The moment the 3A Puget Sound League was formed, Central Kitsap volleyball coach Katie Pasi couldn’t help but feel a little intimidated.

Standing before her Cougars in 2024 was a new slate of opponents, the most recent WIAA reclassification pitting them against programs either plenty familiar like powerhouse North Thurston, Peninsula and Gig Harbor or programs like Bellarmine Prep fresh off a lengthy stay in the 4A classification.

“We have in our district for playoffs several teams in the top 15 in the state,” Pasi said, her girls not far behind at No. 19 in the recent RPI standings. “It’s just, I love a competition, but there’s no falling asleep here.”

The Cougars left the South Sound Conference last year by clawing their way to a second state berth in three years. Both times were short-lived, but Pasi is seeing signs this season that CK could move beyond its underdog identity. “We are getting there, 100%,” she said. “It was a struggle, but I am really excited that they are stepping into the athletes that I saw at the beginning of the season.”

Her girls put quite the exclamation point on their stellar regular season with a 3-0 (25-19, 25-16, 25-23) sweep of the visiting Lincoln Abes Oct. 30. The Cougars finished the regular season atop the Narrows Division and have secured a home postseason league matchup Nov. 7 as a result.

A high-energy offense led by sisters senior Jordan and sophomore Sydney Lingenbrink and sophomore Manaia Pasi kept the pressure on the Abes throughout the first two sets and also showed some grit in coming back from an early six-point deficit to take a lead and hold on in the third.

The talent has always been there, but the challenge for Pasi was turning a group of individuals into a competitive team, especially with just two seniors in Jordan and Macy Holyoak departing after the season’s conclusion. With so much of the team learning in the same timeframe, it’s a process she believes has and will continue to make them stronger.

And with the strength of schedule awaiting them in districts and hopefully beyond at state, strength is exactly what they will need. “They all play their best game against us, and that’s certainly hard for my girls. We can’t ever be off.”

CK sophomore Ellie Smith connects for a spike against the Lincoln Abes.