It's "Showtime" today for the Wood River High School volleyball team at the State 4A tournament in Kimberly.
Great Basin West champion Wood River (22-13) has drawn Third District champion Skyview in the opening round of the double elimination tournament. Match time is 10 a.m. at Kimberly High School.
Unbeaten Skyview (17-0), riding the kills of Carly Dranginis and Kayla Van Komen, knocked off Kuna in three games of last Thursday's Third District championship. Skyview, second to unbeaten Moscow last year at the state tournament, is seeking its first title.
"We saw Skyview at the Borah tournament," said Wood River co-coach Tim Richards. "As a team they are steady, well-coached and have experience. We'll have to use our enthusiasm against them."
The Wolverines are led by senior co-captains Elissa Baker and Casey Vegwert.
Rounding out the deep and versatile Wolverine team are seniors Kelsey Lidstrom and Leah McIlhenny; juniors Hannah Ward, Lauren Morgenthaler, Hannah Gove, Currie Arnold and Carly Ballantyne; and sophomores Angela Coleman, Kaylee Baker and Dani Stone.
"We'll go down and play our game and do what we can do," Richards said. "We view it like we have the players, so it's not about the other team—it's about us. It's all about momentum and confidence at state.
"You have to play your best four matches at state," he said. "You have to play consistent and tough and you can't give anything away. You have to make the other team earn everything.
"We've been talking to the girls all year about this season being a door of opportunity for them—an opportunity to win, Richards said.
Final matches of the eight-team tournament will occur Saturday afternoon at Kimberly. Meanwhile, the State 5A tournament is taking place at Burley High School, the 3A at Wendell, the 2A at Buhl and the 1A at Declo.
Hannah Gove drills a winner against Burley. Photo by David N. Seelig
