State volleyball preview: Oakesdale looks to continue winning ways as 1B top seed

Oakesdale volleyball has not only grown accustomed to having a target on its back, but the Nighthawks actually welcome it.

It comes with the territory of not only being the top seed at this week’s State 1B tournament in Yakima, but also as the defending champion with a winning streak that stretches back to the 2019 title match.

“There’s always going to be pressure there, but the amount of trust they have in themselves is so impressive,” Oakesdale coach McKinzie Turner said. “The goal at the start of the season was to win another title, and so now it’s down to doing the little things right. It’s less on the outcome and more on the process.”

The Nighthawks (18-0) breezed through the bracket last year before holding off Mossyrock 3-2 in the title match. The Vikings (11-0) are the second seed again this year and Turner knows the challenge they could pose if a rematch materializes.

“We have to focus on the match in front of us, but we know how tough Mossyrock is and that they pushed us last year,” Turner said. “Then there is also Naselle and Mary Walker (Springdale) and a bunch of other good teams, so nothing is a given in the state tournament.”

One thing Oakesdale has in its favor is a solid group of returners from last year’s squad, including all-state MVP outside hitter Gianna Anderson and all-state selection Payton Davis, who can play anywhere on the court.

“I have six players who can put the ball down at any time and six players that can serve it tough, which is hard to find at the 1B level,” Turner said.

Even after winning the SunDome Volleyball Tournament and taking second in the Crossover Classic this season, Turner is well aware that nothing will be given to the Nighthawks.

“We just have to show up and play our best every match, because if someone plays their best match and we play our worst, they could take us down really fast,” Turner said.

Oakesdale is joined in Yakima by fellow Southeast 1B team Pomeroy. The Nighthawks open against either Waterville-Mansfield or Orcas Island on Thursday afternoon, while the 11th-seeded Pirates (9-6) play Mount Vernon Christian on Thursday morning. The 1B title match is schedule for 3:15 p.m. Friday.

2B

Fourth-seeded Colfax leads a trio of Northeast 2B teams into the SunDome, joined by seventh-seed Liberty and No. 11 Lind-Ritzville/Sprague.

The Bulldogs (15-2) went unbeaten through the league season, including a sweep of Liberty (13-4) in the district title match.

Colfax opens against Granger on Thursday morning, while Liberty faces Brewster and LRS gets Goldendale. The 2B title match is set for 1:30 p.m. Friday.

1A

Fourth-seeded Freeman is hoping that a slip in the district tournament acts as a course correction ahead of the 1A tournament on Friday and Saturday in Yakima.

After defeating rival Lakeside twice in the regular season, the Scotties were upset by the Eagles in the district title match in five sets. Freeman (18-2) was forced into a crossover match to earn a state berth, which it won easily, sweeping Cashmere.

“Obviously, we didn’t want to lose to Lakeside, but it happens. They knew that the next week of practice was going to have to be the hardest they’ve had and that’s exactly what they did,” first-year Freeman coach Kaela Straw said. “It’s hard to lose to a team you beat several times early in the year, but it has refocused us and made us want to dig and prepare that much more for this weekend.”

The Eagles (14-4) earned the 10th seed and will open against Castle Rock on Friday afternoon. Freeman will play Cedar Park Christian in its opener Friday night.

If they can win a pair of games Friday, the Scotties could be looking at a quarterfinal Saturday against top-seeded Chelan. The teams battled in a five-set Chelan win at the end of October.

“We know exactly what kind of game they are going to play, which is exciting for us if we get to play them,” Straw said of Chelan. “We’ve been talking the last few weeks and we know our end goal and where we want to be, but we have to conquer what is in front of us first and that’s Cedar Park Christian.”

The 1A title match is set for 5 p.m. Saturday.