FOREST GROVE – After knocking Nelson out of the semifinals the last two seasons, top-seeded and reigning champion Jesuit expected the Hawks to be especially feisty when the teams clashed again in the final four of the OSAA/OnPoint Community Credit Union 6A volleyball tournament Friday night at Forest Grove High School.
Still, the Crusaders were a bit staggered in dropping the first set 25-23 to Nelson, only the third set they have lost to an Oregon team this season.
“I think we kind of underestimated how much they wanted to win,” Jesuit junior Sadie Ross said. “We weren't as strong as we would've liked to be.”
Jesuit shook off the slow start, however, and powered past the Hawks 23-25, 25-15, 25-19, 28-26 to advance to the state championship match for the sixth consecutive postseason. The Crusaders (28-2) will meet No. 2 Oregon City (23-6) in a rematch of last year's final on Saturday night.
“That first set I think was a reality check,” Ross said. “The second set we came in and knew exactly what we had to do.”
Jesuit methodically took control of the match behind the powerful hitting of the 6-foot-3 Ross (15 kills), 5-11 junior Iman Foster (19 kills) and 5-10 junior Jada Johnson (17 kills). Senior Addy Azavedo had 20 digs and junior Kiana Johnson added 12 digs.
“They settled down and started passing,” Jesuit coach Teresa Zimmerlee said. “We didn't pass very well in that first set.”
Senior Jackie Carle had a seven-point serving run to spark Jesuit in the second set. The Crusaders trailed Nelson 12-11 in third set before pulling ahead 20-13 and closing it out.
The fourth-seeded Hawks (24-5), behind Michigan State-bound junior hitter Madi Andrews, would not go away quietly, though. They led Jesuit 25-24 in the fourth set, but a service error cost them a chance to finish it, and the Crusaders scored four of the last five points to clinch the victory.
The last two points came on a tip by Kiana Johnson and a block by sophomore Hope Hansen.
“I think a lot of us were tired and wanted to go home,” Ross said of avoiding a fifth set. “We fought as hard as we could, and it paid off really well.”
Said Zimmerlee: “The kids are resilient. They don't think we're going to go down, even if we're down a couple.”
Jesuit can win its ninth state championship by beating Oregon City, matching Gresham and Santiam Christian for the most in state history. The Crusaders defeated the Pioneers 25-16, 25-21 in a tournament at West Linn on Oct. 12.
A look at Friday's other semifinal matches:
6A
No. 2 Oregon City 3, No. 6 South Salem 0: The Pioneers dominated the Saxons 25-14, 25-12, 25-16 to return to the state championship game.
Arizona-bound senior outside hitter Paige Thies had 23 kills in 39 attempts to lead Oregon City. Senior Grace Landon had eight kills and junior Allie Oliver and senior Phoebe Hyland had 18 and 17 assists, respectively. Senior Emma Comer had seven digs.
Last year, the Pioneers made the final for the first time in school history, and were tantalizingly close to a title after taking the first two sets from Jesuit. But the Crusaders came back to steal it away.
“We want redemption for what we did,” Thies said. “We did so amazing last year, and this year we want to get back to where we were and maybe finish it this time. It was definitely heartbreaking what happened, but it makes us want to fight more this year, push through all the way.”
Oregon City coach Erica Frafjord is eager for another crack at the title.
“It's hard to do. Not every team can do it,” Frafjord said. “We're excited to be back. We're going to give them the best we have and leave it all on the floor. We did that last year and it didn't work out. We're ready for more.”
South Salem (23-7), which has never finished higher than fourth place, will play Nelson for third place Saturday.
5A
No. 1 South Albany 3, No. 4 Bend 0: The RedHawks (26-0), the only unbeaten team in Oregon, earned their first-ever finals berth by eliminating the Lava Bears 25-23, 25-14, 25-19.
South Albany, which lost in the quarterfinals the last two years, can win the first state title for the school in any sport when it plays Mid-Willamette Conference rival and two-time reigning state champion Crescent Valley in Saturday's final. The RedHawks swept Crescent Valley in three sets in both conference matches.
“I'm a little bit in shock, I think,” South Albany coach Kaela Wehrman said. “It's neat to see all their hard work over the last few years really pay off. I feel like they've been on the cusp of something really great.
