Eagle comeback nails number-three trophy

A roaring comeback by the SJE Eagles in the last round of the 1B tourney nailed the third -place trophy Saturday afternoon at Yakima. The Eagles lost the first two games at the ACH Warriors, but then came back to win the next three in a five game battle.

From left in front are Sierra McCanna, Elle Bailey, Amber Walker, Marika McCue, Aja Schmick, Jazmyn Ray and Head Coach Megan Dorman. In back, from left, are assistant coach Kinsey Doering, Emily Jones, Abby Glorfield, Rachel Gfeller, Tallan Smith, Gretchen Van Lith, Jordyn Lowe, Morgan Anderson and Gracie Dickerson.

The win was part of a one-two-three finish by the three county teams which qualified for the state show in that same order last week at Colfax.

The Tekoa/Oakesdale-Colton-SJE run of the top three trophies meant the locals dispatched 13 other teams from other parts of the state.

St. John/Endicott started Friday with a four-game win over Sunnyside Christian, another SE entry into the state finals. The Eagles took out Sunnyside 25-13 25-11 and 25-22.

They then went up against Wilbur Creston in their first five-game battle of the series. The Eagles advanced out of the long quarter -final battle with a 15-13 decision in the last round. They won the first game 25-21, but the Wildcats came to life with a 25-10 win in the second game.

The Eagles prevailed in a 26-24 screamer in game three, but WC tied at 2-2 with a 25-20 win in game four, and that sent into the short game decide.

The epic win in the quarter-final sent the Eagles into the semi-final round which had all three local teams playing on the dome court at the same time. The lone “outside” team was the Warriors from ACH.

The Eagles locked up in a four-game battle with Colton in the Saturday afternoon semi. SJE and the Wildcats matched up again after colliding a week earlier in the Colfax gym.

Saturday, SJE posted a 25-18 win in the first game at the dome, but the Wildcats’ back court took control in the next three games and SJE moved to the consolation final.

Almira-Coulee-Hartline matched up against the Eagles after losing in three straight to Tekoa/Oakesdale in the other semi-final round.

Line score for the last consolation game was 24-25 20-25 25-16 25-20 and a runaway 15-8 by the Eagles in the decider game for the number three trophy.

The Eagles came down the stretch with Rachel Gfeller hitting a kill to break a 10-6 lead. Emily Jones hit a kill for 11-6 and Jordyn Lowe put down a block for point 14.