Chelan Goats Are State 1A Volleyball Champions!

Chelan Goats Volleyball: Live State 1A Tournament Updates

By Dennis Rahm, photos courtesy Jenna Rahm

Tournament at a Glance

Opening match, Nov. 15 at 2:30 pm: Chelan vs Kalama (3-0 Chelan)
Quarter-final, Nov. 15 at 8:00 pm: Chelan vs Stevenson (3-0 Chelan)
Semi-final, Nov. 16 at 10:45 am: Chelan vs Cedar Park Christian (3-0 Chelan)
State Championship Match, Nov. 16 at 8:00 p.m.: Chelan vs Cascade Christian (3-0 Chelan)

Championship Recap: Chelan vs Cascade Christian

Chelan Wins Fifth Consecutive State Championship!

It was a late night for the team, coaches, and fans on Saturday (Nov. 16), but the Chelan Goats claimed the State 1A Volleyball Championship in their matchup with Cascade Christian! A combination of the late night, a long travel day, and recovering our collective voices has delayed this posting, but we wanted to write a few thoughts about the Saturday night victory.

First and foremost, what an amazing run of dominance by the Goats. Chelan excelled at this year’s 1A Tourney by sweeping all four opponents 3-0, including the Saturday championship match against #2 Cascade Christian from Puyallup. The win puts Chelan Volleyball in rare company by becoming only the second Washington school to put together a run of five consecutive state titles. Listen back to the live broadcast recording below!

The Saturday championship match was delayed by more than two hours and didn’t start until just after 10 pm. However, having the court to themselves allowed both teams to be treated to a theatrical introduction filled with glow sticks, spotlights, fog machines and loud music. The late start didn’t seem to bother either team, though, as they treated the fans to an exhilarating display of volleyball, especially in the first set. Set one saw the Goats trailing late 23-20, but Chelan was able to rally and eked out a 27-25 win. The final two sets were dominated by the Goats winning by scores of 25-15 and 25-17.

Led by their returning All State outside hitters senior Lydia Petersen and junior Bryn Hughbanks, the Goats had a two-pronged attack that was nearly impossible for their opponents to contend with. Chelan also featured outstanding setter play from sophomore Brooklyn Foyle. The large and vocal Chelan crowd erupted in celebration as senior Lydia Petersen hit a powerful kill shot for match point.

The historic Chelan 5-peat began back in 2019 (there was no tournament in 2020 due to COVID). Chelan has now ruled the 20’s by winning championships in 2021, 2022, 2023, and now 2024.

Congratulations Goats!

State Championship Match!

Semi-final Recap: Chelan vs Cedar Park Christian

Chelan is Headed Back to the Championship Match!

The Chelan Goats continue their historic run at the 1A State Volleyball Tournament in Yakima with an opportunity to play for a fifth consecutive state championship! The Goats had no trouble in their semi-final match Saturday morning in a 3-0 sweep over Cedar Park Christian of Bothell. Chelan won by scores of 25-11, 25-19, and 25-17. Chelan has not lost a set in their three matches at this year’s tourney.

Lydia Petersen (senior) and Brynn Hughbanks (junior) continued their dominant play on the net, assisted by setter Brooklyn Foyle consistently placing the ball in the perfect spot for a kill shot. While the score stayed tight at the beginning of each set, Chelan was able to pull ahead each time by playing cohesively together and benefiting from errors from Cedar Park. Junior Estee Flynn was awarded the Sportsmanship Medallion at the match. Catch up on the broadcast coverage in the recording below!

Tonight’s 8:00 pm Championship will feature number one Chelan against number two Cascade Christian. The Goats are 23-0 this season, while the Cougars are 19-2. If the Goats can capture a fifth consecutive championship, they would become only the second Washington volleyball team to accomplish that feat joining 4A Mead High School. The current Chelan streak of four straight titles matches Colfax for the most ever in the 1A classification. Chelan began the streak in 2019, but due to COVID, there was no tournament in 2020. The Goats resumed their championship run with wins in 2021, 2022, and 2023.

Tune in to a live broadcast of the State Championship match with Dennis Rahm and Desiree Phelps at www.lakechelannow.com/live.

Go Goats!

Chelan vs Cedar Park Christian

Quarter-final Recap: Chelan vs Stevenson

Chelan Advances to the Semi-final After Decisive Win Over Stevenson

It was a productive first day for Chelan at the State 1A Volleyball Tournament as they posted two wins to secure a spot in the Final Four. Chelan opened play Friday morning with a sweep of Kalama, and then later that night took down Stevenson 3-0.

In the nightcap, Chelan came out fast and posted a 25-14 first set win. The Chelan cause was aided by the play of their opponent as Stevenson committed a number of unforced errors. Chelan won the second set 25-12 and held on for a 25-21 win in set three to secure the match and earn a spot in the Saturday morning semi-finals. One of the keys to their win was the outstanding play of sophomore Esther Petersen, making several critical blocks and a few kill shots! Junior Gracie Gilsoul served a laser shot ace in the second set that rallied Chelan’s momentum. Always enthusiastically celebrating her teammates’ and her own success, sophomore Allison Horner was awarded Sportsmanship Medallion for this match. The victory exemplified the depth of the returning State Champions. Listen back to a recording of the live broadcast below for all of the match highlights!

Chelan needs one more win to earn a shot at defending their State Championships of the past four tourneys. Chelan will face fourth-seeded Cedar Park Christian from Bothell in one semi-final at 10:45 am Saturday (Nov. 16) morning. The other semi-final pits the second-seeded Cascade Christian against the third seed La Center.

Tune in to a live broadcast of the Chelan vs. Cedar Park Christian matchup with Dennis Rahm and Desiree Phelps at www.lakechelannow.com/live.

Go Goats!

Chelan vs Stevenson Quarter-final

Match 1 Recap: Chelan vs Kalama

The Goats Opened Tournament Play With a Sweep of the Chinooks

Four-time defending State Champion Chelan had no problem in their opening match on Friday afternoon in a 3-0 sweep over Kalama. The Goats won by scores of 25-17, 25-11, and 25-16. The power-hitting duo of junior Bryn Hughbanks and senior Lydia Petersen proved to be too much for the Chinooks to contend with. Coach Abby Lewellen returned to the court for the tournament after welcoming a baby boy into the world just a week ago! Junior Marley Williams was awarded the Sportsmanship Medallion for the Goats. Listen back to a recording of the live broadcast below for all of the match highlights!

The win moved Chelan to 21-0 on the season and propels the Goats into tonight’s quarter-final at 8:00 pm against the Stevenson Bulldogs. Stevenson advanced with a 3-0 win over Lynden Christian.

Tune in to a live broadcast of the Chelan vs. Stevenson matchup with Dennis Rahm and Desiree Phelps at www.lakechelannow.com/live.

Go Goats!

Chelan vs Kalama Opening Match