Klickitat evens the score with TLG
Andrew Christiansen
Reporter
“We’re back,” exclaimed Jaecee Hoctor following Klickitat’s 12 point victory in the opening game against TLG, Tuesday. There was more work to be done on the night, but the Klickitat volleyball coach was reacting to seeing the kind of volleyball the Vandals are accustomed to and the fact they were on their way to avenge an earlier loss to TLG. The first time around, TLG won in five games. This time it was Klickitat in four, 25-13, 21-25, 25-23, 25-20.
It was another great battle of teams that are evenly matched with Klickitat getting a big boost with the return of their setter, Ashley Meeks, who was injured during the match at Trout Lake, 17 days earlier. Meeks finished with 17 assists, setting up most of Samantha Brewer’s 29 kills.
The Vandals were firing on all cylinders in the first game. The back court handled most of TLG’s hard shots and Brewer knocked down 11 kills in the hot start.
Game two was another story. TLG looked to run away with the game early, leading 8-2 before the teams began to trade points. Two Liz Vogt kills, a block and a Vogt ace pushed the lead to 21-10, but Brewer was about to go on a tear scoring seven of the next 12 points and cutting the TLG lead to 22-21. TLG needed someone else to step up, and Krissy Yarnell answered the call, scoring TLG’s final three points, the last one with a block for TLG’s only win.
Brewer and Vogt had a great battle at the net in game three. TLG’s big middle hitter had eight kills and a block for a point, while Brewer scored on four kills and a block. But, it was Brewer’s top-spin serve that gave TLG fits all night and turned a 19-22 deficit into a 23-22 lead following four straight aces. Lara Parsons had one of her better games adding three kills to the Vandal winning effort.
The Vandals capitalized on the momentum, moving to a 12-6 lead in game four before TLG made a charge to get within two at 12-10. A TLG error put Brewer on the service line where she reeled
Both teams were 5-1 at the start of the week, each winning league matches earlier in the week. Klickitat swept Sunnyside Christian 25-9, 26-24, 25-20 and TLG eked out a 3-1 win over Bickleton. TLG hosts Sunnyside Christian on Friday. Klickitat was at Bickleton on Tuesday and at Lyle-Wishram this Friday.
The Cougars are fighting to make the playoffs. They faced Sunnyside Christian in a must-win match on Tuesday. Lyle-Wishram played a non-league match at Sherman County last week, losing 25-19, 25-18, 16-25, 25-23. Kristin Hylton had seven kills and two blocks. Treane Wells had six kills and Taylor Freemantle had eight assists and served three aces.
Wolves raise their game at Naches
Andrew Christiansen
Reporter
Questions were answered last Thursday when Goldendale’s volleyball team ventured to Naches to take on the Rangers. The Lady Timberwolves were right in the middle of the SCAC west league standings, handling Granger, Cle Elum and Highland, but they hadn’t won a game against the top teams and were left wondering if they could compete with the likes of Zillah, LaSalle and Naches Valley.
The Rangers would win the rematch, but they had to go five games to do it and Goldendale knew they were just a play or two from victory. More important, they discovered they could hold their own with a top team.
Goldendale led every game. Naches Valley had to overcome a big deficit to pull out a 25-22 win in the first game. Game two was close until Kristin Stanley scored three straight points, including a final ace to win game two 25-19 for the Rangers.
If there was pressure on the Wolves after falling down 2-0, it didn’t show. The Rangers controlled the middle of the game on the strength of Kelsie Schafer’s serves and Justine Benner’s kills to lead 20-16. From then on, the Wolves dominated. Lexi Cameron and Alex Counts scored kills around a block for point by Allison Hutchins. Hutchins moved to serve with the score 21-20 for Naches Valley. Sadie Shattuck blocked to tie the game and Hutchins served four more points, finishing off the Rangers with an ace for the 25-21 win.
