MARYSVILLE – Start calling them the “Comeback Kids.”
For the second straight year the Monroe Bearcats used a stunning game-three comeback to lift them into the Class 4A state tournament.
The Bearcats clinched a trip to next week’s tourney in Kennewick by defeating Stanwood 25-18, 21-25, 25-23, 25-17 in a winner-to-state game at the 4A District 1 tournament at Marysville-Pilchuck High School Thursday night.
The Spartans face Marysville-Pilchuck on Saturday in a loser-out game. The two teams split their season matches 1-1, with each team winning on the other’s home floor.
Monroe faces Kamiak (13-3) for the 4A District championship on Saturday. The teams played each other twice this season with each team winning a game apiece.
Much like it did last year in a winner-to-state game, when it overcame a 24-19 game-three deficit against Edmonds-Woodway, Monroe fought its way back against Stanwood to take the pivotal third game in comeback fashion.
The ‘Cats, trailing by six early in the game, cut the lead to single digits at 20-19 – the closest the score had been since Stanwood led 3-2 – before tying the score at 20-20.
Monroe (15-1 overall) continued its run by winning six straight points and taking a 23-20 lead.
Stanwood would tie it at 23-23 before Monroe won the final two points winning 25-23.
“That was it. It was huge, huge, huge,” Monroe coach Dawn Hanson said about the momentum-changing game.
“It says a lot about the kids that we have when they can get behind a good team and rally and not quit, and not give up and not get flustered. Good teams can find a way to get it done when they need to and I think this year we have a good team,” Hanson added.
Stanwood coach Erik Titus agreed that the match’s third game was a difference-maker.
“It’s huge,” Titus said, “We had it during the early part of that game and it kind of shifted there towards the end. That game three is a crucial one when you’re tied at 1-1 because that next game, whoever wins that one, has to only win one more.”
Monroe would go on to win game four in convincing fashion, to clinch the 4A-state berth.
“It feels good to know that we’re going instead of coming back and having to fight it for the last spot on Saturday,” Hanson said, referring to the long, hard road they took in the 2005 tournament.
After losing its opening-round match, Monroe rallied to win three straight matches, including the a come-from-behind victory against Edmonds-Woodway where the Bearcats won seven straight points in the third game.
“The whole season has been different because usually we’re third or fourth in our league when we come to districts,” Hanson said.
Sophomore Kylin Munoz led Monroe with 16 kills and Tarah Petrick added 40 assists. Kelsey Brennan had 10 kills and five blocks for the Bearcats.
Whitney Appleby’s 32 assists, Megan Amundson’s 14 kills and Leah Titus’ 19 digs led Stanwood (11-5).
Led by Cailin Fellows (nine kills) and Alex Storino (17 digs) Edmonds-Woodway (10-6) also advanced with a loser-out win over Mountlake Terrace (8-8).
The Warriors face Jackson in a loser-out game on Saturday at 11a.m.
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