-- Class 3A team-by-team capsules
-- Class 2A team-by-team capsules
Friday's opening-round matches
11:45 a.m.: Newport v. Olympia
1:30 p.m.: Tahoma v. Mead
1:30 p.m.: Central Valley v. Puyallup
1:30 p.m.: Rogers v. Jackson
3:15 p.m.: Kamiak v. Kentwood
3:15 p.m.: Kent-Meridian v. Woodinville
3:15 p.m.: Curtis v. Wenatchee
5:15 p.m.: Skyline v. Bellarmine Prep
FAVORITES
Bellarmine Prep Lions
Location: Tacoma
Coach: Jody DeGroot
How they qualified: Won West Central/Southwest bi-district.
Last state appearance: 2010 (did not place)
Key players: OH Courtney Schwan, so.; OH/L Kali Johnson, sr.; S Kelsie May, jr.; S Katy DeGroot, jr.
Notable: This could be the year the Lions, 4A Narrows League champions, break through at state after going trophy-less in the past four appearances since 2006. Hard-hitting sophomore Courtney Schwan, the 4A Narrows MVP and Kali Johnson are a 1-2 punch.
Mead Panthers
Location: Spokane
Coach: Judy Kight
How they qualified: Won 4A Eastern Regional title.
Last state appearance: 2010 (third place)
Key players: MH Paige Montgomery, jr.; OH Dana Norris, jr.; DS Sierra Cook, jr.
Notable: Mead carries a rich tradition, winning six state titles since 2002. Its last state title came in 2009, coming back from trailing two sets to none to beat Curtis. This year's team does not feature a senior. In fact, 11 of the 12 players are juniors. Only Briana Evens is a sophomore.
CONTENDERS
Olympia Bears
Location: Olympia
Coach: Laurie Creighton
How they qualified: Placed second in West Central/Southwest bi-district.
Last state appearance: 2010 (sixth place)
Key players: OH Christie Colasurdo, sr.; MH Michaela Berendt, jr.; S Alex Bassett, sr.
Notable: The Bears have qualified for state the past four years, and have advanced to the semifinals in three of those years. If Olympia gets past Newport in its opening-round match, they’ll likely face Mead for the fourth consecutive year at state. Olympia’s only state championship – in 1998 – came at Saint Martin’s.
Jackson Timberwolves
Location: Mill Creek
Coach: Ashley Allen
How they qualified: Won 4A District 1 tournament.
Last state appearance: 2010 (state champions)
Key players: OH Miah Dirrell, jr; OH Emmy Allen, jr; S Haley MacDonald, jr.
Notable: The 2010 4A state champions started the season ranked No. 56 nationally by PrepVolleyball.com, and had a slight bump in the road early before cruising through Wesco play undefeated. The Timberwolves haven’t lost a match since falling to Bellarmine in the Spokane Crossover tournament in early October.
Woodinville Falcons
Location: Woodinville
Coach: Mike Mills
How they qualified: Defeated Newport in KingCo title match.
Last state appearance: 2010 (fourth place)
Key players: OH Ali Forde, sr.; MH Ashtyn Mann, sr.
Notable: Woodinville finished tied for second in KingCo play, then avenged a three-set loss to Newport when it mattered most – in the KingCo 4A title match to earn the league’s top seed to state.
MIGHT SURPRISE
Puyallup Vikings
Location: Puyallup
Coach: Tony Batinovich
How they qualified: Placed third at West Central/Southwest bi-district.
Last state appearance: 2008 (did not place)
Key players: OH Maddie Davis, sr.; RS Allie Schumacher, sr.; S Makenzie March, jr.
Notable: Batinovich, who has coached the Vikings since 1992, had noted this is his one of his best all-around teams. The team has been a combined 2-6 in matches at state in its pervious three tournament appearances.
Kentwood Conquerors
Location: Kent
Co-coaches: Cindy Seims and Cathy Stansell
How they qualified: Placed fourth at West Central/Southwest bi-district.
Last state appearance: 2010 (eighth place)
Key players: OH Mikaela Ballou, sr.; L/DS Tess Manthou, sr.; MH Lauren Hackett, so.
Notable: Don’t sleep on the Conquerors. They’ve done something few teams have done this season – defeat Bellarmine, 3-1, in September. Led by Ballou at districts, Kentwood advanced to the semifinals before falling to Olympia and Puyallup.
