COEUR d’ALENE — Two communities, one common goal.

Spike out cancer.

For the ninth time, Post Falls High and Coeur d’Alene High met on the volleyball court in the annual Volleyball 4 the Cure match, but this time, it was a little different.

Some of the funds raised from Thursday’s match went to benefit Post Falls High football coach Jeff Hinz, who was diagnosed nearly two years ago with a form of non-smokers’ lung cancer in his leg. It was discovered after his leg gave out on Thanksgiving, and he broke his leg.

Recently, the cancer spread into his spinal fluid.

“He’s near and dear to both communities,” Coeur d’Alene coach Dee Pottenger said of Hinz, who graduated from Coeur d’Alene High. “Both the Viking and Trojan communities.”

Proceeds also go to Hospice of North Idaho and the Kootenai County Cancer Center.

“He’s a part of our coaching family at the high school,” Post Falls coach Willow Hanna said. “It’s a great way to help out with his medical bills and help one of our own.”

Over the first eight years, the event raised $45,000 for cancer research.

As for the 5A Inland Empire League match, Sydney Bybee had seven kills, three aces and four blocks as Coeur d’Alene beat visiting Post Falls 25-20, 25-16, 25-18.

Ali Williams had 10 kills, eight digs and three aces and Isabella Hollibaugh had 13 assists for Coeur d’Alene (13-2, 3-1 5A IEL), which travels to Mt. Spokane on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.

“I thought our team played very well tonight,” Pottenger said. “We were in system most of the night and we played more consistently than we’ve been playing lately, which was our goal tonight.”

Coeur d’Alene used kills by Delaney Schmidt and Williams to pull away for a 25-20 win in the first set and a block from Bybee to take the second 25-16. Coeur d’Alene closed out the match in the third on kills from Williams and Bybee for a 25-18 win.

Coeur d’Alene was without senior outside hitter Missy Huddleston, who has been sidelined with an ankle injury for nearly two weeks. She is expected back in the next week.

“When you lose two of our leading scorers and primary passers (Megan Ramseyer is out for the season with a torn ACL), it makes our team look significantly different,” Pottenger said. “It just required some girls that are typically role players to be our go-to players. And these girls did a great job of playing strong team ball.“

“I thought we played really well,” Bybee said. “Izzy (Isbella) Hollibaugh is stepping up and setting really well, and it’s big for us since we don’t have Megan anymore for her to be stepping up. Our chemistry right now is really good. Everybody loves everybody and it just makes things easier on the court. Having those two (Missy and Megan) out, it just makes us play hard for them.”

Mackenzie Morris had six kills and 14 digs and Kayla Mayo had 12 assists for Post Falls (9-8, 1-3), which travels to Sandpoint on Tuesday.