D5 Championship Saturday recap: Pocatello, Bear Lake, Rockland all finish in second

EASTERN IDAHO — District 5 teams were held title-less at this year’s Idaho High School Volleyball Championships, with three local teams falling in the championship rounds.

The top-seeded Rockland Bulldogs were swept twice after coming into the final day of the 1A volleyball season in a commanding position. The Pocatello Thunder were outmatched by the Idaho Falls Tigers in the 5A title match. And the Bear Lake Bears succumbed to Kimberly in the battle for the 4A crown.

The Malad Dragons also finished with hardware, though they did not last into the finals.

Here is what happened Saturday in state tournament play:

1A

No. 1 Rockland (23-5) cruised through the first three rounds of the tournament, sweeping No. 8 Carey (14-6), No. 5 Mackay (25-4) and No. 2 Horseshoe Bend (23-10).

But given two shots at the title, the Bulldogs were unable to deliver Horseshoe Bend a knockout blow, falling 25-22, 25-16, 25-19 then 25-18, 25-22 in back-to-back sweeps.

Rockland finished the season with a second-place trophy.

3A

The No. 4 Malad Dragons (25-13) fell short of the ultimate prize, but finished the season with a fourth-place trophy.

Malad bounced back from a first-round loss to beat No. 8 Buhl (8-16) and No. 6 West Side (18-16) and jumped into the trophy rounds. But a 30-28, 25-9, 25-15 straight-set loss to No. 1 Ambrose (29-1) ended the Dragons’ season.

4A

The No. 2 Bear Lake Bears (32-7) won two matches Saturday, sweeping both, to earn a spot in the championship round. But that was where the season came to an end for the Bears, who were swept by No. 1 Kimberly (33-6), 25-18, 25-21, 25-21.

Bear Lake finished the season with a second-place trophy.

5A

The No. 2 Pocatello Thunder (25-15) started their Championship Saturday with a 3-1 loss to No. 1 Idaho Falls (33-9). But after sweeping No. 3 Bonneville (25-15), Pocatello earned a rematch with the Tigers.

Idaho Falls was too much for the Thunder, beating them 25-11, 25-13, 25-15 to claim 5A volleyball’s top prize.

The Thunder finish with a second-place trophy.