Idaho volleyball state championship roundup: Madison caps dominating year by finally getting hands back on Class 5A title

The senior class of Kinley Kerbs, Emma Heywood, Addie Grover, Mariah Wilson and Charli Cook dinner had received each trophy … however the one that basically counts heading into this season.

They will now breathe a collective sigh of reduction because the Madison volleyball workforce is again on prime as soon as once more. The Bobcats made fast work of Timberline 25-5, 25-21, 25-19 within the Class 5A State Championship sport Saturday at Skyline Excessive College in Idaho Falls for his or her fifth title total.

“It’s undoubtedly been a purpose for these ladies, these seniors particularly. They accomplished the set,” Madison volleyball coach Meranda Maestas mentioned with a smile. “They’ve been actually, actually desirous to lastly get this championship. I believe with each journey to state and each time we didn’t carry house that first place (trophy), they received a little bit bit extra hungry for it.”

Since ending a 16-year drought in 2018, Madison (35-4) took house the third-place, comfort and runner-up trophies in every of the subsequent corresponding seasons. So the blue plaque was the one one left.

The Bobcats left little doubt too. They didn’t lose to an Idaho workforce this season and the one ones to push them to a fifth set was Highland again on Sept. 20. Madison had solely dropped six units total coming into state.

“Typically after we would begin to battle a little bit bit or we might drop a set, it was like, ‘No, why is that this taking place,” Maestas mentioned with amusing. “However then it was like, ‘No, it’s okay. We haven’t misplaced a sport.’”

It didn’t change all that a lot at state.

Madison did drop a set to Put up Falls to begin the day Saturday, however then proceeded to win the subsequent six to get its hand on the long-awaited {hardware}. It’s the sixth consecutive season that the Bobcats have left with a state trophy of some type.

“A few of the freshmen we introduced with us to state mentioned, ‘We wish to get to state the subsequent three years.’ And I used to be like, ‘No, attending to state is the expectation, the purpose is successful it the subsequent three years,’” Maestas mentioned. “Clearly, that’s a really lofty purpose, however I believe we’ve simply had such nice children. They’ve set the requirements excessive and it simply makes the youthful children hungry.”

Wilson hit .390 and bagged 45 kills for the state run. Heywood tallied 34 kills and Kerbs completed with 165 assists, 15 aces and 6 blocks.

CLASS 4A

SKYVIEW 3, COLUMBIA 1: It lastly donned on Kevin Murphy proper as he received again to the lodge room.

The Skyview volleyball head coach’s workforce had simply performed of their eighth consecutive state ultimate. And higher but, he discovered himself hoisting up one other trophy.

The Hawks upended 4A Southern Idaho Convention rival, Columbia, 25-17, 21-25, 25-17, 25-11 to turn into simply the fifth Class 5A or 4A workforce to three-peat, and picked up their fifth championship in seven years within the course of.

“You actually take pleasure in all of them,” Murphy mentioned. “All of them are particular as a result of they’re with totally different children and (underneath) totally different circumstances. It’s by no means the very same group or the very same approach.”

Skyview (24-6) dropped again all the way down to 4A this season after successful back-to-back 5A titles. The transfer was form of becoming as 4A is the place the dynasty started. Since enjoying in that first ultimate again in 2015, the Hawks received championships in every of the subsequent two seasons earlier than the transfer as much as 5A in 2018. They nonetheless made the finals, but it surely wasn’t till 2020 earlier than a banner was introduced house in Idaho’s highest classification.

Skyview hasn’t misplaced to a workforce from Idaho because the 2019 state ultimate. That’s a present run of 55 matches in a row. It has additionally solely dropped 10 units whole throughout that point. The Hawks have received 12 consecutive titles and 113 matches inside their very own district.

“We’ve simply been actually lucky to have actually good children,” Murphy mentioned. “You possibly can’t do what we’re doing with out children. We’ve had so many households with volleyball children. I really feel like I say this yearly, I’ve received 4 or 5 children on this workforce, whose older sister performed for us. So we’ve been fortunate to have these familial traditions.”

However Murphy doesn’t prefer to get caught up in all of the numbers both.

“I’m not into what number of units in a row or video games in a row, I simply wish to win,” Murphy mentioned.

