The 4A and 3A volleyball state tournaments take place Friday and Saturday in the Yakima Valley SunDome. Below are capsules for the six local teams heading to Yakima.
Format: Both tournaments consist of a 16-team modified double-elimination bracket, with one loss eliminating teams from title contention and two losses eliminating teams from the tournament.
Schedule: The first round and quarterfinals are Friday, with the semifinals and championship matches on Saturday.
CLASS 4A
Monroe: After a one-year absence, the Bearcats (13-4) are heading back to state for the third time in four years. Monroe is riding a seven-match win streak bookended by a pair of victories over Wesco 4A champion Lake Stevens, including a sweep of the Vikings in the 4A Wes-King Bi-District title match. The Bearcats, who have seven players listed at 5-foot-10 or taller, are led by Sarah Day (2.8 kills per set), Tatum McGovern (5.3 assists per set and 50 aces) and Lexi Carpenter (3.3 digs per set). Monroe faces two-time defending state champion Auburn Riverside (13-8) in the opening round.
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Lake Stevens: The Vikings (15-2) are making their third consecutive state appearance, yet just the program’s fourth since 1989. After taking an unbeaten record into each of the past two state tournaments, Wesco 4A champion Lake Stevens enters this year’s tournament with a pair of losses to conference rival Monroe. Sophomore Samaya Morin averages 3.6 kills and 3.0 digs per set, and Brooke Valentine provides 4.7 digs per frame. The Vikings open against Tahoma (18-3), which placed fifth in state last year.
Kamiak: After a 4-5 start, the Knights have won eight of their past 10 matches. Kamiak (12-7) finished tied for fourth in Wesco 4A and then won four of five matches in the bi-district tournament, including back-to-back elimination contests. Hannah Knutt and Marina Tukan both average 2.7 kills per set, and Camryn Woodworth provides 7.4 assists per frame. The Knights open against unbeaten West Valley-Yakima (17-0), which placed seventh in state last year.
CLASS 3A
Snohomish: After an eighth-place finish in last year’s state tournament, the Panthers (16-1) are making their second consecutive state appearance. Snohomish went unbeaten in Wesco 3A play and has won 48 of 58 sets, with its only loss coming to undefeated Ferndale in the 3A Northwest District title match. MacKenzie Whyte, Natalie Stern and Grace Raper lead a balanced Panthers attack that’s seen five different players finish a match as the team leader in kills. An opening-round Snohomish win over Bishop Blanchet (14-9) could set up a quarterfinal matchup between the Panthers and defending state champion Capital (17-0).
Stanwood: The senior-laden Spartans (14-3) are making their second consecutive state appearance and their third in four years. Stanwood is led by 6-foot-2 senior Devon Martinka, who averages 5.2 kills and 3.8 digs per set. The Division-I college prospect broke her own single-match school record last month with 29 kills in a loss to Snohomish. Peyton Wickstrom provides nearly nine assists per set and Veaya Carter averages 5.0 digs per frame. The Spartans open against Eastside Catholic (13-6), which placed fourth in state last year.
Oak Harbor: After a district semifinal loss to Snohomish, the Wildcats (13-4) bounced back with a four-set elimination-match win over Everett to advance to state. Led by outside hitters Morgan Pease and Camryn Bristow, Oak Harbor is making its first state appearance since 2013 and just the program’s third trip to state since 1991. The Wildcats open against Prairie (14-3), which placed fifth in state last year.
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