Hood River Valley has shaken up its lineup after back-to-back quarterfinal exits in the 5A volleyball tournament. And the early results are encouraging.
The Eagles have shown dramatic improvement, according to coach Scott Walker. After opening with a four-set win over Estacada, they swept through the Hillsboro Tournament on Saturday by beating Cleveland 25-20, 25-20 and Century 25-15, 25-19. They were voted No. 8 in the OSAAtoday 5A preseason coaches poll.
“I don’t know, it just all came together. It just seemed so easy,” Walker said of the team’s tournament play. “I was like, ‘Wow.’ Everything clicked. Usually it’s our hitting or serving that saves us, but we didn’t need being saved. It was really, really fun to watch.”
All three of the team’s returning starters have new roles. Senior Katie Kennedy (6-1), a middle blocker the last three seasons, is the top outside hitter. Senior Emily Curtis (5-10), a setter the last three seasons, is the No. 2 outside hitter. And senior Carli Stroud (6-2) has switched from right-side hitter to middle blocker.
Kennedy and Curtis are thriving. Against Century, Kennedy hit .520 with 14 kills on 25 swings with one error, and Curtis hit .583 with seven kills on 12 swings and no errors. They were steady as the team’s primary serve-receive passers in the first week, passing 114 serves in 14 sets with 13 errors.
Walker said he kept Kennedy in the middle for three years “because it was good for the team, but this year I’ve got some other girls that can put up a good block. And it’s her senior year, so I’m going to let her hit outside. And she’s killing it.
“I have two new setters who are working really hard at speeding up the offense. When they set Katie where she likes to be set, she’s almost untouchable. It definitely makes us more dangerous.”
The setters -- freshman Kayla Sheasby and junior Chloe Kurahara (6-3) -- have energized the offense. Walker said that Sheasby “is probably the quickest player I’ve had; she gets to everything.” And Kurahara’s size adds a new dimension to the attack.
Kurahara, previously a middle blocker, is another Eagle to switch spots. She asked to try out at setter this season and Walker gave her a crack at it.
“She sets a really quick offense,” Walker said. “From the height she’s taking the ball at, I really like it. It’s real aggressive.”
Hood River Valley is building momentum and confidence. With powers Summit and Bend moving up to 6A, and the Eagles playing in the six-team Intermountain Conference instead of the four-team Columbia River Conference, the season has a different feel, according to Walker.
The team’s new conference foes include former 4A power Crook County and Ridgeview, ranked second and fifth, respectively.
“I really think we can make a run,” Walker said. “I didn’t feel like we were as prepared as we could’ve been until we got out of that conference. I feel like whatever three teams come out of our conference, they have a shot at it.”
Mid-Willamette showdown
No. 1 Corvallis and No. 9 West Albany went toe-to-toe Tuesday in a 5A Mid-Willamette Conference slugfest.
When the smoke cleared, Corvallis had emerged with a 23-25, 27-25, 25-23, 26-28, 15-10 win.
“It was one of the best and most evenly matched contests that I’ve been a part of in my 25 years of coaching,” Corvallis coach Steve Hyre said.
Junior outside hitter Ryan Gregg had 30 kills and 18 digs and had a serve-receive passing efficiency of 2.43 to lead Corvallis (5-0) against the Bulldogs (1-1). Senior setter Kylynn Quinn had 54 assists and 21 digs and was 15 of 16 serving, with one ace.
Corvallis, which hadn’t dropped a set this season until Tuesday, gets another stern test Thursday when it squares off with co-No. 2 Lebanon in a Mid-Willamette match.
Central Catholic Tournament
The 6A top 10 could come into focus after the 10-team Central Catholic Tournament at The Hoop in Salem on Saturday.
The field includes the top four teams in the OSAAtoday 6A preseason coaches poll in No. 1 Central Catholic, No. 2 Jesuit, No. 3 West Linn and No. 4 Summit. Also appearing will be No. 7 Sheldon and co-No. 8 Clackamas.
Each team gets four matches at the tournament, which is not a true bracket and does not include pool play. The top-ranked Rams will face Sheldon, West Salem, West Linn and Jesuit.
“An excellent group of teams assembled,” Central Catholic coach Rick Lorenz said. “We won’t all get to play each other but we all get a chance to see each other. Should be a high-energy day.”
