YAKIMA – It doesn’t matter what spherical of the state volleyball event Columbia River and Ridgefield cross paths, the depth ticks up.
The previous three years, the 2A Larger St. Helens League rivals have met within the Class 2A title match.
The newest rendezvous got here within the 2A quarterfinals Friday on the Yakima Valley SunDome. However attempt telling both workforce that the stakes weren’t any greater.
“It’s a different type of intensity and atmosphere,” Columbia River senior Sydney Dreves stated. “Going into this game, I was definitely very nervous.”
Columbia River’s dream of a fourth consecutive state championship continues to be alive after four-set win.
Ridgefield made the Rapids earn it. After Columbia River received the primary two units 25-20 and 25-22, Ridgefield stayed alive with a late flurry within the third set to win 25-23.
However Columbia River regained its poise and the momentum to take the fourth set 25-18.
“I give all the grace to Ridgefield,” Dreves stated. “They really brought it today. … After the third set it was a tense huddle, but it was a take-a-deep-breath kind of moment.”
Dreves delivered close to each time the Rapids wanted a vital level. The Boise State commit completed with 31 kills.
Sophia Gourley had six of her 19 kills within the fourth set, together with the match clincher that despatched the No. 3 seed Rapids (20-2) into Saturday’s semifinal in opposition to No. 2 Burlington-Edison (21-1)
In her fourth state event, Dreves has been a information to her teammates, most of whom performed little if any at prior tournaments right here.
“You just have to enjoy every second and leave no regrets,” Dreves stated. “For the four seniors, this is it for them so they’re just enjoying the moment.”
Junior setter Avery Seley is amongst these soaking within the state expertise.
“Last year I didn’t go in at all against Ridgefield,” Seley stated. “It was a completely new experience. I’ve never played at this level before so it was really exciting.”
Seley has spent the season constructing a robust reference to Dreves and Gourley. That paid off Friday because the pair mixed for all however three of the Rapids’ kills.
“I was really impressed with how Syd was hitting in the back row, and so did Sophia,” Seley stated. “They were on fire tonight.”
Although Ridgefield dropped two league contests and the district title match in opposition to River, the Spudders weren’t intimidated. They pushed the Rapids to 5 units Oct. 9.
“For this game, we told each other we were going to play against blank faces,” Ridgefield setter Callie Curran stated. “We know it’s River and we’ve lost to them plenty of times. But we decided we were going to play our game and do what we know how to do.”
Ridgefield’s sophomore combo of Ella Burke and Paige Hanes weren’t overwhelmed by their first state event as starters. Burke had 23 kills whereas Hanes added 17.
Curran, a senior who began within the state event as a sophomore, heaped reward on these two outdoors hitters.
“I was so impressed with their determination and their fight,” Curran stated. “When it gets close, those girls don’t back away. They swing as hard as they can.”
Although Ridgefield’s string of 5 consecutive journeys to the state championship match is over, leaving Yakima with a trophy is the following aim. The No. 6 Spudders (16-5) face No. 7 Tumwater (17-4) within the fifth-place semifinal Saturday morning.
Ridgefield beat Tumwater in 4 units in final week’s district event.
“I think we’re going to want to keep the same energy we had tonight and take it into the next two games,” Curran stated. “Before coming to state, we told ourselves we want to come back with a trophy.”