Will Sprague win the 6A State title?

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>PrepDig Oregon released a poll a while back asking everyone to vote on their prediction for the 6A State title winner. PrepDig is doing a write-up on each of the top four vote-getters. Based on the results, South Salem, Sprague, Nelson, and Jesuit received the highest number of votes. All four programs are top-notch and should advance well into the State tournament later this season. But will one of these teams win it all? Time will tell.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Receiving the second most votes at 309 was <strong>Sprague High School</strong>. In 2018, the Olympians had an impressive run and walked away with a 2nd place trophy, but the program has yet to secure a State title. So, if they are able to secure a championship win this season, that would be a historic feat. Last season, they were knocked out of the State tournament in the quarterfinals by Jesuit High School in a thrilling five-set match.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Although the team lost seven graduating seniors, they have been able to rebuild rather quickly. With a core group of eight returning, plus four moving up from JV and two freshmen, their season has been off to a fantastic start, only dropping one match to Oregon City thus far. Being in the fifth week of play, we have been able to see this squad in action and have some impressive players to highlight.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>At the core of this team is senior outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='126188' first='Sidney' last='Friesen'], who has been an integral part of the Olympians line-up since her freshman season. As a six-rotation pin, Friesen does it all for the team and is an anchor for their offense as a go-to attacker. What immediately stands out when watching her play is her heart and no quit attitude she brings that raises the level of play and the energy on the court tenfold. With an explosive approach and a hammer of an arm, she is hitting a .260 with 196 kills on 497 attempts. Committed to Western Oregon University as a defensive specialist, she does a lot for the Olympians on the defensive front, racking up 222 digs and passing a 1.93 on serve receive. She has also accumulated an impressive 39 service aces.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Playing opposite [player_tooltip player_id='126188' first='Sidney' last='Friesen'] is standout freshman attacker <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='509767' first='Khloe' last='Livingston']</strong>. With Rubie Morrissette graduating this past year, the Olympians are looking to Livingston to fill a major hole. Rising to the challenge, she is making an impact all around as a six-rotation outside hitter. She has racked up 90 kills on 292 attempts, hitting a .130, has 13 blocks, 27 assists, 164 digs, and is passing a 1.90 on serve receive. She is currently sitting at the top of the leaderboard for most service aces on the team, with an impressive 43 aces!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Junior returning setter [player_tooltip player_id='161823' first='Evie' last='Morrissette'] and freshman phenom setter [player_tooltip player_id='447971' first='Brooke' last='Friesen'] (yes, little sister to [player_tooltip player_id='126188' first='Sidney' last='Friesen']) might be the state's tallest setter combination, with both athletes standing at an impressive six feet. Although it looked like the Olympians were defaulting to a 5-1 at the beginning of the season, they have transitioned to a 6-2 over these past couple of weeks. This means both Friesen and Morisette have the opportunity to flex their attacking skills in the front row and their setting finesse across the back row. Morisette has posted an impressive 399 assists, 18 blocks, 97 digs, 21 service aces, and 82 kills on 209 swings, hitting a .306. Friesen has accumulated an imposing 128 assists, 30 blocks, 111 digs, 14 service aces, and 164 kills on 384 attempts, hitting a .279.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It is always exciting to see a freshman burst onto the high school volleyball scene and make an immediate impact on their team. So, to see a team have two freshmen be such an integral part of the lineup so early on in their prep careers is special to watch! Both [player_tooltip player_id='509767' first='Khloe' last='Livingston'] and [player_tooltip player_id='447971' first='Brooke' last='Friesen'] will be athletes to have on your radar over the coming seasons.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Olympians have another outstanding attacking option in senior pin hitter Faith Buchheit. Although she was out with an ankle injury and missed a few weeks of play, she is proving to be an impact for the team from the right side. Buchheit has racked up 65 kills on 197 swings, hitting a .132, has 10 service aces, and has amassed 63 digs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With libero Sarah Jones graduating, there was a hole in the lineup that junior defensive specialist [player_tooltip player_id='161914' first='Charlotte' last='Ponier'] filled seamlessly. She has done a stellar job thus far leading the backcourt for the Olympians. Her consistent play has been integral to the team's success. She has amassed 210 digs, 49 assists, 27 service aces, and is passing a 1.89 on serve receive.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->