VOLLEYBALL: Pair of 'Kats, couple of 'Dogs earn All-State honors

Fresh off the school’s first state championship in 19 years, