Idaho state volleyball tournaments: Melba earns 3-peat. Three Boise-area teams take 2nd

As tournament officials prepared to hand over the championship trophy to the Melba volleyball team, several Mustangs could be seen wiping tears from their eyes.

Those were some well-deserved tears of joy.

The Mustangs went undefeated at the 3A state tournament at the University of Idaho’s Memorial Gym in Moscow, pushing their win streak to 13 straight games and collecting another championship trophy in the process.

The top-ranked Mustangs swept No. 2 Malad 25-21, 25-19, 25-22 in the title match on Saturday to win their third consecutive state championship.

“We were really happy, because we pushed so hard throughout the whole season,” Melba senior outside hitter Tariah Carter said. “From the start, we started off very strong, and we weren’t even sure how far we’d go. But how much better we got throughout the season helped us know that we could win another one this year, and I’m just happy we did.”

Carter was a dominate force for the Mustangs (28-3-3), registering 58 kills and 43 digs between Melba’s semifinal and championship matches. Melba had to play Malad twice on Saturday, beating them 19-25, 25-22, 25-18, 22-25, 15-9 in the semifinals before the Dragons fought through the loser’s bracket for a rematch against the Mustangs in the title game.

“I definitely thought we had a target on our back, but we just did a really good job of pushing through it,” Carter said. “I know Malad was coming after us because we already beat them. They played really well, which made us have to up our game as well.”

Junior setter Ellie Johnson totaled 96 assists and 35 digs on Saturday for Melba, sophomore outside hitter Joelle Kelly had 56 digs and 31 kills, and junior libero Ali Dillbeck had 51 digs.

“The culture at Melba is unlike any other,” Kelly said. “I don’t think you’ll ever find a team that can get so close and play for each other and play so selfless for everybody. It’s an amazing thing I have never seen anywhere else.”

Melba’s only losses this season came against 6A squads Timberline and Coeur ‘Alene, and 5A Columbia.

6A STATE TOURNAMENT

SKYVIEW’S TITLE RUN ENDS: The Hawks’ hopes of a fifth consecutive state championship were dashed by Madison on Saturday at Mountain America Center in Idaho Falls.

Skyview lost a five-set heartbreaker to the Bobcats in the semifinals and then survived a 22-25, 25-17, 25-21, 25-21 loser-out battle against SIC rival Owyhee in the third-place match to set up a rematch with Madison in the championship.

But the Bobcats defeated the Hawks for the third time this season, winning 20-25, 25-23, 25-21, 25-21 to hoist the championship trophy. It is Madison’s sixth state title in program history.

“I’m extremely proud of our girls for the season we had,” Skyview coach Kevin Murphy said. “I thought we competed at an extremely high level this weekend. We had our chances, but Madison was a deserving champion.”

Kentucky commit Bellamie Beus, a junior outside hitter, had a monster final day of the tournament for the Hawks, totaling 68 kills, nine blocks and six aces in three matches. Beus had 30 kills in the championship match alone, while sophomore middle blocker Jillian Deatherage added 11 kills against the Bobcats, and setter Nina Ferraro had 48 assists.

Skyview finishes the season 27-8.

OWYHEE TAKES THIRD: The Storm brought home hardware for the first time in program history with their third-place finish.

Owyhee (28-5) staved off elimination with a 25-19, 25-18, 25-18 victory over Centennial (31-6-1) on Saturday morning, advancing to a loser-out, winner-to-the-championship match against Skyview.

The Hawks took down the Storm 22-25, 25-17, 25-21, 25-21. In two matches, Mikale Roy had 34 kills, 23 digs, four aces and three blocks, Makaiya Gerhardt totaled 32 kills and 18 digs, Reese Meier had 30 kills, 25 digs and four blocks, and Shaynee McWilliams had 91 assists, 26 digs and nine blocks.

5A STATE TOURNAMENT

TWIN FALLS SURVIVES THRILLER: The Bruins needed an extra match to seal the deal Saturday at the Mountain America Center in Idaho Falls.

After losing to eighth-seeded Twin Falls in its tournament opener, No. 1 Lakeland fought its way back through the loser’s bracket to earn a rematch with the Bruins in the championship. The Hawks then beat Twin Falls 25-19, 25-13, 25-14 to force an if-necessary title match.

But that’s where Lakeland ran out of steam. Twin Falls prevailed 25-21, 25-21 in the best-of-three second match to win the second state championship in program history.

4A STATE TOURNAMENT

FRUITLAND FINISHES AS RUNNER-UP: The defending state champion Grizzlies made a run at a second straight title, but couldn’t overcome top-seeded Bear Lake.

Fruitland fought its way back through the back end of the bracket, defeating Cole Valley Christian 25-14, 25-13, 25-15 on Saturday morning at Lake City High School in Coeur d’Alene. The Grizzlies then outlasted Kimberly 25-19, 25-20, 22-25, 25-22 to earn a spot in the title match.

But Bear Lake ousted Fruitland 25-17, 21-25, 25-22, 25-19 to win its first state championship since collecting five in a row from 1997 to 2001.

“We are very proud of this team who showed perseverance, grit and so much heart playing back to the championship,” said Fruitland coach Rena Sitz, whose Grizzlies have played in the title match the last three seasons. “They played their best volleyball when they had nothing left to give.”

In the championship game, junior Brooke Hardy pounded out 35 kills with 17 digs, seven blocks and two aces. Sophomore Eva Wall totaled 17 digs and 14 kills, senior Aleksi Drollinger had 33 assists, 12 digs, six kills and three aces, and senior Lina Schiffauer added 10 digs.

The Grizzlies finished the season 29-6-2 overall.

2A STATE TOURNAMENT

BUTTE COUNTY WINS TITLE: The second-ranked Pirates defeated Oakley 25-13, 14-25, 25-6, 25-16 on Saturday at Jerome High School to win their first state championship since 1996 and fourth in program history.

1A STATE TOURNAMENT

HORSESHOE BEND TAKES SECOND: The Mustangs’ run of three consecutive state championships came to an end Saturday at Canyon Ridge High School in Twin Falls.

Second-ranked Horseshoe Bend fell 25-23, 25-12, 25-23 to No. 5 Grace Lutheran in the title match. It is the first state championship in program history for the Royals, which are based in Pocatello.

“I am so incredibly proud of this team. To graduate six and come into this season with a brand new team of only two returning starters, it’s pretty remarkable to make it back to the championship match,” Horseshoe Bend coach Sharsti Moore said.

“We played a lot of volleyball with a lot of highs and lows, and to come home with that second-place trophy is such an accomplishment.”

The Mustangs (30-6) got 13 kills, six digs, one block and one ace from Aubree Zimmer, Aliyah Meyer totaled 11 kills, 10 assists, 10 digs, two aces and one block, Malia Goff had 15 assists, six digs and two kills, and Kimber Jones added 12 digs and an ace.