Madison and Hillcrest one win from championship matches, Shelley still alive, but Rigby eliminated

BOISE – The Hillcrest volleyball team is into the championship round of the 5A state tournament after defeating Middleton in five sets on Friday, 25-12, 25-27,19-25, 25-13, 15-9.

The top-seeded Knights (27-6) will face Lakeland at 11 a.m. with the winner earning a berth in the championship match.

The loser is still alive in the double-elimination tournament, but will have to wait for an opponent to come through the other side of the bracket.

The Knights got all they could ask for in Friday’s match as Middleton won a close second set and then cruised through the third.

But the Knights looked like a No. 1 seed in the fourth set, rolling out to a 19-9 lead.

They led early in the fifth and deciding set on the way to the win.

“The kids just refused to lose,” Hillcrest coach Dallas Gines said, choking up a bit after the match. “We had a goal at the beginning of the year and I’m so proud of this group. They are fighters.”

Gines noted the vigorous 5A High Country Conference helped prepare the Knights for the toughest of competition.

Hillcrest had not played in the state tournament for 22 years, she said.

The team finished with a season-high 130 digs, led by Ali Maddux with 35 and Alexa Weatherly with 30.

Cambri Rencher and Jenna Jensen each had 11 kills and Rencher finished with six blocks.

Shelley still alive

The Russets fell to Lakeland in a dramatic five-set match, 17-25, 25-17, 22-25, 25-21, 9-15.

Shelley, seeded second, had to play Wood River in its next match and swept the Wolverines 25-18, 25-16, 25-18.

The Russets will face the winner of the Friday’s late game between Middleton and Moscow on Saturday at 9 a.m. with the winner remaining alive in the bracket.

6A

Defending state champion Madison beat Timberline in three sets, setting up a showdown with No. 1 Skyview on Saturday at 11 a.m.

The winner advances to the championship match and the loser will wait for an opponent.

Camri Call had 49 assists and Torey Parker had 11 kills for the Bobcats, who are still chasing perfection at 34-0.

The Bobcats had to beat Skyview twice at last year’s state tournament and might have to do that again to add another state championship.

Rigby eliminated

The Trojans beat Boise 25-20, 25-14, 25-23 early in the day to stay alive in the tournament, but fell in four sets to Timberline and did not advance.

Brinley Bybee led the Trojans with 16 kills in the win over Boise and Acacia Taylor added 12 kills. Breleigh Youngstrom had 19 digs and Madi Jensen finished with 42 assists, nine digs and two aces. Lily Stewart also had two aces.

Rigby ends its season 32-10.