La Conner net team digs earning another State berth

Two down, one to go.

The La Conner High volleyball team won two post-season tournaments in convincing fashion last week, and now the Lady Braves have their sights set on a familiar target: another State championship.

La Conner came ever so close to its fourth State crown in program history a year ago, settling for second place after falling in a marathon five-set match to Colfax at the Yakima Sun Dome.

The Lady Braves return to Yakima — La Conner head coach Suzanne Marble has been there so often she needs neither GPS nor a map — to face Toutle Lake in a first-round State tourney match Friday afternoon.

La Conner qualified for the 1:30 p.m. State clash after having swept District and Bi-District brackets last week.

The Lady Braves recorded twin 3-0 District triumphs over NW2B rivals Orcas and Darrington, then repeated that success against Friday Harbor and Darrington in Bi-District play.

Mining gold at District and Bi-District were among primary goals set by La Conner players during pre-season.

Reaching Yakima was yet another.

“I’m super proud of my team for accomplishing the third goal they set out to reach this year,” Marble said on Sunday.

The team is gelling at just the right time. La Conner was at its best during an impressive 25-12, 25-5, 25-6 Bi-District victory over the Lady Wolverines, a match in which multiple Lady Braves filled the stat sheet.

Ashley Watkins finished with 10 digs, 10 kills, and five assists. Lindsay Lowry added nine kills, while Aubrey Swigert chipped in eight kills, eight digs and a block.

Jayna Whited contributed seven digs, four kills and two service aces. Matty Lagerwey collected 17 digs, six kills and a pair of blocks. Justine Benson fueled the La Conner attack with 31 assists. She also accounted for 12 digs, three aces, and two kills.

Sage Burgmeier had 10 digs, while Biruktawit Hasenbalg provided a huge spark with 21 flawless service attempts, five of which were aces.

“We played some of the best volleyball of our year in this match,” Marble said.

Which, in and of itself, is saying a lot given that La Conner — despite having played a tough non-conference slate in addition to the grinds of an NW2B schedule — brings a 17-1 overall mark to the Sun Dome.

“All of the pieces came together,” stressed Marble, “and the girls were feeding off of each other in such a positive way. Their energy was contagious.”

It started with the first round District win over Orcas, a match that saw the Lady Braves control tempo by delivering 94 percent of their serves.

The depth that played a major role in the Friday Harbor contest was evident against Darrington at both District and Bi-District as well.

“Everyone,” Marble said, “contributed to the wins.”

Whited earned special kudos in the second Darrington meeting, with the Bi-District title at stake.

“Jayna played great defense,” Marble said of Whited, who notched nine digs to go along with three kills.

Offensively, Swigert, Lagerwey, Watkins and Lowry combined for 21 kills. Benson dished off 27 assists and matched Lowry with a half dozen service aces.

Work — important work, at that — remains to be done, reminded Marble.

“We still need to continue to put all the pieces together,” she said, “as we go deeper into post-season.”

In a related note: Marble’s students are posting big numbers off the court, too. Her middle school ASB “We Scare Hunger” holiday food drive has collected more than 500 cans thus far. “We’re aiming for 1,000 cans,” she said.