VOLLEYBALL
Eagles fall in five
CASTLE ROCK — King’s Way Christian outlasted Elma in a back-and-forth fifth set to eliminate the Eagles, 22-25, 25-21, 23-25, 25-19, 16-14, from the District IV Class 1A Tournament on Saturday at Castle Rock.
Elma needed two loser-out wins Saturday to earn its first-ever state berth. Instead the Evergreen 1A League champion Eagles concluded the season with a 13-3 record.
Jalyn Sackrider led Elma hitters on Saturday with 16 kills, 20 digs and four blocks. Quin Mikel added nine kills and 31 digs.
Versatile Eagle setter Kenna Stoney contributed 28 assists, 20 digs, nine kills and three blocks, while Kali Rambo had seven kills and 25 digs.
The Eagles were without libero Ana Perez, who did not make the trip due to what head coach Kendra Henry described as a “personal choice.”
“It was hard with new girls playing in different spots. They definitely battled on every point,” Henry said.
It was a downbeat end to a landmark season in which the young Eagles captured their first league volleyball championship since the early 1970s.
“I can’t express how proud I am for the way they played this season,” Henry concluded. “Unbeaten league champions for the first time in 40 years, that’s pretty amazing.”
CROSS COUNTRY
State meets
PASCO — Raymond’s Jachin Heckman was the highest Twin Harbors finisher in state cross country competition Saturday at Pasco’s Sun Willows Golf Course.
Heckman placed 64th among Class B boys with a time of 18:12.80. Adna’s Austin Apperson won the race at 15:59.
Willapa Valley’s Ryon Ashley (66th in 18:17.10), North River’s Forrest Carbaugh (71st in 18:19.0) and Ocosta’s Kyler Brockhoff (80th in 18:26.7) also cracked the top 100 individually in the B boys race.
North Beach’s Jeffery Eison was 124th and South Bend’s Nathan Ashley 135th.
Perennial power Northwest Christian of Lacey took the boys team championship.
Although running comparable to their previous times, the District IV Class 1A champion Montesano boys encountered much stiffer competition at state. The Bulldogs wound up 16th in the boys team event.
“It’s a different animal over here,” Monte coach James Edwards said. “We were only about 20 seconds off as a team from what we did at district.”
Andy Fry led the Bulldog contingent, placing 93rd in 17:47.70. Teammates Martin Shuck (103rd in 17:51.7) and Connor Parkinson (106th in 17:56.5) also broke the 18-minute mark.
Josef Aschenbrenner (114th) and Braden Stowers (120th) rounded out the top five Bulldogs.
Edwards saluted the team for an outstanding season and seniors Parkinson and Stowers for significant improvement throughout their careers.
Aberdeen’s Faith Cardenas was the only 2A qualifier. She was 121st in the girls race with a time of 21:40.
