SHORELINE — A young King’s volleyball team is in the midst of a growth spurt.
With a convincing three-game victory over previously unbeaten Bellevue Christian last week, the Knights moved into a tie with the Vikings for first place in the Chinook League.
The Knights avenged their lone league defeat of the season by sweeping Bellevue Christian 25-22, 25-20, 25-22 Oct. 16 on their home floor. The Vikings edged the Knights in five games at the start of the season and climbed to 10th in the Class 1A state rankings.
King’s replaced Bellevue Christian at 10th in the latest state poll, issued Monday.
“We’ve had a great rivalry with Bellevue over the years,” King’s coach Steve Bain said. “It’s developed into a contest that’s always hard-fought.”
If both teams win their final two matches next week, they’ll meet once more with the Chinook League’s No. 1 seed to the Class 1A Tri-district playoffs on the line.
The league’s top four finishers will take part in a Nov. 4 tournament at King’s High School to determine two Tri-district qualifiers. The first- and second-place teams play for the No. 1 seed; the loser then faces the winner of a match between the third- and fourth-place teams for the league’s second and final playoff berth.
King’s followed up its win over Bellevue Christian by splitting four matches at a predominantly 3A/4A tournament hosted by Mount Vernon last weekend. The Knights defeated the hosts twice to finish fourth.
“It was an excellent experience for the team that was both mentally and physically challenging,” Bain said. “I was very pleased with our effort, especially our ability to come back in the last match with Mount Vernon.
“It was the end of a long day and we could have quit very easily, but the kids responded to the challenge and ended the day on a winning note.”
King’s resumed Chinook League play Monday night, pounding third-place Cascade Christian 25-9, 25-18, 25-12 to improve to 8-1 in the league and 8-4 overall.
“We haven’t really worried about wins and losses,” Bain said. “We’ve tried to schedule tough opponents outside the league and that’s paying off now.”
Non-conference losses to teams like Meadowdale, Bainbridge, Riverside Christian and Lynden Christian — the state’s top-ranked 2A team — don’t discourage Bain. With a roster that includes just one varsity returner, the first-year head coach expected the Knights would take some lumps as they mature.
“We’re really young,” Bain said. “At times I’ll have two freshmen, two sophomores and two juniors on the floor. It’s taken us some time to play together and really start playing team defense. The hits are magnificent when kids are flying above the net, but the game is won down low.”
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