Class 2A, 1A, and 1B state tournaments this week; 4A and 3A are next week
The Ridgefield Spudders want to make it two in a row in volleyball, as in back-to-back Class 2A state championships.
The Columbia River Chieftains would not mind keeping the title in the same league, but they would prefer a new state champion.
The Spudders and Chieftains, and 14 other programs, will get together Friday at Central Washington University in Ellensburg to open the state tournament.
Columbia River will take on White River at 9:45 a.m. Ridgefield faces River Ridge at 1:30 p.m. The state quarterfinals are Friday evening. Semifinals and finals are Saturday.
In Yakima, the King’s Way Christian Knights are back at state. The Knights take on Overlake at 1:30 p.m. Friday in the first round of the Class 1A tournament in the Yakima Valley SunDome.
Firm Foundation of Battle Ground is playing in the Class 1B state tournament. The team’s opening round match was Thursday morning in the SunDome.
Back to the 2A tournament, the Spudders have to be the favorite to repeat.
Not only is Ridgefield undefeated this season, the team has only lost three sets — total — in 17 matches. The Spudders, led by Delaney Nicoll, who signed with Idaho this week, won the district championship with three consecutive 3-0 victories.
This is the seventh consecutive trip to state for the Spudders. They have earned a trophy at state every year since 2015, winning the championship last year.
Columbia River is one of the teams that won a set against the Spudders this season. The Chieftains finished second in the 2A Greater St. Helens League and then second in the district tournament to advance to state. Columbia River made it to the semifinals last season.
In 1A, King’s Way Christian is going to state for the second consecutive season and sixth time since 2010. The Knights were undefeated in the regular season. They lost in the district championship match to Castle Rock but made it to state with a win over Elma in an elimination match last week.
Firm Foundation is making its third consecutive appearance at 1B state.
The Class 4A and 3A volleyball teams from Southwest Washington will be playing in bi-district tournaments this weekend in hopes of going to state the following week.
Camas and Skyview, the co-champions of the 4A Greater St. Helens League, are still alive in the postseason.
Kelso and Prairie tied for the 3A GSHL title. Kelso won the tiebreaker and has a first-round bye at bi-district. Prairie and Mountain View have first-round matches Friday.
The 4A and 3A state tournaments are in Yakima Nov. 22-23.
For brackets for all the volleyball tournaments, go to the WIAA’s state tournament central page for volleyball: http://wiaa.com/subcontent.aspx?SecID=1167
