4A KINGCO READY TO SOAK IT UP
-Bill Woten, King County Journal
November 14, 2003

Since 4A Kingco formed in 1997, conference teams are 8-34 at the state tournament.

Among 11 trips, eight teams were eliminated in pool play.

Three teams (Bothell in 1997 and 2002, Redmond in 1998) placed eighth.

No Kingco team has ever won a match on Saturday.

Discouraged? Far from it. Redmond and Garfield are flying high.

Mustangs coach Ross Johnson said pressure was lifted when his team won the league title last weekend. Redmond (22-5), which returns to state for the first time since 1998, plans on an aggressive, let-it-all-out approach as the underdog today against fourth-ranked Heritage of Vancouver.

``I think we're going to be relaxed,'' Johnson said. ``We're going to have to play our best, that's for sure, but I don't think we'll be nervous.''

The Mustangs are led by a pair of outside hitters, three-time first-team all-league selection Mary Martineau, and sophomore Allegra Shank. Redmond has won 12 of its last 13, including a pair of wins over Garfield.

Under the direction of coach Leslie Hamann, the Bulldogs (19-9) have experienced a rapid turnaround. Garfield's league records in four years with Hamann: 0-13, 2-11, 6-4, 9-1.

Those nine victories this season earned the Bulldogs a share of first place, but Garfield was even better at last Saturday's conference tournament. The Bulldogs advanced to state by winning three loser-out matches, including a five-game marathon over Woodinville in which they fought off six match points.

Hamann said she knew her team was going to be ``pretty good'' this year, but admitted that a state berth was beyond her expectations, a little bit ahead of schedule.

``I was so proud of them,'' Hamann said. ``It was an exhausting weekend, but they have developed a winning attitude and pulled through.''

Garfield, which opens against second-ranked West Central District champion Spanaway Lake, is led by a pair of juniors, setter Cat Juson and outside hitter Lillie Cohn, who had 59 kills in three matches last Saturday.