2A DISTRICT 1 VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: Lakeside, ranked 24th, on to state for first time since 2011

By JASON ELLIOTT 

Sports writer 

COEUR d’ALENE — In a game of ups and downs, the second-seeded Lakeside Knights got up when it mattered most. 

Junior Saydee Peone, later named the Scenic Idaho Conference Most Valuable Player, had 11 kills for the Knights, who defeated the top-seeded Wallace Miners 25-23, 24-26, 13-25, 26-24, 15-7 in the 2A District 1 volleyball championship match at North Idaho College's Christianson Gymnasium. 

Lakeside won its first district title since 2012, and advances to state for the first time since 2011. State is Oct. 29-31 at Madison High in Rexburg.

Wallace won both matches with Lakeside during the regular season. Lakeside swept the Miners last year, but Wallace defeated the Knights in an if-necessary match to advance to state.  

The if-necessary match was eliminated this year. 

“We’ve met Wallace lots of times, and they’ve done the same thing to us,” third-year Lakeside coach Devyn Moore said. “We wanted nothing more than to come and take this game from them at NIC. It means the world. Your Lakeside Knights are going to state.” 

“Everyone really stepped up tonight,” Moore added. “My core players, and freshman Shine (Lewis) stepped up running the offense. There’s nothing more you can ask for.” 

Lakeside (9-11) came into the match ranked 24th in 2A by MaxPreps, which is used to seed the state tournament. Wallace (12-11) was 15th. Neither team figured to earn a berth in a state play-in match next Saturday based on their rankings, adding to the winner-take-all importance of Thursday's match.

“Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday were all-out training mode getting ready for Wallace,” Moore said. “Defense, defense, defense. We had a lot of serving errors again tonight, but it didn’t overtake the game. Those three days of practice, we went hard preparing for this game. We were ready to play point for point, brush it off and just go play volleyball.” 

Junior Ryanna Ortivez had eight kills for Lakeside. 

“They’ve got a lot of confidence in them,” Moore said. “They love the game and have a good passion for the game. They’re just an all-around good team. Momentum wise, probably athletic wise, I’ve got a lot of good kids. They’re good at volleyball.” 

Freshman Danica Valley had 17 digs and 10 aces, senior Khepri Wood seven kills and two blocks and senior Kayden Stutzke 27 assists for Wallace. 

“It’s the third time you play a team,” first-year Wallace coach Kirsten Voorhees said. “They’ve figured you out. And if you don’t bring it, they’ll hand it to you. And that’s what happened. My girls know how to fight, and even when they started at a deficit, they fought back like they’ve done all season. And I expect the same here. It would have been nice to take that first set, or the fourth, but that’s not how this game goes. It’s a swing of momentum all the time. And you’ve got to stem that flow, or you lose. And if you can’t control your unforced errors, this is the result.” 

    JASON ELLIOTT/Press Lakeside junior Laila SiJohn sets the ball as junior Ryanna Ortivez (1) and freshman Shine Lewis (20) watch during the third set of Thursday's 2A District 1 volleyball championship match at North Idaho College's Christianson Gymnasium.