An even-numbered year seems to mean it's Wood River time in Great Basin Conference West prep volleyball circles.
Wood River has been competing in the 4A Great Basin league for five years. The Wolverines have won the regular-season league title and homecourt advantage for the GBW playoffs in each even-numbered year—2004, 2006 and now 2008.
The Hailey girls have captured two consecutive league tournament titles, last October in a hair-raising finish at Burley and in 2006 in a relatively easy three-match home sweep over 2004 winner Minico, 2005 champion Jerome and Burley.
Coach Tim Richards said the team always has the goal of hosting the league tournament.
On Tuesday night, the Wolverines (18-9, 5-0 league) clinched the GBW season title with a 25-18, 20-25, 25-17, 25-23 victory over the Minico Spartans at Rupert. The hitting of Ellen Johnson (8 kills in the first game alone), Kaylee Baker and Hanna Gustafson led Wood River to prevail in a tough gym.
Also pitching in with strong serving efforts were Kylie Anderson and Angela Coleman.
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Seventh-year coach Richards has seen his teams pile up a 38-9 record in five seasons of Great Basin West regular-season and tournament play, and he knows how important it is to host the four-team league tournament, this year scheduled for Oct. 20-21 in Hailey.
"We don't have to go anyplace. We've got it at home," he said. "Defensively, we're picking up a lot more balls and covering the floor better. At Minico we had little spurts when we executed well. We didn't play our best, but it's good to win in a tough gym when you don't play your best."
The Wolverines can now sit back and enjoy their "Senior Night" league match with the Burley Bobcats Tuesday, Oct. 14 on the Hailey hardwoods. The six WRHS seniors are Anderson, Baker, Coleman, Shelby Grubbs, Gustafson and setter Haleigh Hall.
In 10 days, Wood River will be seeking the school's 21st district tournament title and 22nd trip to the state tournament, this year scheduled for Oct. 31-Nov. 1 at Skyline in Idaho Falls.