A type of misplaced units got here Saturday. Columbia handed Skyview its first set loss to an Idaho workforce since final 12 months’s state ultimate towards Madison within the second set. Nonetheless, Murphy wasn’t frightened.

“I actually didn’t really feel any change. I don’t even suppose our children blinked,” Murphy mentioned. “If we may serve, serve-receive and simply play with lots of power, we thought it could be an enormous activity for somebody to attain 25 on us six occasions this weekend.”

The duo of junior Alex Acevedo and freshman Ballamie Beus led the way in which on offense with 26 kills apiece. Acevedo, a College of Oregon commit, added three blocks. BYU commit Alex Bower added 51 assists, 14 digs and 6 kills

CLASS 3A

KIMBERLY 3, FRUITLAND 0: After getting third final season and runner-up the 12 months earlier than, the Bulldogs lastly broke by means of.

They took the broom to the Grizzlies, 25-17, 25-18, 25-16 for the primary state title in program historical past.

“Tremendous excited for this group to have the ability to make historical past,” Kimberly coach Melissa Edwards mentioned. “They’ve been to the match and tasted it, however couldn’t take pleasure in it fully. We began this summer season working arduous, setting smaller objectives that may lead us again. They succeeded in engaging in their massive and ultimate purpose to take the championship.”

For the match, senior Eliza Anderson posted 46 kills, 53 digs and 9 aces. Senior Kelsy Stranger chipped in with 50 kills and 13 blocks, sophomore Mallory Kelsey had 59 kills, 37 digs and eight aces, senior Jessie Perron netted 77 digs and Kadrian Klinger rounded it out with 194 assists.

Kimberly solely dropped 9 units all season, whereas going unbeaten towards 3A competitors and in non-tournament play. 

CLASS 2A

MELBA 3, WEST SIDE 1: Curtis Johnson had already received a pair of state titles with Nampa Christian.

However the Melba head coach was simply as if no more excited this time round. His group accomplished an ideal 21-0 season by downing two-time defending champion West Aspect 25-23, 22-25, 25-17, 25-19 in a rematch of final 12 months’s ultimate for the primary state title in program historical past.

“They’re all totally different,” Johnson mentioned. “Nampa Christian had a wealthy custom of volleyball earlier than I received there. I simply received to leap in on it and be part of it. However Melba hadn’t had that. These ladies made lots of historical past this 12 months on the market in Melba. So it’s fairly particular.

The Mustangs didn’t drop a single set in league play – not even Johnson’s championship groups at Nampa Christian (2016-17) did that. They weren’t even pushed to a fifth set till state.

Melba did path 2-1 to Malad and Ririe, however rallied again each occasions.

“That was the factor about going by means of the season unscathed, I used to be nervous as a result of what are we going to do after we get stress?,” Johnson mentioned. “Nevertheless it was superior to see our ladies simply get some grit and simply reply the correct approach and get it finished when it mattered most.”

Senior, back-to-back 2A Western Idaho Convention Participant of the Yr and School of Idaho commit, Keylee Wilson recorded 24 kills, 14 digs and three aces. Junior Ella Stosich had 25 digs, freshman Ellie Johnson – Curtis’ daughter – notched 45 assists and senior Kendall Clark, who missed all of final season with a torn meniscus, added 13 kills, 13 digs and an ace.

“She couldn’t play final 12 months. However she was on the bench, serving to coach, and taking stats. She was nonetheless an enormous member of our workforce,” Curtis Johnson mentioned. “So in all probability the best factor was watching her actually take pleasure in herself out.”

CLASS 1A (D1)

TROY 3, GENESEE 0: The Trojans may want a brand new trophy case.

They went back-to-back with a sweep over Genesee 25-20, 27-25, 25-23 for his or her fifth title within the final seven years and 14th total.

Troy completed 22-1 with its solely loss coming to the 1A Division II champion, Horseshoe Bend, all the way in which again on Sept. 10.

CLASS 1A (D2)

HORSESHOE BEND 3, ROCKLAND 0: The Mustangs’ stranglehold over the Class 1A ranks continued Saturday night time.

They breezed previous Rockland 25-20, 25-20, 25-12 to repeat and win their fourth title over the past six years.

Horseshoe Bend (22-1), which didn’t have a single senior on the roster this season, has now received 36 consecutive matches towards opponents within the 1A stage. Its solely blemish over the past two seasons was to 2A champion Melba on Sept.1