Class A Volleyball: Ronan, Polson ready for divisionals

POLSON - Four years ago, Polson head coach Jan Toth made her

players a guarantee.

POLSON - Four years ago, Polson head coach Jan Toth made her players a guarantee.

"I told then that if they hung with me, I promised them they'd be champions," Toth said. "I knew we could take this program to the top."

Those players, now seniors, were Kendyall Rochin, Kayla Duford, Breanne Kelley and Sallie Sams. They were honored last Friday night on senior night in a Northwestern A match against their rival Ronan in what ended up being a 3-1 victory that clinched a second straight undefeated conference season.

Three years ago, the Lady Pirates were winless before they defeated Columbia Falls in the final game of the season.

"You would have thought we won the state championship," Toth said.

Two years ago, Polson took fourth in the conference before taking second at divisionals and headed to state.

"We had to pull some upsets," Toth said. "We really began to put our game together at divisionals."

Last season, the Lady Pirates established their dominance, going undefeated in conference play and placing fourth at the state tournament.

This year? It's the culmination of a four-year career that these girls have given their all for their coach and their school.

This week at divisionals will be pivotal.

"This is the pinnacle," Toth said. "These next two weeks."

Looking back, with all the time and trips that the girls have put in for the program, it was easy to get emotional during senior night.

"They were emotional against Columbia Falls the night before," Toth said.

The Wildcats were having their senior night on Thursday and Polson won 3-0 with scores of 25-14, 25-17, 25-11. Kelley and Sams combined for 20 kills in the match in another dominating, Polson-like victory.

Against Ronan, they were emotional for several reasons. First, they had stuck with Toth through the thick and thin the previous four seasons.

"Everybody loves to stick with a volleyball program that is winning," Toth, who came into a program that didn't have much prior success, said.

That didn't matter to the girls as they stayed focused and continued to improve as Polson went from conference doormat to dominating.

Toth said that when Duford was a freshman, she asked her if she had set before.

She said no.

"She trained really hard and it didn't come easy," Toth said.

Duford has since become one of the go-to players for Toth at the setter position when things go badly.

It was also emotional in that senior game against Ronan because the team had built so many memories with one another on and off the court. Toth said one of the best bonding memories were those on the team's trip to tournaments in Colorado and Seattle.

"Those are the things they'll remember forever," she said. "Not so much the win-loss record."

Those emotions may have played a part in 16 service errors for the Pirates, but they proved victorious nonetheless, 25-20, 25-17, 17-25, 25-17.

"I knew it was not going to be the best game we ever played," Toth said.

"Everybody was trying too hard. I think they were trying to impress me and not let their teammates down."

However, that didn't stop them from being impressive. Kelley threw down a eye-popping 20 kills, Sams added 16 and junior Ashley Johnson had 11.

"Ashley is playing the best ball she's ever had and she's becoming a confident player," Toth said. "She realizes she's as good as any of them and she realizes she can play with the best."

Polson will play in divisionals at Columbia Falls this weekend and they have their mind set on winning that tournament.

"They knew they have to something to prove everyday," Toth said. "Nobody will outwork us. We work hard everyday in practice."

INJURY REPORT

Junior Riley Kenney, who has been sitting out because of an injury to her shoulder, is still begging to come back and play. However, Toth is being cautious with one of her key players, hoping to save her for state.

"I will ease her into it," Toth said.

It's questionable whether she'll play at divisionals this weekend, but would be available for state if the team were to make it.

"She thinks she's 100 percent in her mind," Toth said.

Ronan gets third seed

With a 4-4 conference record, the Ronan Maidens will be going into the Northwest A tournament in Columbia Falls the Friday and Saturday.

The Maidens have the third seed behind Polson and Whitefish.

Senior Tailyr Irvine was a beast for the Maidens against Polson in their 3-1 loss last Friday, collecting nine kills and two blocks. Senior Marissa McCrea has 11 digs. It was their final regular season game of the year.

Ronan will play Whitefish at 2 p.m. on Friday, while Polson will await the winner of the Libby-Columbia Falls at 11 a.m.