Tournament Updates: Chelan State Volleyball 2023

The Goats Win Their Fourth Straight State Title!

By Dennis Rahm, photos courtesy Jenna Rahm

Tournament Recap

Match 1, Nov. 10 at 10:45 a.m.: Chelan vs Montesano (3 – 0 Chelan)
Match 2, Nov. 10 at 4:15 p.m.: Chelan vs Lakeside (3 – 0 Chelan)
Match 3, Nov. 11 at 9:00 a.m.: Chelan vs Meridian (3 – 0 Chelan)
Match 4, Nov. 11 at 6:15 p.m.: Chelan vs Freeman (3 – 0 Chelan, STATE CHAMPS!)
State 1A Tournament Bracket: Click here

Championship Match Recap: Chelan vs Freeman (3-1 Chelan)

The Chelan Goats Win Their Fourth Straight State Title!

The Chelan Goats continue as the dominant program in the 1A State volleyball ranks, winning their fourth consecutive WIAA championship in a Saturday night matchup against Freeman. A tough Scottie team forced Chelan to work hard for their title win. Chelan started strong by winning the opening set 25-15, but Freeman made adjustments and came back to win the second set 25-18, handing the Goats their only set loss in the tourney. Chelan won the third set 25-20, and then secured the championship with a tense 25-23 victory in the fourth and final set of the night.

Freeman was by far the toughest opponent the Goats faced in Yakima, and the Scotties did an outstanding job early in the match of placing their shots in open spaces on the court. Head Coach Abby Lewellen was able to make adjustments that would allow Chelan to battle through a rough stretch of play and regain control of the match.

In the matches leading up to the championship, Chelan swept Montesano, Lakeside, and Meridian by scores of 3-0. Throughout the tournament, the Goats relied on outstanding team defense and serving, along with the power hitting of sophomore Brynn Hughbanks and junior Lydia Petersen. The Goats now join Colfax as the only 1A schools in tournament history to win four straight championships. Coach Abby Lewellen has led the Goats to a state championship in each of her three years as head coach in Chelan.

Listen back to the live broadcast of the State 1A Championship Match

It was an impressive performance by a young Chelan squad, which featured four freshmen, five sophomores and two juniors. Chelan will only lose two graduating seniors this year, sisters Josie and Makayla Garfoot.

To relive all of the tournament action, continue reading below for match recaps, photos and recorded live broadcasts from the Goats’ journey to their fourth state title. Congratulations Chelan, thank you to everyone who tuned in to LakeChelanNow’s coverage of the tournament, and a big thank you to our broadcast sponsors for making this coverage possible!

Match 3 Recap: Chelan vs Meridian (3-0 Chelan)

The Goats Will Play For a Fourth Consecutive State Title!

Chelan was able to cruise to a win in their semi-final match Saturday morning at the 1A State Volleyball Tournament in Yakima, and they’ve earned the opportunity to play for a fourth consecutive championship. The Goats swept the Meridian Trojans 3-0 in the semi’s by scores of 25-15, 25-10, and 25-10. Chelan had their opponent out of sync the entirety of the match and forced the Trojans into a number of serving and hitting errors. Chelan again relied on great serving and outstanding defense to secure the victory.

Only one other school in the 1A classification has won four consecutive titles, when Colfax accomplished the feat from 2004 to 2007. The most ever consecutive titles in WIAA history were won by Mead in the 4A division when they captured five straight from 2003-2007.

Tonight’s state championship will be played at 6:15 pm on the center court at the Sundome, and will pit the Goats against Freeman. The Scotties defeated La Center in the other semi-final match 3-1 . Tune in tonight for the live broadcast of the Championship Match on LakeChelanNow! Dennis Rahm and Desiree Phelps will break down all the action. The pre-game show will start about 15 minutes before the match, but keep an eye on our social media for updates on start times.

Listen back to the semi-final match against Meridian

Match 2 Recap: Chelan vs Lakeside (3-0 Chelan)

On to the Semi-Finals for the Goats!

Chelan’s first day of play at the State 1A Volleyball Tournament in Yakima could not have gone any better. The defending State Champs swept both matches of the day, including their quarter-final win over Lakeside by scores of 25-17, 25-17, and 25-7.

Chelan controlled the pace of the match and used superior hitting and serving to keep their hopes alive in a quest of a fourth consecutive state championship. The top-seeded Goats will now face number 4 Meridian at 9 am on Saturday morning. In the other semi-final, Freeman will take on La Center in the other 9 am contest.

With their two Friday wins, Chelan is assured of no worse than a fourth place finish. A win against Meridian would send Chelan into the championship match at 6:15 pm Saturday, while a loss would see them play the third/fourth place contest at 2:30 pm.

Listen to the Chelan vs Lakeside Quarter-Final on LakeChelanNow

Match 1 Recap: Chelan vs Montesano (3-0 Chelan)

Chelan Sweeps in the First Matchup of the State 1A Tournament

Chelan kicked off the State 1A Volleyball Tournament with a 3-0 win over Montesano. The Goats are entering the tournament as the number 1 seed, and beat the 16th seeded Bulldogs by scores of 25-9, 25-12 and 25-15.

Despite entering the tournament as three-time defending State Champions, there are only two juniors and two seniors this year. The team is overall very young, featuring four freshmen and five sophomores, so many players were playing in their very first state tournament match. Head Coach Abby Lewellen was pleased by the poise her team exhibited in this win over Montesano.

On another court, Lakeside beat King’s 3-1 in their matchup this morning, sending the Eagles to the quarter-final this afternoon against Chelan. The Goats defeated the Eagles 3-0 in a match played in October during the regular season. The quarter-final matchup between Lakeside and Chelan will be broadcast live on LakeChelanNow starting at 4:15 pm with Dennis Rahm and Desiree Phelps.