Smoke Signals
Willamina Volleyball Takes Third At State
Tribal member Meghan Zimbrick steps up to lead the team in playoffs.
6 DECEMBER 1, 2004
By Ron Kartcn
What a season for the Bulldogs' vol
leyball team.
Finishing third at state doesn't de
scribe it.
At the beginning of November, they
were at the top of their form, headed
for playoffcity. They had been ranked
in the top ten all season. They had
beaten every team that ought to be
competitive in the playoffs. Then se
nior Caitlyn Chewning, team captain
and first team All-West Valley,
sprained her ankle at practice.
This would have been her third year
competing at state," said Coach Car
rie Zimbrick.
Before the State playoffs started, she
was out of the competition.
"We played well," said Zimbrick,
"but we were playing in a new rota
tion. We got frustrated more easily.
We didn't anticipate things. We were
out of our comfort zone.
"Changing the rotation completely
changed our defense and everything,"
said Zimbrick.
Still, the girls went into the playoffs
rated tenth in the state and came out
a solid third.
"We were thrilled with the finish,"
said Zimbrick. "We came in as a third
seed, and this was the first year that
third seeds got to play in the playoffs.
In previous years, we wouldn't have
got to be at state."
Tribal member Meghan Zimbrick,
the coach's daughter, was selected to
the First TeamAll Tournament. She
led significantly in the "kills" (a hit
that results in point) department.
She had 58 during the course of the
tournament. Next leader in kills for
the team was Crislyn Chewning, who
had 28.
Coach Zimbrick also credits "all of
the girls" for this year's success.
"Brittney Wilson stepped up huge," she
said. "She took the lone setting posi
tion (that all season she had shared
with Caitlin Chewning.)"
"With (Caitlyn) Chewning healthy,
we really thought we would compete
for the championship. We knew there
were eight teams that could easily win
the state championship. It came down
to who wanted it the most."
Next year, the Bulldogs' volleyball
team will lose four seniors: Caitlyn
Chewning, Shalise Hoslclaw, Nicole
Risseeuw and Chelsea Bryant. Nine
varsity players will be returning, said
Zimbrick, and six of them will have
"solid State (championship) experi
ence." Two returning players are All
League selections this year: Meghan
Photos by Peta Tinda
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Air Time Tribal member Meghan Zimbrick goes up for a point at the state volleyball playoffs held in Forest Grove.
Zimbrick led the team in"kills" (a hit that results in a point) with 58 in the course of the tournament.
Zimbrick and Crislyn Chewning.
"It was definitely a team effort to do
what they did," said Zimbrick. "They
all stepped up and did what they
needed to do."
The Playoff Results
In the first round state playoff game
in Drain against North Douglas,
Willamina won in 4 games for the best
three of five competition: 25-11, 19-25,
25-19 and 28-26.
In the first game of the second round
of playoffs, all held at Pacific Univer
sity in Forest Grove, Willamina de
feated Corbett in best two of three: 18
25, 26-24, 4-15.
In the second game of the second
round, Willamina defeated Weston
McEwen, the eventual state champs,
in the best two of three: 19-25, 25-23,
15-13.
"The girls came together (against
McEwen)," said Zimbrick. "The girls
gelled and decided that they were not
going to get beat."
In the third game of the second
round, Willamina defeated Lakeview
ranked at least third all season in the
best two of three: 25-16, 25-21.
"Lakeview had just come off being a
3A school, and they've always done
really well at 3A level," said Zimbrick.
In the battle of the remaining "Elite
Eight" teams, the Dawgs played their
best volleyball of the whole weekend,
according to Zimbrick. The result:
Willamina won the best two of three
against the Oregon Episcopal School:
25-23, 25-15. The Oregon Episcopal
School previously beat the Dawgs in
the post-season playoffs leading to the
state championships.
"That put us on the winner's side of
bracket," said Zimbrick.
The finals came against Union. The
Dawgs defeated them last year to fin
ish fourth with Union taking sixth
place in the state, but this year,
Willamina lost the best two of three:
25-23,25-27,3-15.
Zimbrick described the road to the
team's broken heart. "We were ahead
the whole second game," she said.
"They made some adjustments that
were really smart. We couldn't cover.
We really let down in that third
game."
In the finals game for 3rd or 5th place,
Willamina faced Santiam Christian,
last year's state champs. Willamina
won in three straight for the best three
of five: 25-12, 20-25, 15-10.
Union took second. Weston McEwen
took state.
"We were oh-so-close to being one or
two," said Zimbrick.
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Team Effort Coach Carrie Zimbrick, (left) watches as her team goes up
against Lakeview High School.
"D " Is The Key Crislyn Chewning and Shalise Holsclaw successfully
block a point during a game against Corbett High School.