When you talk about prep volleyball excellence in Idaho, you start with the Sandpoint Bulldogs from northern Idaho.
Saturday, Sandpoint captured its 14th state volleyball championship since 1980, and its fifth since going 4A in 2000.
In the backyard of defending 4A champion Bonneville, coach Karen Alsager's Bulldogs (29-2) dominated Bonneville (39-3) 25-16, 20-25, 25-17, 25-9 in the championship match of the eight-team 4A tournament.
Action took place at Skyline High School, where Sandpoint handled Rigby, Skyview of Nampa and Bonneville twice, in the process losing only four games in three matches.
It was the third straight year Sandpoint and Bonneville clashed in the finals, the Bulldogs winning twice.
Wood River High School's volleyball team (22-13) gave it a tough battle in Friday night's loser-out match against Rigby (29-19) before going home to Hailey early with a 28-26, 30-28, 17-25, 28-26 loss.
Hailey coach Tim Richards said about the hard-fought loss to Rigby, "It was a two-hour and 20 minute match. When it was done, they had scored 101 points and we had 100. It could have gone either way."
Richards added, "Kaylee (Baker) had her best match with 14 kills. Ellen Johnson had 15 kills and was 7-for-8 in the third game when we put the hammer down on them. And Hanna Gustafson had nine kills. All had good matches."
Skyview whipped Wood River 25-12, 25-18, 25-17 earlier Friday. Richards said, "We played Skyview and we played good, but you can't go to state and just play good. Many of the top teams in the entire state of Idaho were in the 4A tourney."
The third-place team was Century of Pocatello (45-8), a loser to Bonneville in Friday's championship semi-final.
Wood River's banquet is tentatively set for Friday, Nov. 14.
Meanwhile, seniors Angela Coleman, Baker and Gustafson will play in the Fourth District All-Star matches today, Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Twin Falls High School gym. Richards will be the North West coach for the exhibition event.
Carey's Shelby Hansen is on the North East team tonight.
