Top Performers: 3A State Final Four

North Thurston was the team to beat heading into the 3A State Tournament, seeded #1 and with just a single loss on their record. They capitalized on their terrific season, running through the competition smartly on the way to the title. Mt. Spokane was the top finisher from the East Side in 3A, falling to the Rams after handling scrappy Bellevue in the semi-final. Prairie was the third-place finisher on the weekend, finishing with a win over Bellevue in the third and fourth place match.   Here are several of the top performers from the top four teams in the 3A State Tournament.    Conner dominated the play in both the semi-finals and the final. Her 6'2" length and combination of power and accuracy were too much for either Prairie or Mt. Spokane to counter. Last season, Ridgeline kept sending tall, experienced blockers at the Cal Poly beach commit, eventually making just the right adjustments to squeak out a five-set victory. Conner left no doubt this year, racking up kills early and often in the semis and the final. There was no stopping the Rams and Conner on their mission to complete the run to the championship.     Williams has matured as a defender and leader on the court. She appears to be deliberately under a bit more control, creating a more together defensive unit for her squad. She reads the game well and doesn't need to be sprawled and scambling (except when it's needed!), staying even more available as a second ball setter. Williams' accuracy and decision-making are very strong when out of system setting; attackers usually receive a hittable ball in a consistent window.     Leapai is a high-IQ player with sweet hands and a well-rounded overall game; she will be fun to watch as she plays her college ball at Central Washington. She attacked from the right side for Bellevue and found her outsides on the pin or in the pipe with accurate sets. Leapai plays strong defense and was deadly accurate with her serve.     Jacoby is an intense competitor who makes good decisions as a setter and as an attacker. She has excellent overall skills; she can snap down a kill from the left or right pin, reads and picks up digs, and steps in and sets strong to any spot on the court. Jacoby helped the Falcons take a set against North Thurston before falling in four, then was critical in a dominant win over Bellevue for the third-place trophy.     Humphrey is an athletic setter headed to LC State for her college ball. She was calm and collected, running the offense for North Thurston. She made all the plays defensively and spread out the ball when needed, and found the hot hand when sets had to be won.     The Mt. Spokane senior was giving everything she had in her last high school season; she was on a mission to bring the Wildcats a championship. The team fell just short. Davis played with passion and delivered timely kills, blocks, and assists, playing setter and right side. Davis has solid size and good athleticism to play the dual role as a setter and attacker. She connected consistently with her middles and kept opposing teams off balance throughout the tournament     Aptacy has strong hands and is aggressive, challenging jousts and overpasses at the end. She provided Bellevue with a physical presence in the middle throughout the season and the tournament. At 6'1", the junior has the height and presence to be a difference maker for the Wolverines again next season.     Tkachenko is one of those players gifted with tremendous arm speed; she delivered aces and kills in impressive fashion for a sophomore standing 5'7". She plays middle for the Falcons and did an excellent job battling taller, older opponents across the net.     Losey played OH2 for the Rams; she had solid ball control and isn't afraid to take a big swing against a well-formed block. Her overall play and scoring ability were critical factors in keeping defenses honest against the Rams. Losey has to be defended, helping Conner and the rest of the North Thurston attackers find room to score.    MORE SHOUTOUTS:   [player_tooltip player_id='497163' first='Alina' last='Shawgo'] & [player_tooltip player_id='712013' first='Alivia' last='Snyder']- Prairie: The two seniors went out with a win and the third-place trophy. Shawgo was a steady presence as an attacker for the Falcons all season and throughout her career. Snyder's energy and hustle are outstanding; she was the emotional driver and motivator behind the Falcons' terrific season.   [player_tooltip player_id='724719' first='Avery' last='Nelson'] and [player_tooltip player_id='890823' first='Kate' last='Rayment'] - Mt. Spokane: Nelson excelled in the back half of the season for the Wildcats, delivering a big block and hammering down lefty kills from the right side. Rayment is a playmaking athlete who Mt. Spokane needed to find a spot for as a freshman, settling in as a middle blocker. She may find herself at the pin or even setter as her career progresses.   [player_tooltip player_id='521107' first='Kaelani' last='Adams'] and [player_tooltip player_id='628924' first='Stella' last='Sheeran']- North Thurston: Adams had strong play at the net, both as an attacker and as a solid blocker. Sheeran was nails from the service line and steady in serve and receive, helping set up many North Tu-hurston kills with her precise passing.   [player_tooltip player_id='251026' first='Kaitlyn' last='Nguyen']- Bellevue: Nguyen can really rip it as an attacker; she was the leading OH for the Wolverines, a role she looked to enjoy, as she normally is a libero. Her athleticism and ability to do everything well on the floor will be a great asset as she heads to the University of Washington to play next season.

North Thurston was the team to beat heading into the 3A State Tournament, seeded #1 and with just a single loss on their record. They capitalized on their terrific season, running through the competition smartly on the way to the title. Mt. Spokane was the top finisher from the East Side in 3A, falling to the Rams after handling scrappy Bellevue in the semi-final. Prairie was the third-place finisher on the weekend, finishing with a win over Bellevue in the third and fourth place match.