Volleyball nets are down, making way for winter sports, but there’s still plenty to reflect on for the area’s top netters. Fittingly, the 2008 season culminated in Silverdale at the Fairgrounds pavilion, where the Class 4A and Class 3A district tournaments were played.
Olympic edged North Kitsap in a one-game playoff to end the regular season and capture a Class 3A regular season league championship, advancing to sub-district play as a No. 1 seed. With a 1-2 record at districts, the Lady Trojans fell shy of the state tournament. But coach Keith Peden and the team’s seven seniors walked off the court proud.
After falling to Olympic, North Kitsap moved on to a sub-district loser out/winner to districts match against North Thurston. North Thurston edged the Vikings three sets to two, thus ending North Kitsap’s season.
Central Kitsap qualified for the Class 4A district tournament, but failed to advance past the first weekend. While not the end result coach Gordy Bushaw envisioned, the Lady Cougars finished the regular season 11-6 and fourth place in the Narrows League.
After winning only one game last season, the Kingston Buccaneers made marked improvement under the direction of new head coach Lacey Menne, advancing to the first round of district play. The Bucs postseason presence ended early, as Kingston was knocked out of the tournament in game one.
Klahowya continues to build a program under coach Lisa Griffith, who has arguably the youngest team in the area. The Lady Eagles failed to win a match, but the team should return stronger in 2009.
The All-Kitsap County Volleyball Team was compiled by the sports writers for the Bremerton Patriot, the Central Kitsap Reporter, the North Kitsap Herald and the Port Orchard Independent. Candidates for the team are nominated by the writers for their respective areas. The nominees are then voted on by the writers, with the top vote-getters making the teams. Two honorable mentions are selected from each school for each sport. The teams include the best players from area schools that not only performed well individually, but played a role in the success of their team.
2008 All-Kitsap County Volleyball Team
S/OH — Sarah Baugh, North Kitsap, freshman: The spark plug, motivational and inspirational leader for the Vikes, Baugh had 131 kills, 304 assists, 108 digs and an 89 percent serving rate with 59 aces. She’s scrappy, aggressive and an all-around volleyball player who constantly kept her team in the game. She’s a standout communicator and never hesitated to slide across the floor to chase down the ball. She knows how to read an opponent’s style and adjust her attacks to throw them off.
OH — Racheal Diehl, Central Kitsap, senior: Diehl finished her CK career sixth on the all-time kill list, including 297 this season with a high of 25 against Shelton in the Narrows League Tournament. An all-around leader and contributor, Diehl also finished the 2008 season with 200 digs, 43 service aces and 28 blocks to lead the Lady Cougars to a district berth.
L — Cayla Lawson, Olympic, senior: Lawson’s numbers support coach Keith Peden’s claim that she’s the top libero in the area. With 299 digs as well as 59 aces and 27 kills, Lawson did just about everything for Oly, which reached the quarterfinals of districts before bowing out to perennial power Kennedy. Listed generously at 5 feet 6 inches, Lawson was faster and scrappier, and smaller, than most on the court, never failing to track down a loose ball.
S/L — Irene Moore, King’s West, senior: Moore finished her KW career with yet another dominate stat sheet in the 2B SeaTac League. A natural libero, Moore filled in as setter during the 2008 season due to team circumstances to compile 263 assists, 40 aces and 45 kills. The school record holder in career digs and No. 2 all-time in serving percentage (94. 1 percent), Moore goes down as one of KW’s best.
MH — Megan Rainey, Olympic, senior: The numbers are staggering: 342 kills, 76 aces, 108 digs, in one season alone. The team leader in kills, hitting percentage and aces, Rainey also holds Olympic records for career kills, season kills and kills in a match. An anchor at both front and back row, Rainey was a team captain and a player Peden called “go-to and clutch.”
MB — Stephanie Osterdahl, South Kitsap, senior: Osterdahl returned to Port Orchard from Georgia a few years ago and has become one of the Wolves’ top players during that time. The 6-foot-1-inch Osterdahl, who’s also expected to start for the girls basketball team, finished with 88 kills (.123 efficiency rating), 15 solo blocks, 17 block assists and 20 aces. Coach Jessica Anderson said Osterdahl was “painfully shy” when she entered the program, but developed into a captain as a senior.
Coach of the Year — Keith Peden, Olympic: Peden pieced together a splendid season to capture a regular season league championship while missing the state tournament by just two games. He led the Lady Trojans to a 12-7 overall record, which included a victory against North Kitsap in a one-game playoff to secure the top 3A spot in the Olympic League. Postseason losses against Capital, Lakes and Kennedy, which advanced to state, ended an otherwise bright season. Peden figures to help the Lady Trojans vie for another league title and additional postseason success in 2009 despite losing seven seniors to graduation.
Honorable Mention
OH — Rachel Bishop, Kingston, senior: The cornerstone of the Bucs team, which progressed from winning only one game in 2007 to advancing to postseason district playoffs in 2008. At 5 feet 7 inches, Bishop averaged eight kills and 12 digs per game, providing momentum-changing plays each time the Bucs needed it.