“I was happy enough today that we won our first match to be on the winning side, so this is indescribable.”
The RedHawks dominated at the net with senior middle blocker Taelyn Bentley (17 kills) – a transfer from Crescent Valley – and junior Taylor Donaldson (12 kills). Senior Klaire Bitter had 37 assists and junior Maddie Angel added 23 digs.
South Albany has not lost a set to a 5A team this season. The RedHawks have dropped two sets all year, one each to 6A finalist Oregon City and 6A Sheldon.
Bend (17-8) pushed South Albany to the limit in the first set, rallying from a 20-13 deficit to get within 23-22. But the Lava Bears could not complete the rally, falling on a kill by Donaldson.
Having Bentley and Donaldson playing side-by-side up front puts immense pressure on opposing defenses.
“It's been a late-in-season adjustment,” Wehrman said. “The way they compete with and for each other is just awesome to see.”
No. 2 Crescent Valley 3, No. 3 Churchill 1: The Raiders, who had never won a title until 2022, have a chance as a three-peat after dispatching the Lancers 25-22, 24-26, 25-21, 25-17.
Sophomore Georgia Vawter and senior Brooke Barnes had 13 and 12 kills, respectively, to lead the Raiders' attack. Senior Kamden Mitchell amassed 38 assists and Barnes, junior Ashlin Lockman and sophomore Karsyn Horn each had three aces.
It was a difficult path back to the final for Crescent Valley (26-3). Not only did Bentley transfer to South Albany and coach Troy Shorey step down to take the job at Lower Columbia College, but senior defensive specialist Vivian Buford and senior outside hitter Bella Jacobson are out with ACL injuries.
“It was like a total shift for us and our program, but I'm proud of us,” Mitchell said. “We've worked really hard all season. Every girl has contributed a ton.”
The Raiders had to reinvent their team with a new coach in McKenna Smith. They have six sophomores on the roster, many playing key roles.
“The little babies had to step up,” Mitchell said. “But they're doing great. We have confidence in them. It's great to see them have confidence in themselves.”
Crescent Valley lost to South Albany 25-20, 25-23, 25-18 on Sept. 12 and 25-18, 25-16, 29-27 on Oct. 29.
“Third time's the charm,” Mitchell said. “I'm excited. They're a great team, and I think we're ready to play them a third time and show them what we've got.”
Friday's quarterfinals
6A
Jesuit racked up 15 aces in eliminating Grant 25-11, 25-13, 25-9. Ross, Foster and Jada Johnson combined for 33 of the team's 42 kills. Azavedo had 11 digs and Hayden McGehee added nine digs. … Andrews and Gabby Hill had 17 and 13 kills, respectively, for Nelson, which ousted West Linn 25-16, 26-24, 25-23. Ella Gardner had six blocks in the win. … South Salem outlasted conference rival Sprague 26-24, 12-25, 25-15, 16-25, 21-19. Naidah Luna (19 kills, 15 digs), Briella Mathis (18 kills, 19 digs) and Kamree Orizotti (48 assists, two aces, two blocks) led the way for the Saxons. … Thies had 23 kills as Oregon City downed Westview 25-21, 25-20, 28-30, 25-14. Jordyn Marquett (16 kills), Hyland (27 assists) and Oliver (21 assists) also helped lead the Pioneers, who had 12 aces.
5A
South Albany advanced by beating Corvallis 25-6, 25-13, 26-24. Audrey Webb (16 kills), Bentley (14 kills, four aces), Angel (17 digs) and Bitter (36 assists) showed the way. … Churchill took out Wilsonville 25-17, 25-17, 25-14, getting 16 kills from Nyah Mitchell and 11 kills from Rhianna Lane. Emma Cross had three aces and 16 digs and Lubna Ward had 32 assists. … Crescent Valley turned back Caldera 25-20, 21-25, 25-16, 25-20. Vawter (12 kills), Barnes (six aces), Mitchell (33 assists) and Horn (15 digs) led the Raiders. … Bend rallied from a two-set deficit to top Crater 22-25, 19-25, 25-17, 25-17, 15-7. Jasi Kjellesvik had 22 kills and Lucy Schuller had 18 kills and 16 digs. The Lava Bears had 14 aces, four by Kjellesvik and three by Rylee Smith.
