High School Volleyball: Kalama KO'd on final day of the season
Deja Vu - Chinooks notch win at State, but fall flat against same foes as 2024
Jordan Nailon for Blast Zone Media / blastzonenews@gmail.com
Prep Volleyball / Reports
YAKIMA VALLEY SUNDOME — The Kalama volleyball team thought that winning a District Championship would change its fortune, or at least its prospects, heading into the 1A State Tournament. And while the Chinooks managed to reach Day 2 of bracket play over the weekend, the season ended in an eerily similar fashion to last season.
The ‘Nooks opened the tournament with a four-set win over No. 9 ranked King’s, but fell to top-ranked Chelan by sweep in the quarterfinals. That loss put Kalama up against No. 4 Lynden Christian in an elimination match on Saturday morning, which the ‘Nooks lost in three sets.
It was the second season in a row in which Kalama fell to the Goats and Lynx.
In a different world, where your most recent win matters, Kalama could have been matched up against La Center in the quarterfinals, or even the semifinals. And that’s a match the ‘Nooks know they can win after taking out the Wildcats in five sets for the District championship.
But that’s not the way the cookie crumbled for Kalama. Instead, the seeding committee did the ‘Nooks no favors, and the rest was all too reminiscent of recent history.
“I think it was all mental. They are an absolutely capable team, unfortunately at State I think it gets in their head,” Kalama head coach Rebecca Clark said. “From the beginning they see a tough draw and they’re like, ‘Let’s just go have fun.’ I believe they could have done it, but things just didn’t go our way.”
— The Kalama Chinooks pick up the first point in an elimination match against Lynden Christian in the 1A State Tournament, Saturday, Nov. 15, at the Yakima Valley SunDome. / Video by Jordan Nailon for Blast Zone Media —
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