Game four was close until Goldendale pulled away at the end for another 25-21 win, forcing a fifth game. The Rangers were fighting for their life in game five as Shattuck, Cameron and Counts scored kills and Hutchins blocked Benner for her 11th block of the match. For most of the match, Kayla Curtsinger, the person responsible for much of Goldendale’s undoing in the match in Goldendale, was very silent. Goldendale was up 7-4 when Curtsinger got “fired up,” as she later described the transformation. The left side hitter scored kills for the Rangers’ next seven points giving Naches Valley their first lead since 3-2. Curtsinger would score one more followed by a Schafer kill and the Rangers led 14-11. Shattuck knocked down a couple of kills for Goldendale before Benner hit her second kill of the game to secure the 15-13 Naches Valley win.
Goldendale played in the varsity tournament at Zillah on Saturday. Wapato was Goldendale’s first draw and it looked like they would handle the 2A team in the early going. A series of miscues let the first game slip away 25-23. Goldendale led the second game from start to finish, although Wapato made it close by outscoring Goldendale 10-5 over the final point with a kill and an ace by Haley Hoffman finally shutting the door for a 25-21 Timberwolf win. Goldendale was running away in the final game 6-2 when a series of mistakes gave Wapato momentum and they suddenly took a 10-8 lead. Goldendale played well on the final points, but Wapato put down several hard serves and came away with a 15-11 win.
Goldendale overwhelmed Ki-Be in the second match winning 25-8 and 25-14. The Wolves served up 12 aces in the win, four each for Johna Kartes and Karissa Ihrig. With elimination looming, the Timberwolves rolled over Columbia-Burbank 2-1 before River View ended the day with a 2-1 victory.
League play resumed on Tuesday with Cle Elum-Roslyn at Goldendale and a trip to Granger on Thursday. Goldendale will face a stiff test as league play finishes next week against Zillah on Tuesday in Goldendale and LaSalle on the road Oct. 28. The first round of district action begins Nov. 2 for the top four teams.
Cougars crack the Acorns to stay atop Pacific League
Andrew Christiansen
Reporter
Friday night was an opportunity to give support players more playing time at Lyle, as the Cougars defeated Oakville 53-8. The game was nearly over in the first quarter due to the 45 point mercy rule. Henry Matai scored his third touchdown of the quarter on a 55 yard gallop with 2:07 left in the quarter.
The big lead gave Coach Don Smith the chance to reward younger players and give Matai a rest. Chance Carpenter would score the only points of the second quarter for Lyle-Wishram on a 31 yard touchdown run.
Oakville put eight points on the board to avert the shutout, late in the second quarter, making it 39-8 at the half. Carpenter carried the ball 11 times in the game for 94 yards and Austin Pickett packed it five times for 12 yards. Johnathan VanAhn was 3-3 passing for 34 yards and a first quarter touchdown toss from 10 yards out to Nolan Smith.
Matai was back in for the second half as everyone was ready to bring the game to an end. The senior from Wishram scored on runs of 56 and 45 yards to put an end to the game. The 45 yard touchdown started as a reverse to Matai, who ran sideline to sideline for the score. Smith had two extra point conversions by the run and Lars Finnevolden kicked for an extra point.
Matai finished with 210 yards on just seven carries. The “nw8man” website shows Joe Campbell, of Tri-Cities Prep, as the all-time leading rusher for eight-man football. Campbell was credited with 7,539 yards from 2003-2006. Matai has 5,510 yards, currently fourth on the list behind third place Lonnie Simpson, of Inchelium with 6,274 yards (1981-1983), and second place Jake Webster, of Easton-Thorp with 6,915 yards. Webster gained his yards in just 26 games from 2006-2008, according to the report.
Lyle-Wishram has three league games left, beginning Thursday with Washington School for the Deaf, in Lyle. The Cougars’ toughest opponents are expected to finish the schedule with Taholah on Oct. 29, at Taholah, and a home game against Kings Way Christian on Nov. 5. |
