New-look Warriors aim to return to state tournament

COULEE CITY — Entering the 2024 season riding a fourth-place finish at the 1B State Volleyball Tournament, the Almira/Coulee-Hartline Warriors will have plenty of players in new, starting roles this fall, but the desire to get back to the state tournament is still there.

“I think there’s that hunger in just experiencing it,” Head Coach Katie Walsh said. “It’d been a while since we had a team at state – we have a lot of state appearances, but it had been four years. Last year’s team going there and experiencing it, they want more of it now.” 

ACH earned the No. 4 seed in last year’s state tournament, finishing the year with a 19-4 overall record; the Warriors reached the state semifinals before suffering a 3-2 loss to top-seeded and eventual champion Oakesdale, losing 15-9 in the final set, and lost 3-1 to Mossyrock in the third/fourth-place match later that day. 

Five starters from last year’s squads graduated in May; outside hitters Kady Murray and Kayleigh Elder, middle hitters Natalie Evers and Mariah McWalter and setter Beth Okamoto – Elder and Okamoto both received all-league honors, with the latter being named league MVP. 

“It’s going to be hard to fill their shoes, but I know that if we all communicate and work well as a team we can make things happen,” said sophomore Grace Okamoto, ACH’s lone returner with all-league recognition from a year ago. 

Juniors Emma Brummett and Peyton Roberts will look to fill the middle hitter positions left behind by Evers and McWalter, Walsh said.  

“We lost two strong middles as seniors, but I feel that they’re ready to go right into those places,” Walsh said.  

Junior Naomi Molitor returns as a setter, and Walsh noted juniors Emily Evers and Amara Doyle, as well as a handful of sophomores looking to “push” for playing time, as players stepping into key roles as well this season. 

ACH does have 26 players who turned out for volleyball this fall, which adds some depth to the roster and the ability for more competition in practice. 

“It’s going to be really fun to see what we have and what we can piece together,” Walsh said. “Every week in practice we’re going to see who’s taking it to the next level and competing in practice.” 

Senior Emma Whitaker and Brummett said the increase in players allows the team to split time on two courts during practices, rather than playing on one court, which the team had done in previous years. 

“I think that’ll be good for us, getting more touches and actual playing time,” Whitaker said. 

To put together another run to the state tournament, it’ll take a strong connection between the Warriors. 

“It wasn’t that we just made it to state – it was that we made it to state together,” Brummett said. “That’s what got us there; if we weren’t as close as we were, I don’t think we would have gotten as far. I’m waiting to see where we go here because we’re closer – it's going to be a fun year.” 

ACH stayed busy this summer, playing in a weekly summer league against other schools in the area like Wilbur-Creston-Keller, Waterville-Mansfield, Davenport and Lake Roosevelt. Nineteen of the 26 players participated in the summer league. 

“It shows the level of commitment and love of the sport – it's something that’s hard to teach, that love of the sport,” Walsh said. “If that’s not there, it’s a hard place to work from.” 

ACH begins its 2024 campaign at home against Wellpinit on Sept. 17. 

“I want their love for the game to drive how they’re playing on the court – intense effort and hard work, and I think we definitely have the girls to do that,” Walsh said. 

    Almira/Coulee-Hartline junior Naomi Molitor, in grey, sets the ball to junior Emma Brummett, in purple, during a practice ahead of the 2024 season.
  

    Warrior graduate Natalie Evers aims to tip the ball over the net during a game last season. Evers is one of five Warriors from last year’s roster who graduated in the spring, all of which were starters.
  

    Almira/Coulee-Hartline sophomore Grace Okamoto, in white, prepares to receive a serve against Mossyrock in the 1B State Volleyball Tournament last year. Okamoto is the lone Warrior returning with all-league recognition last fall.