16 state tournament matches at the SunDome.

She never once lost.

“It always brings a smile to my face thinking about any of the four years,” Dreves said. “The obvious moments that come to mind are all the game points. But the moments I really cherish are the team bonding at state. It’s always so fun. The SunDome is just a great place for the Dreves.”

Through her junior year Sydney played alongside her sister Lauren, who was last year’s Gatorade State Volleyball Player of the Year and now plays collegiately at Auburn.

This year, Dreves wanted to extend both her family’s legacy and that of Columbia River, whose four consecutive state titles are second only in state history to Mead’s five in a row among schools 2A and larger.

But she also wanted to make her own mark.

“Last year, Lauren had a phenomenal year,” Dreves said. “She definitely left the Lauren legacy. But this year I definitely wanted for the little sister Dreves to have her own moment.”

Perhaps Dreves’ biggest accomplishment this year was how she galvanized a team that, apart from her, had almost no state tournament experience.

Being a team’s leader is not a role that can only be done by one personality type. Columbia River coach Breanne Smedley had Dreves embrace leadership in a way that suited her.

“Bre just told me to be my own leader,” Dreves said. “Lauren and I are very different players, very different people and very different leaders. So she told me to make my own mark. …. Be Sydney Dreves and it will all work out.”

On the court, Dreves excelled both as an attacking outside hitter and on defense when playing in the back row. Her 430 kills was highest among all players in Southwest Washington and her 315 digs second-most.

Between points, Dreves style of leadership drew from her own techniques for overcoming nervousness, which she said arrives before every match.

“I would tell them to take a deep breath or hold their hand and say everything is OK,” she said.

Dreves believes she inherited that intense desire to win. That comes with being the daughter of two former collegiate athletes and having two older sisters who went on to play collegiate volleyball.

“I grew up with my dad coaching tennis, so I was always at the courts or in the gym with a bunch of intense college players,” Dreves said. “Starting at such a young age wanting to be like the older girls and seeing how intense they were. I think I started with the intensity younger than most girls do.”

When the postseason arrived, so did expectations and pressure. Despite having just two losses and riding a 14-match winning streak, Columbia River entered the state tournament as the No. 3 seed.

Yet it was a team whose players had grown into their roles, none more than sophomore Sophia Gourley whose 395 kills were second on the team.

“Sophia knew what she had to do,” Dreves said. “She knew her part was a big role because we’ve always had really good (outside hitters). That was the role I had to fill, so I knew her pressure because I had to fill it my sophomore year. I would like to say I was helpful, but she is a phenomenal volleyball player.”

It looked like Columbia River’s reign might end in the championship match against top-seeded Ellensburg. The Bulldogs led 24-23 in the fourth set, one point from the championship.

But the Rapids won three straight points to take the fourth set, then won the fifth set 15-8. Dreves and Gourley each had four kills and one ace in the final title-clinching set.

For one final time, a Dreves sister hoisted that state championship trophy. Like Lauren, Sydney was also named tournament MVP and all-state 2A player of the year.

“Right after the game it felt like a deep breath,” Dreves said. “I had so much pressure on me that state tournament. All my teammates knew that. I was trying not to be a mess that tournament, although I might have been, especially for the girls in my hotel room.”

Dreves has committed to play volleyball at Boise State, a program and school that she described as a perfect fit. Before that, she will try to stack up a few more state titles with the Columbia River tennis team this spring.

Dreves has won three state tennis championships, either on a doubles team as part of the Rapids winning the overall team title.

Her goal? To leave high school with a total of nine state championships.

“I still think it’s a dream,” she said. “There’s no way I thought I would win that many championships. It’s my last hurrah so I want go out with a title.”

The Rest of the All-Region Team

First Team

Callie Curran, Ridgefield: The senior was Class 2A GSHL Setter MVP and led a young Spudders team to sixth place at state.

Sophia Gourley, Columbia River: The sophomore was first-team all-state with 395 kills, 175 digs and 50 aces.

Kendall Mairs, Camas: The first-team all-state senior setter and 4A GSHL MVP led Camas to fifth place in state.

Claire Neuman, Prairie: The versatile senior was 3A GSHL MVP and led the Falcons to a league title and state berth.

Billie Ross, La Center: The senior was first-team all-state, Trico MVP and led the Wildcats to fourth place in the 1A tournament.

Second Team

Erin Bennett, Evergreen: The senior averaged 10.5 kills and 12 digs in earning first-team all-league honors.

Clarice Glover, King’s Way Christian: The freshman libero was Trico League defensive player of the year averaging 10.8 digs per match.

Gracie Jacoby, Prairie: The sophomore averaged 11.5 kills and 8.3 digs as the Falcons went unbeaten in 3A GSHL play.

Aly Ordona, Seton Catholic: The junior had an area-best 430 digs along with 291 kills as the Cougars earned their first 1A state tournament berth.

Jordis Taylor, Heritage: The senior average double-digits in both kills and digs for the improved Timberwolves.

Ella Thompson, Camas: The junior was first-team all-state with 392 kills and 167 digs.