Fourth-seeded Colfax is gearing up to represent the area in the Washington Class 2B state volleyball tournaments Thursday and Friday at the Yakima Valley SunDome in Yakima.
Colfax kicks things off at 9:45 a.m. Thursday facing No. 13 Granger.
Fresh off a spotless Bi-County League season and district title, the Bulldogs enter the state tournament touting a 15-2 record in best-of-5 set match play with a spotless ledger against opponents their own size — the only defeats coming to larger-division foes Pullman and Ferris.
Spearheading this run of Colfax success has been Brynn McGaughy, a sophomore middle blocker who stands well above 6 feet and also is an offensive powerhouse for the Bulldogs in basketball. McGaughy has led the team in kills this season and maintained an attack percentage of .379.
“She’s hitting well,” Colfax coach Megan Dorman said. “We’re just finding ways to get her the ball. As a sophomore, she’s starting to become more confident up front.”
Other leaders include setters Jaisha Gibb and Lauryn York, who are “doing a great job of using all their hitters in all situations,” and libero Brenna Gilchrist, who leads the team in digs. Colfax is a young team this year, with only two graduating seniors in Gibb and Olivia Ng.
Still, the Bulldogs have won 15 state titles, including eight since 2014, and seek to add to that full trophy case. It is their 32nd appearance in the past 34 years in the state tourney.
Dorman described opening-round opponent Granger as “kind of just a go-get-’em (team),” adding the Spartans “play pretty up a lot most of the time, (are) kind of scrappy, (and have) some tough servers.”
Colfax took fifth place a year ago and is hoping to improve on that result, but Dorman recognizes the inherent uncertainty that comes with traveling to face unfamiliar opposition in the postseason.
“We just have continued to improve, so I think we’re kind of hitting our peak right now,” she said. “I think we’re going in pretty confident as far as the level of play we’re playing at. That’s about all you can do going into (the state tournament), when you face people or teams you haven’t seen yet.”
Wendt may be contacted at (208) 848-2268, or cwendt@lmtribune.com.
Class 2B schedule
All matches at Yakima Valley SunDome, Yakima
Thursday’s Matches
Match 1: Lind-Ritzville/Sprague vs. Goldendale, 8 a.m.
Match 2: Okanogan vs. La Conner, 8 a.m.
Match 3: Brewster vs. Liberty, 9:45 a.m.
Match 4: Walla Walla Valley Academy vs. Manson, 9:45 a.m.
Match 5: Tri-Cities Prep vs. Adna, 9::45 a.m.
Match 6: Granger vs. Colfax, 9:45 a.m.
Match 7: Toutle Lake vs. Napavine, 11:45 a.m.
Match 8: Forks vs. Kalama, 11:45 a.m.
Match 9: Loser Match 1 vs. Loser Match 2, 3:15 p.m.
Match 10: Loser Match 3 vs. Loser Match 4, 3:15 p.m.
Match 11: Loser Match 5 vs. Loser Match 6, 5:15 p.m.
Match 12: Loser Match 7 vs. Loser Match 8, 5:15 p.m.
Match 13: Winner Match 1 vs. Winner Match 2, 3:15 p.m.
Match 14: Winner Match 3 vs. Winner Match 4, 3:15 p.m.
Match 15: Winner Match 5 vs. Winner Match 6, 5:15 p.m.
Match 16: Winner Match 7 vs. Winner Match 8, 5:15 p.m.
Friday’s Matches
Match 17: Winner Match 9 vs. Winner Match 10, 8 a.m.
Match 18: Winner Match 11 vs. Winner Match 12, 8 a.m.
Match 19: Loser Match 13 vs. Loser Match 14, 8 a.m.
Match 20: Loser Match 15 vs. Loser Match 16, 8 a.m.
Match 21: Winner Match 13 vs. Winner Match 14, 9:45 a.m.
Match 22: Winner Match 15 vs. Winner Match 16, 9:45 a.m.
Match 23 (seventh-place): Winner Match 17 vs. Winner Match 18, 11:45 a.m.
Match 24 (fifth-place): Winner Match 19 vs. Winner Match 20, 11:45 a.m.
Match 25 (third-place): Loser Match 21 vs. Loser Match 22, 1:30 p.m.
Match 26 (championship): Winner Match 21 vs. Winner Match 22, 1:30 p.m.
