The Cashmere Bulldogs are headed back to the 1A State Volleyball Tournament for the second straight year after cruising through the first two rounds of the District 5 Tournament on Saturday at Ron Doane Gymnasium. The Bulldogs, who finished fifth at state last season, swept both of their district opponents in straight sets to secure their spot among Washington’s elite once again.
Cashmere opened the day with a convincing 25-11, 25-9, 25-11 victory over the College Place Hawks in the noon matchup. The Bulldogs then returned to the court at 6:00 p.m. for the semifinal round, where they downed the No. 3-seeded Zillah Leopards 25-10, 25-15, 25-15 to improve their season record to 19-1.
The Bulldogs will now face top-ranked Chelan next Saturday, November 8, in the District 5 Championship. Both teams have already qualified for the state tournament, but district bragging rights — and momentum heading into state — will be on the line. The title match will be played at a neutral site, with the location to be announced soon. Game time is tentatively set for 5:00 p.m.
Semifinal Sweep: Cashmere 3, Zillah 0
Cashmere’s balanced attack and sharp defense overwhelmed Zillah in the semifinal match.
Macie Smart led the way with 2 aces, 11 kills, 9 digs, and 3 blocks.
Faith Courtney added 7 kills and 2 blocks.
Taylor Kunz was perfect across the board — 12/12 serving, 10/10 hitting for 5 kills, and flawless in serve receive — while contributing 8 digs.
Hazel Schade went 6/6 serving with 1 ace, 4 kills, and 2 blocks.
Teagan Kerns was steady from the line at 12/12 serving with 1 ace, 2 kills, 1 block, and 8 digs.
Mandy Barba anchored the defense with 10 digs, 1 ace, and zero reception errors.
Cali Diaz directed the offense with 25 assists, while adding 3 aces, 1 kill, 2 blocks, and 3 digs.
Opening Round: Cashmere 3, College Place 0
The Bulldogs set the tone early in their district run with a commanding sweep over College Place.
Macie Smart went 11/11 serving with 3 aces, adding 10 kills, 6 digs, and 1 block.
Taylor Kunz tallied 7 kills, 11 digs, and a block, along with an ace.
Hazel Schade contributed 4 kills and a block.
Freya hit 5/5 hitting with 3 kills and 3 digs.
Teagan Kerns notched 3 aces, 2 kills, and 7 digs on 8/8 hitting.
Faith Courtney added 2 aces and 2 kills.
Mandy Barba was 5/5 serving with 2 aces and 8 digs.
Cali Diaz was flawless on serve (19/19) while recording 3 aces, 5 kills, 9 digs, and 24 assists.
With Saturday’s victories, Cashmere will make its second consecutive state tournament appearance, bringing experience, depth, and confidence into next week’s district title matchup — and beyond.
