ORDER GAME PHOTOS

Idaho high school volleyball season is over.  We want to congratulate all of the teams that qualified for and competed at the state tournament.  It was a crazy, wild ride for many teams.

Madison faced the experienced Eagle Mustangs for the Class 5A championship and had to beat them in the if-necessary match that followed a four-set thriller.  After Eagle had defeated the Bobcats to force the winner-take-all final game, Madison prevailed in an amazing battle to the end.  Madison found their strength to push through the second championship match, but that doesn't take away from the excellent tenacity we saw from the Mustangs.  Prior to the championship matches, Eagle fought off Post Falls for third place at the back end of the bracket to see which team would advance to the championship.

Class 4A brought us tight battles but the Skyview Hawks were able to keep their undefeated record against Idaho teams rolling.  They didn't drop a single set in the state tournament and earned themselves a four-peat!  They've now won four consecutive Idaho state titles!  They are so talented but always work to win and better themselves!  Congratulations girls!

Skyview faced the Bonneville Bees in the 4A state championship.  Bonneville found themselves fighting through the backside of the bracket as they took a loss on the first day against Pocatello.  The Pocatello Thunder were truly on a roll, making it to the undefeated semifinal against Skyview and facing Bonneville once again in the third place match.  The Bees, meanwhile, faced challenge after challenge and the girls were able to find their endurance and persevere.  All of these teams have special seniors who will truly be missed!  They all left their mark for their school and for the game itself.

In Class 3A, Fruitland came in with a powerful mindset and they didn't lose a match!  They came in as the number four seed but this is further proof that numbers are just that.  Nothing is given and everything is earned.  Although they didn't take first at their district tournament, they found a way to win when it matters most!  Fruitland played against an excellent Snake River team in the championship and found a way to win.  The Grizzlies were able to step up and not let any rankings or other factors affect their play!

The Snake River Panthers had a strong season and finished with the second place trophy.  Snake River fell to Kimberly on Friday, and then Kimberly fell to Fruitland on Saturday in the undefeated semifinal.  The Bulldogs kept fighting after their loss to Fruitland and found themselves up against Snake River again in the second semifinal, the third place match.  The Panthers dug deep and found their way back to the championship match versus an awaiting Fruitland.  In a game of mistakes, it's so important to lessen the unforced errors and both teams in the championship match were able to display this level of play.

Meanwhile, Melba is your Class 2A champion!  Back-to-back champs, in fact!  Melba played Malad for the championship in a battle of two teams that led their respective conference and all of 2A volleyball all year long.  The two initially faced off in the undefeated semifinal, giving all the excitement and intensity anyone hopes to see in a pivotal match.  The two battled in a five-set thriller that ended with Melba on top. 

The loss led Malad to the third place match against Cole Valley Christian in another closely contested matchup.  Malad  was focused in and earned their way to the state championship match.  Pressure is always high at this state of the tournament as the Saturday matches continue and both Melba and Malad displayed great experience by remaining collected and ready to play the next ball every time!

Troy is your back-to-back state champion for the 1AD1 division, further proof of so much great volleyball being played in so many different places on Saturday.  This championship match displayed many aggressive swings, hard terminal blocks, and scrappy defense.  Troy faced the awesome Grace Grizzlies in the championship match.  Both teams were steady and it was hard for one or the other to get their points, as there were many long rallies and intense plays.  The five-set battle from Grace was their second five-set match on the day.  Just prior to the championship, they faced Murtaugh and wen to five in this match, as well.  There were lots of good, quality reps and so much back-and-forth play in the last two games of the day for the 1AD1 division!

Finally, have you heard of the Horseshoe Bend Mustangs?  This is a small school but their stature in volleyball is no small thing.  The Mustangs are now the three-time defending 1AD2 state champions.  These girls are truly something phenomenal and again, although they hail from a smaller school, many of their players are equipped with high level skill sets and court sense.  These girls didn't drop a single set and played their game until the end.  They face a familiar foe in Council for the all-District 3 championship match.  It's a familiar place to be for both teams as all of these athletes have faced off in so many district and state games prior to this!  The Lumberjacks defeated Grace Lutheran in the third place match, and the Royals took third in their first state tournament in school history.

Congratulations to all teams who earned their state tournament qualifications this year.  Excellent volleyball was seen all weekend and amazing memories were made!  Good luck to all of our volleyball athletes on your next adventures!  We are always rooting for you!