VOLLEYBALL: Pair of 'Kats, couple of 'Dogs earn All-State honors
The Daily Inter Lake | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 10 years, 1 month AGO
Fresh off the school’s first state championship in 19 years, Columbia Falls’ Cydney Finberg and Morgan Stenger have been named to the Class A All-State volleyball team, and three of their teammates joined them in receiving All-Conference accolades.
Whitefish’s Allie Schulz and Cailyn Ross also earned All-State honors.
The Wildkats swept through the Class A state finals last weekend, going undefeated in the double-elimination tournament on their way to the title. Columbia Falls graduates only one senior off its championship team, and all five of the school’s all-state and all-conference honorees are juniors.
Finberg led Northwestern A in hitting percentage (.361) and assists per set (8.6) during the regular season, and was second in aces per set (.619) on her way to collecting All-State recognition for the second straight year.
Stenger was second in the conference in hitting (.337) and led the league with an average of 3.2 kills per set. The junior also collected 43 blocks.
Whitefish’s lone senior, Schulz, was an Honorable Mention All-Conference selection last year and moved up to the All-State team in her first year under head coach Jackie Fuller. Schulz finished in the top five in the conference in assists per set, hitting percentage, kills per set and aces per set. The senior helped lead the Bulldogs to an appearance at the state tournament last week.
Ross, just a sophomore, notched 186 kills and hit .317 during the regular season, good for third-best in Northwestern A. The 6-foot Ross paced the conference in blocks, averaging precisely one per set and finishing the season with 65 total, 44 of them solo blocks.
Columbia Falls’ Kiara Burlage joined Finberg, Stenger, Schulz and Ross on the All-Conference First Team. Burlage led the conference with 45 aces and notched 135 total kills.
Wildkats Kaitlyn Casazza and Anna Nicosia were named to the All-Conference second team, as was Whitefish’s Nina Thew.
Polson’s Lydia Dupuis and Chadelle Smith also garnered second team All-Conference recognition.
Class A Volleyball
All-State Team
Baily Christensen, Belgrade
Shania Neubaurer, Belgrade
Ellie Hanser, Sr., Billings Central
Lacey McGree, Sr., Butte Central
Teresa Piazzola, Sr., Butte Central
Emily St. John, Jr., Butte Central
Cydney Finberg, Jr., Columbia Falls
Morgan Stenger, Jr., Columbia Falls
Hannah Capko, Sr., Corvallis
Ashley Davis, Sr., Corvallis
Kylie Willet, So., Frenchtown
Marenah Crockett, Sr., Glendive
Shannon Casale, Sr., Hamilton
Elissa Lind, Sr., Hardin
Keaunna Mason, Sr., Hardin
Dani Wagner, Havre
Abbie Lohoff, Sr., Laurel
Sierra Higgs, Park
Cailyn Ross, So., Whitefish
Allie Schulz, Sr., Whitefish
Northwestern A All-Conference
FIRST TEAM
Kiara Burlage, Jr., Columbia Falls
Cydney Finberg, Jr., Columbia Falls
Morgan Stenger, Jr., Columbia Falls
Kylie Wilet, So., Frenchtown
Cailyn Ross, So., Whitefish
Allie Schulz, Sr., Whitefish
SECOND TEAM
Kaitlyn Casazza, Jr., Columbia Falls
Anna Nicosia, Jr., Columbia Falls
Laci Willett, Sr., Frenchtown
Lydia Dupuis, Sr., Polson
Chadelle Smith, Jr., Polson
Nina Thew, Jr., Whitefish
ARTICLES BY THE DAILY INTER LAKE
No headline
MISSOULA — Glacier Wolfpack softball had a productive day against Missoula teams, first routing Big Sky 25-0 and then edging Sentinel 4-3 on Thursday in Western AA play.
Wolfpack falls to Capital by 20 in loser out
BUTTE — The Glacier Wolfpack (15-10) fell to Helena Capital 56-36 on Saturday, eliminating them from the Class AA state girls basketball tournament at the Butte Civic Center.
No headline
Buffalo Hill Golf Club in Kalispell is now accepting registration forms for the upcoming men’s league season.