The Bear Lake Bears volleyball team has made quite the impression as their season begins, clinching first place in the highly regarded Cokeville Tournament for the first time in 25 years.
Bears head coach Stephanie Birch noted that it was likely during her senior year at Bear Lake High School in 1999 that the Bears last triumphed in the annual tournament held at Wyoming's Cokeville High School.
“It’s been a really long time since Bear Lake has won this tournament,” Birch said. “This tournament has been going for over 35 years. It’s a long-standing tradition for many schools, so winning it is a huge deal.”
The Bears demonstrated their dominance throughout the tournament, sweeping every match in three sets. Their journey to the championship began on Friday with a series of commanding performances.
Friday's Games
In their opening match against Little Snake, the Bears showcased their strength with a decisive 25-12, 25-20, 25-20 victory. Avery Hunter and KortLyn Skinner each contributed 11 kills, while Brynlee Birch, the coach's daughter, added 10 kills to the mix. Emmie Sharp and Saydee Shaul excelled in their serving and defensive roles, with Sharp securing 4 aces and Shaul notching 2 aces and 11 digs.
Coach Birch commented on the team’s performance, “The girls never even dropped one set. The closest any team got to us was 5 points and that only happened 5 times. Their focus and determination to achieve our goal was incredible.”
In their second match, the Bears faced the Star Valley sophomores and won convincingly with scores of 25-16, 25-15 and 25-12. Skinner led with 5 aces and 10 kills, while Halle Wells contributed 9 kills and 3 blocks. Sharp and Brynlee Birch also played crucial roles with 8 digs and 8 kills, respectively.
The Bears' third game against Rich County saw them continue their dominant form with a 25-11, 25-20, 25-16 win. Brynlee Birch and Wells were stellar with 10 kills each, and Sharp added 12 digs to her impressive tournament stats.
“We’ve been talking about winning it since the first day of practice,” coach Birch said about the tournament. “It’s one of many goals we have set this season. I’ve never coached a team that is solid at every single position. We don’t rely on one person.”
Saturday's Games
On Saturday, the Bears faced Grace in their first game and emerged victorious with scores of 25-11, 25-20 and 25-13. Brynlee Birch led with 14 kills and 3 aces, while Skinner added 11 kills. Londyn Lufkin also made her presence felt with 2 blocks.
In their second match, the Bears defeated Little Snake River 25-16, 25-14 and 25-20. Skinner again showcased her versatility with 4 aces and 8 kills, and Shaul contributed significantly with 14 digs. Wells was also instrumental with 13 kills and 3 blocks.
The championship game against Preston saw the Bears complete their flawless run with a 25-16, 25-16, 25-15 victory. Skinner led with 15 kills and 2 blocks, while Shaul recorded an impressive 18 digs.
Coach Birch reflected on the championship win, saying, “To see how far this program has come in just a short amount of time is amazing and says so much about the kids in the program. I’m very thankful to be part of their journey at Bear Lake High.”
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