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VOLLEYDOGS TO BARK AT STATE: |
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Six match points against them, five matches in the SeaKing district playoffs, four trips to Redmond, three matches in one day, two in the tournament against Ballard and one spot left for a KingCo team to head to the state playoffs. No pressure. The 2003 Volleydogs were characterized by heart, determination, grit and an all around ability to play hard for every point of every game. The year began with two losses in three matches against non-league opponents. Coach Leslie Hamann spent the pre- season trying out different lineups and positions before she finally got it the way she liked. |
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The Volleydogs were off and running, beating both Ballard and Roosevelt to start the year. But, their first test was set to come in the third game of a young season, at Bothell. Hamann knew that her kids were about to go up against one of their toughest match-ups of the year. “We have always had trouble with Bothell,” Hamann said. “We just had to get over the nervousness and come out to play.” They came out to play that night, knocking off the KingCo powerhouse in its own gym. The win snapped a 33- game league winning streak for the Cougars and solidified the Volleydogs as a dominant force in the league. It also propelled them into the top 10 rankings by the Washington State Volleyball Coaches Association. After the very critical juncture the ‘Dogs cruised through to a 7-0 start and were atop KingCo all by themselves. Not until the second to last week of the season did they hit a snag. It was at the remodeled Redmond gym. Three league MVP candidates were to be showcased in a game between two of the league’s top teams. Garfield had a fast start winning the first game. But, Redmond dominated the second game and the ‘Dogs never recovered, losing in four games and dropping their first road match since early last year. There was now a three-way tie for first in KingCo and a coin fl ip was to decide the playoff seedings. Garfield lost the coin flip and was forced to play their league tournament games at Redmond. They saw Ballard in the first game and outlasted the Beavers in the third match-up between the teams this year. This win set up a rematch against Redmond, in the Mustangs’ gym. |
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However, the day before the game, the Volleydogs got some great news by way of the league awards. Juniors Lillie Cohn and Cat Juson been named to the All-KingCo First Team. This is a very rare feat for two Juniors to be named in the same year, and from the same team. It didn’t stop there as Junior Amanda Jamieson was named to the All-KingCo Honorable Mention Team. Jamieson plays libero for the Volleydogs and led the team in digs this year. Then there was the coach. Leslie Hamann, the former UCLA standout, was named the KingCo Coach of the Year, in a vote of her peers. It is the second year in a row that she has won an award for her coaching of the Garfield Volleyball program. Hamann worked very hard to become a better coach and is happy that it shows in her players. “I am extremely proud of all three of them,” she said. “Laura [Washington] was the first we’ve ever had on the First Team, and to have two is fabulous. And Amanda has been big for us all year. They all deserve it and they are three of the best players in the league.” |
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Then the big game came. The gym was packed full of purple, white, green and gold. Redmond fans were out in full force to push their fair share of jeers toward Garfield fans and players. And the Volleydog Pep Squad was out to produce the beat. The tension in the stands was almost unbearable and the only thing surpassing it was the game on the court. Garfield and Redmond exchanged points throughout the first game. It took a couple of huge plays by Redmond’s own All-KingCo First Team representative, Mary Martineau, to push the Mustangs over the top. In game two the Volleydogs began to unravel. Unforced errors and miscommunication doomed the ‘Dogs. They lost game two and even after posting a huge comeback, came up short in game three. For the second time in as many matches, the Volleydogs lost to Redmond. The Volleydogs did not plan to give up, and Jamieson spoke about how excited they were for their next game. “We are really well-rounded and determined,” she said. “That is what got us here in the first place and we want to succeed as much or more than all of the other teams.” So the Volleydogs prepared for their second big rematch of the season. A date with the two-time defending league champions, Bothell, and a fight for their playoff lives. Saturday proved to be a milestone day in the history of the Garfield program. First they saw Bothell at high noon. The teams split the first two games, while the Pep Squad dominated the stands. Emotions were running high when Lillie Cohn broke a 21-all tie in game three with three straight kills. Garfield won game three and ran away with game four to knock off the Cougars for the second time this season. The loss ousted Bothell and set the Volleydogs up for the fourth match of the year with Ballard and the second one in the tournament. In the second loser-out game, the opposing Beavers suffered from serious fatigue after winning in five games less than 30 minutes prior. Garfield came to play and put Ballard out in three games. The loss sent Ballard packing for the year. Finally, the clinching match. After Woodinville lost to Redmond in the KingCo Championship game, they had to face the Volleydogs for a date in the state tournament. Two hours after the start of the match, both teams were The emotions on the court and in the stands had reached an uncontrollable level. The Pep Squad did everything they could to make noise and counteract a very loud Woodinville parent section. Five straight times, Woodinville served for the match and was stuffed by a Lillie Cohn kill. Cohn stepped up to have the biggest day of her volleyball life on Saturday for the Volleydogs. The team circled up in the middle of the court while the fans spilled out of the stands and jumped in the players’ celebration. Assistant Coach Jack Hamann led the entire group in the “True Dogs” cheer and any energy that remained in the severely drained group was put into screaming the response and expressing all happiness. The celebration lasted nearly 30 minutes. Many players found themselves speechless, but Senior Alix Toothman found the words to explain how the ‘Dogs made it through three matches, 12 games and almost 10 hours of volleyball. “We knew we could do it,” Toothman said. “We fought hard all season and we weren’t going to go home empty- handed. We played our best defense of the year and this is our reward.” Both coaches agreed that serving was the key as they tallied 33 aces in the tournament. They praised every player for the way they stepped up in the pressure and played as well as they ever have. But, especially the one who made one of the biggest contributions of any player in the tournament: Lillie Cohn. “Champions learn that there is always tomorrow,” said assistant coach Jack Hamann. “Lillie forgot her past mistakes and put her focus on what was happening now. That focus made a huge difference in her play and our success.” That success culminated in the first state tournament birth in the history of the Garfield Volleyball program. It begins today at Everett Special Events Center. “This milestone belongs to Garfield High School,” J. Hamann said. “The Pep Squad is our seventh player and without them we wouldn’t be half the team we are. That support from them, the band and other Garfield institutions shows the character of the school.” It’s the Volleydogs’ time to shine. * * * The Volleydogs were represented on the All-KingCo First Team by senior setter Cat Juson and junior outside hitter Lillie Cohn. Junior libero Amanda Jamieson was named to Honorable Mention. Leslie Hamann was named Kingo 4A Coach of the Year. |
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