Class 3A: Top Teams – Capital
The next high school volleyball season won’t start in Washington until March 2021, but there’s absolutely no reason why we should wait until there to know more about the best teams in each class. In this series, we’ll dissect each…
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Continue ReadingThe next high school volleyball season won’t start in Washington until March 2021, but there’s absolutely no reason why we should wait until there to know more about the best teams in each class. In this series, we’ll dissect each of the state’s six divisions by analyzing the top teams and the most promising players and what we can expect from them when the balls are finally allowed to fly. It’s the fifth week of the series now, so class 3A is our focus.
Capital
Even though their second-place finish last season might have left a bad taste on Capital’s mouth after a five-set loss to rivals Mt. Spokane, the Cougars have every reason to be proud of their recent form as they’ve reached the State Championships in each of the last four years. Their streak is expected to continue for at least another season as, despite losing four graduated seniors, the team still has the strong pairing of All-State first-team selections Madison Nichols and Devyn Oestreich to lead its efforts.
Their three key players are:
Devyn Oestreich – Outside Hitter – Senior
Devyn Oestreich has been a key element on each of the last three campaigns Capital had in the division. The 5’11” outside hitter, who progressed from an All-State second-team selection in 2018 to a first-team nomination last season, was the Cougars’ second-best scorer last season, when she registered 270 kills, including 13 at the State Championship final against Mt. Spokane. She also impacted several other areas of the game with 55 aces, 220 digs and 404 passes.
Madison Nichols – Middle-Blocker – Senior
Madison Nichols’ main quality as a volleyball player is dominating all the skills needed to play the game. The 5’8” middle-blocker, who earned her first All-State first-team nomination last season, was effective at the net for Capital in 2019 with 222 kills and 50 blocks, but also helped the Cougars from the service line with 42 aces and even at the backcourt, where she registered impressive 238 digs, the most among the entire team.
Emma Haws – Setter – Senior
Emma Haws will likely be given the keys to Capital’s offense next season following the graduation of former starter Maddie Matthews. The 5’8” prospect has shown last season she’s ready for the task as, even with limited playing time, she posted some promising numbers such as 287 assists, 24 aces and 157 digs, being the top-five of the roster in all of these skills.