Every coach alive hopes for one thing – for their team to be playing their best when it counts the most, at the end of the season right before the tournaments begin.

Realizing that wishes do sometimes come true, Thompson Falls coach Sandra Kazmierczak guided her Lady Hawks to key wins in their final two matches of the regular season last week, pummeling Troy 25-6, 25-6, 25-17 on senior night in Thompson Falls Thursday and then easing past previously unbeaten Eureka 27-25, 25-21, 25-23 on their senior night in Eureka Saturday.

Finishing the regular season with a 6-2 record in District 7B action, the Hawks will enter the Western B divisional tournament in Mission November 6 as the second seed from 7B. Unlike in seasons past, District 7B will not have a tournament this year, although sister District 6B will play theirs as normal this week.

“We know we have to wait two weeks for the tournament in Mission, but we are excited for it," Kazmierczak said. "We feel like we are playing our best volleyball right now and look forward to showing that next week.”

Fulfilling their coach’s fondest wish, the Hawks played great last week.

In the quick win over Troy, Addy Deal led the way at the net for Thompson Falls with 10 kills, a stuff block nine set assists, eight aces and four digs and Gabi Hannum was right there with Deal, knocking down 10 kills, blocking two shots, hitting 14 set assists and hitting four digs.

Annalise Fairbank added nine kills and five digs, Addi Pardee four kills, six digs and an ace, Emma Claridge a kill, a block and two digs and Audrey Fairbank three digs and three service aces.

The win at Eureka avenged an earlier home loss to the Lady Lions and sent a well-timed message to the other teams in the Western B, with that message being that the Lady Hawks can play with anyone.

“The girls played really well in Eureka, were very focused,” Kazmierczak said. “‘They really wanted it and went out and got it.”

Kazmierczak said the performance of younger players Audrey Fairbank, Cora Anderson and Marley Robinson have given the Hawks a boost during their recent matches, and looks for those three to continue those conributions in the coming weeks of tournament play.

In Eureka, Hannum lashed the Lady Lions with eight kills, two stuff blocks, 14 set assists, two service aces and five digs, Deal smacked down iehgt more kills, blocked two shots, hit seven assists, an ace and four digs, Pardee added seven kills and six digs, Annalise Fairbank five Ks and six digs, Claridge a kill, two stuff blocks, an ace and four digs, and Audrey Fairbank five digs.

    LADY HAWK SENIOR Gabi Hannum goes up for a block attempt as Troy’s Mellissa Laffoon contests the play at TFHS Thursday. (John Hamilton/VP-MI)
  

    THOMPSON FALLS JUNIOR Addy Deal blocks a shot as Hawk teammate Cora Anderson (left) follows the action in Thompson Falls Thursday. (John Hamilton/VP-MI)