Kamiak Knights
Location: Mukeltio
Coach: Natalie Bowie
How they qualified: Placed second in 4A District 1 tournament.
Last state appearance: 2009 (did not place)
Key players: S Ally Bowles, sr.; OH Bryce Larson, sr.
Notable: Three losses have come to defending 4A state champion Jackson, including a 3-0 win in the District 1 title match. Bowles, a 6-foot setter, and Larson have been starters since freshmen, two of very few four-year starters in Kamiak’s history.
Newport Knights
Location: Bellevue
Coach: Jeremy Brown
How they qualified: Second in KingCo title match.
Last state appearance: 2010 (did not place)
Key players: S Emmy Freed, so.; MH Casey Schoenlein, so.; OH Anna Crabtree, so.
Notable: In a reversal from the KingCo regular-season matchup, Woodinville topped the Knights in four sets to claim the No. 1 seed over Newport, despite 23 digs from libero Morgan Kraus.
LONGSHOTS
Tahoma Bears
Location: Maple Valley
Coach: Sally Eager
How they qualified: Placed sixth at West Central/Southwest bi-district.
Last state appearance: 2009 (did not place)
Key players: S Miranda Grieser, sr.; OH Rachelle Frets, jr.
Notable: The Bears are making their second state appearance in three years after going winless in two matches in 2009 and ending a 19-year state draught. Tahoma went 3-1 at district, rallying to defeat Kentridge, Central Kitsap and Kent-Meridian for sixth place.
Rogers Rams
Location: Puyallup
Coach: Mandy Flores-Handley
How they qualified: Placed fifth at West Central/Southwest bi-district.
Last state appearance: 2008 (did not place)
Key players: OH Sydney Norris, sr.; MH Peyton Kellogg, sr.; OH Danielle Childs, sr.
Notable: Rogers has dealt with injuries this season, but found its stride at the district tournament following an opening-round loss to Olympia. The Rams reeled off three wins to claim the fifth seed.
Kent-Meridian Royals
Location: Kent
Coach: Michael Christiansen
How they qualified: Placed seventh at West Central/Southwest bi-district.
Last state appearance: 1998 (did not place)
Key players: OH Chloe Watson, jr.; DS Allison Saetern, sr.
Notable: The Royals were a volleyball power in the late 1970s, winning state titles in ’76, ’78, and ’79. The program won only three league games in 2006, and have steadily improved each season Christiansen, in his fifth season.
Curtis Vikings
Location: University Place
Coach: Jeff Grosshans
How they qualified: Placed eighth at West Central/Southwest bi-district.
Last state appearance: 2010 (did not place)
Key players: OH Taina Kanar, sr.; S Emily Farnham, sr.
Notable: The Vikings were well-tested in stamina at the district tournament -- three of their four matches going five sets (Bellarmine, Graham-Kapowsin, Union). Only one of their regular-season matches went five sets.
Wenatchee Panthers
Location: Wenatchee
Coach: LeAnne McGahuey
How they qualified: Placed second in 4A Eastern Regional.
Last state appearance: 2010 (did not place)
Key players: OH Michaela George, sr.; OH Christie Adams, jr.; OH Rachel Leiber, so.
Notable: It’s the first time in 20 years Wenatchee has been at the state tournament in back-to-back seasons. Most of the Panthers’ matches this season have come via three or five sets, but they pulled out a four-set victory over state-ranked Walla Walla.
Skyline Spartans
Location: Sammamish
Coach: Callie Wesson
How they qualified: Defeated Monroe in KingCo/Wesco winner-to-state match.
Last state appearance: 2006 (did not place)
Key players: OH Maddie Magee, sr.; S Madison Stoa, sr.; MH Molly Mounsey, so.
Notable: The Spartans survived the three loser-out matches in the KingCo tournament, eliminating 10th-ranked Roosevelt and Garfield (with 49 kills combined by Magee) before punching their ticket to state with a win over Monroe.
Central Valley Bears
Location: Spokane
Coach: Chris Kosty
How they qualified: Placed second in 4A Eastern regional.
Last state appearance: None.
Key players: OH Mikayla Ness, sr.; MH Mariah Cunningham, so.; L Delaney Fisher, sr.
Notable: The Bears cruised through the Eastern regional before falling to champion Mead for the second time this season, 3-0. This weekend will be a moment of firsts for the program, which is making its first state appearance in school history.
