3A

REXBURG — The Timberlake Tigers achieved a program first on Friday when they advanced to the semifinals at state volleyball for the first time in school history.

On Saturday, they checked off another box, placing second at the state 3A tourney at Madison High for the best finish in program history.

“I knew that we could bring home a trophy,” said Timberlake coach Michelle Garwood, who started the program when the school opened in 1998. “To take second place, I’m really happy with that. After last year’s experience (two and out at state), second place was a great finish.”

Timberlake’s best finish at state in its previous six trips was third in 2005.

Sugar-Salem (28-12) beat Timberlake twice on Saturday to win its first state title since capturing three straight from 2006-08, and fifth title overall.

Sugar won the first match 25-16, 25-13, 25-18 in the semifinals. Timberlake then defeated Parma 11-25, 25-12, 25-18, 25-27, 15-11 in the loser-third match. In the finals, the Tigers lost to Sugar-Salem 25-15, 25-14, 25-16.

Timberlake finished 23-12.

“They were big,” Garwood said of Sugar-Salem, listing off heights of 6-1, 6-foot, 5-11, 5-11, 5-10. The Tigers’ biggest player is 5-10. “We’re little, just trying to hit around that. My team did a great job of covering our hitters.”

In the semifinal match vs. Sugar-Salem, Jacquelyn Mallet had 16 kills, 14 digs and two aces for Timberlake. Glori Cheevers had four kills, Matraca Rocheleau 20 assists and 11 digs.

Against Parma, Cheevers, Mallet and Kenzie Dean each had 11 kills, Dean had 18 digs and four aces, Rocheleau 42 assists, 18 digs and four aces, and Courtney Jurgens had 13 digs.

In the championship match, Rocheleau had 11 digs and 12 assists, Mallet nine digs, and Cheevers and Dean had four kills each.

“They were looking at that first place, so that’s always a little bit of a letdown,” Garwood said of finishing second. “But overall, they’re happy with what they did. They played their hearts out. Their legs were tired. I don’t think there was ever a moment when they gave up. Just some of the plays those kids made ... just incredible.”

2A

St. Maries settles for third

IDAHO FALLS — It wasn’t first, but it’s the best finish the St. Maries Lumberjacks volleyball team has posted since moving down to the 2A classification in 2012.

St. Maries fought off elimination against Cole Valley Christian 17-25, 25-21, 23-25, 25-16, 15-11, but lost to Malad 25-14, 21-25, 25-19, 25-20 to finish third at Idaho Falls High.

St. Maries finished fourth last year at Lakeland High.

“I knew with our abilities, we had a chance to do something this weekend,” first-year St. Maries coach Rachele Asbury said. “But having never seen the other teams play before, it was kind of up in the air what we were going to see. We saw some good competition against Malad, and I think the girls rose to the occasion and played great at the right time.”

Kylee Powell had 12 kills, Kaylee Auer seven blocks, Kelsey Auer 33 assists and three aces, McKenna Borgman eight digs and Devyn Wilson eight digs for St. Maries against Cole Valley Christian.

“We had some crucial points where we were able to put the ball away, take away their hitting options, and were able to pick up where they were hitting the ball,” Asbury said. “We had a slow start in the first set, but kind of picked up throughout the match.”

Wilson had 18 kills, Kaci Haeg three blocks, Kelsey Auer 35 assists for St. Maries against Malad.

“It was another slow start in that first set,” Asbury said. “We were able to take the momentum, but had some crucial mistakes and net calls that were just mental things that gave it back to them.”

St. Maries finishes 19-15.