S — Chelsea Brustad, Olympic, junior: While Brustad contributed heavily this season, she will be looked upon even more in 2009, returning as a senior. With 297 assists, 43 aces and 98 digs, Brustad joined teammate Amy Stone to make up Olympic’s one-two punch in a two-setter offense.
L — Rachel Daniels, Kingston, senior: An athlete who played with integrity, intelligence and spirit, Daniels was one of Kingston’s biggest assets, averaging 21 digs and 2.5 kills per game. On defense, Daniels is one of the best coach Lacey Menne has seen.
MB — Merissa Duzenski, Bremerton, freshman: Duzenski holds the key to Bremerton’s volleyball future. She’s only a freshman, but emerged as a leader on the court. With a team-high 26 blocks to begin her career, the future for Duzenski is nothing but bright. She figures to return even better next season, having gained varsity level experience this year.
S — Cortney Echter-nach, South Kitsap, senior: Anderson notes her 5-1 offensive scheme is centered around Echternach, who became a starter early in her sophomore year. Echternach finished the year with 218 assists and 51 digs.
MB — Sam Ellis, Klahowya, junior: Ellis provided leadership to a young Klahowya team which struggled in the Olympic League. Ellis’ stats weren’t reported, but she was the glue to the Lady Eagles’ front and back lines.
OH — Morgan Euzarraga, Klahowya, sophomore: She is one of a handful of Lady Eagle sophomores who continue to learn the ins and outs of high school volleyball. Euzarraga will return next season as KSS looks to post a few more victories.
OH — Anna Finlon, Kingston, senior: Another go-to girl for Kingston who averaged 5.3 kills and 17 digs per game. Finlon’s an all-around hitter and team leader. Menne refers to Finlon as “The most all-around hitter I have.” She was placed as an OH, libero, setter, RH, holding steady at each position.
OH — Hannah Fontenot, King’s West, senior: A four-year varsity starter, Fontenot’s 96.7 percent career serving percentage and 427 career aces are both KW records. She added 85 kills, 102 digs and 70 aces in her final season as a Lady Warrior.
MH — Asha Hill, Central Kitsap, sophomore: Coach Gordy Bushaw called Hill the team’s best passer while receiving serves. She finished the season with 145 kills, 25 blocks and 31 service aces in addition to leading the team with 232 digs.
OH — Lindsey Kocker, North Kitsap, senior: As the season progressed Kocker truly bloomed, becoming a cornerstone player for the Vikes. Several times she’d call for the dig and nail it, or form a wall at the net to stop an opponent’s scoring attempt. Kocker tallied 81 kills and 127 digs for the season.
MB — Liz Johnson, King’s West, senior: Yet another four-year varsity player for KW, Johnson finished with 50 aces, 132 digs, 11 blocks and 103 kills this season.
S — Hayley McDermed, Central Kitsap, senior: McDermed is fourth on the all-time assists list at CK with 714, 47 of which came in one game against South Kitsap in the Narrows League Tournament. She also contributed 200 digs, 15 blocks and led the team with 63 service aces.
OH — Taylor Ottomano, North Kitsap, junior: Ottomano was the Vikes’ go-to gal to swing the momentum back in North’s favor with a kill or smack-down block at the net. Ottomano, who was dynamite at varying her style of play to trick the opponent, had 122 kills and 51 digs for the season.
OH — Natalie Pfaff, Central Kitsap, senior: The second option on offense behind Diehl, Pfaff posted 210 kills and 35 service aces. She showed leadership and prowess on the defensive side as well, notching 223 digs and 23 blocks on the season.
OH/MH — Kayla Rose, Bremerton, senior: The vocal leader and only Lady Knight with four years of varsity experience, Rose took Bremerton as far as she could. With a team-high 51 kills, coupled with 23 blocks, Rose provided what coach Joe Tubbs called “a total positive influence.” Rose also was a team captain.
MB — Angel Sheldon, South Kitsap, senior: Sheldon finished the season with a team-high 100 kills (.106 efficiency rating) and added 12 solo blocks and 10 block assists.
S — Amy Stone, Olympic, junior: Peden must be pleased Stone is just a junior and returns next season, because the 5-foot-5-inch setter can do everything. With a team-high 353 assists, along with 44 aces and 126 digs, Stone possessed the intangibles necessary to lead the Lady Trojans to a regular season league championship and respectable run in the district tournament.
L — Sarah Voigt, South Kitsap, senior: “When she gets excited, she really infects the other kids to get excited too,” Anderson said. “She really rallies the other players.” Voigt had 113 digs this season.
MH — Alexis Wesley, Central Kitsap, sophomore: Wesley, who led the team with 82 blocks, undoubtedly holds high prospects for the Lady Cougars. She posted 148 kills as well, establishing a solid presence on CK’s front line.
