The Kenai Central volleyball team advanced to the final of the Class 3A state tournament at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage by defeating Valdez 3-0.
The Kardinals, the two-time defending state champs, advanced to a fifth straight state final by topping the Buccaneers 25-17, 25-19 and 25-12.
Brynnen Hanson had 33 digs for the Kardinals, while Kate Wisnewski, Sophie Tapley and Stella Selanoff all had 17.
Tapley had 17 kills, while Selanoff had 12 and Avia Miller had eight. Wisnewski had 43 assists.
Both Ellsi Miller and Tapley had two blocks. Wisnewski and Sarah Baisden had two aces.
At 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16, Kenai will play the winner of Valdez-Nikiski. The Valdez-Nikiski match is at 9 a.m. Saturday.
The Bulldogs survived a long day in the playback bracket.
First, Nikiski defeated Barrow 25-15, 25-15 and 25-23.
Kailey Stynsberg had 22 digs, while Evelyn Reichert had 11. Alexa Iyatunguk had nine kills, while Ashlynne Playle had eight. Mandee Roofe had five blocks, while Playle had four.
Nikiski then defeated Sitka 19-25, 25-13, 17-25, 25-13 and 15-7.
Abby White had 27 digs, while Stynsberg had 20 and Reichert had 18.
Avery Ellis had 20 assists,while Playle had 16 kills. Roofe had eight blocks.
Nikiski then defeated Seward 25-22, 25-16, 22-25 and 26-24. That puts the Seahawks in fourth place in the state.
For Nikiski against Seward, Reichert had 28 digs, Stynsberg had 26 digs, Ellis had 22 assists, Iyatunguk had 16 kills, Playle had 10 kills, Roofe had eight blocks, Playle had four blocks and Ellis had four aces.
Seward had defeated Monroe Catholic 25-18, 26-24, 24-26 and 25-17 in the playback bracket to get to the match against Nikiski.
Seward coach Jodi Kurtz said she’s proud of the fourth-place finish. That’s the highest the Seahawks have finished at state since 2011, when they also finished fourth.
Making the finish more impressive is that Seward also had enough other girls athletes to win the Division II state cross-country running title for the third straight season.
Kurtz said some highlights were taking eventual champion Nikiski to four games and winning a five-setter against Barrow in the opening round.
“That was a tough match, and we love playing them,” Kurtz said of the Whalers. “They’re just as good as us. We have to fight harder to get on top.”
The coach said the run was led by Mikinley Williams, the lone player to make the state all-tournament team, and the team’s only seniors — Jordan Hartman and Kyana Hutchinson.
“We’re definitely going to miss them,” Kurtz said.
The coach said that, due to the loss of Hartman, the Seahawks will have to start over at setter.
“Kyana is a senior and she was an amazing hitter this weekend,” Kurtz said. “She was rocking it.
“She was all go on hitting and I’m proud of her. I know she has offers to go play in college.”
Soldotna finished tied for fifth in the Class 4A state tournament. The Stars started the day in the playback bracket by defeating Juneau-Douglas: Yadaa.at Kale 25-14, 25-20 and 25-13.
Sadie Lane had 15 digs in the match, while Veronica Crane and Morgan Simac each had 13.
Sarah Brown had 28 assists, with Lane getting nine kills, Hallie Fischer getting eight kills and Cassidy Kruse getting seven kills. Kruse had five blocks, while Fischer had three.
The Stars served strong, with Brown getting six aces, Lane getting four and Fischer getting three.
Soldotna then lost to Wasilla 25-13, 25-18 and 25-18. The Warriors would go on to win a second straight state title.
Crane had 18 digs, while Simac had 14. Brown had 19 assists, with Simac getting five kills, and Abygale Schaeffer, Cassidy Kruse and Fischer getting four kills apiece. Fischer had six blocks, while Kruse had five. Schaeffer had three aces, while Lane had two.
The Stars have made the state tournament five times since 2017 and finished tied for fifth every time. Three of those trips have come under current head coach Luke Baumer.
Baumer said the Stars typically face a top Anchorage team in the first round. SoHi plays a beatable team in the first round of the playoff bracket, but then comes a big hump to get over.
“It’s an elimination game and we always get put up against a team that’s usually going to be top three,” he said. “It’s really tough to get past that hurdle.”
Baumer said the Stars were close to doing better than fifth and that showed when they took a game off Dimond in the first round.
The coach said he’s proud of seniors Kiona Dexter, Kate Curtis, Crane, Lane, Schaeffer and Fischer for making a second straight run to state. Lane made the state all-tournament team.
“The thing I was most proud of with this group of seniors is even when we’re down by like nine points, they didn’t stop,” Baumer said. “They kept consistent pressure. They kept a consistent mental focus the entire time.”
Baumer also said he’s happy with how volleyball is trending on the Kenai Peninsula, with the Stars taking fifth at Class 4A and Nikiski taking first, Kenai taking second and Seward taking fourth at Class 3A.
Baumer is in his fourth year directing the Peninsula Wild volleyball club.
“Everybody’s stepping up,” he said. “Everybody is on the same page with what we need to do to grow, which is why you’re seeing such consistent improvement.”
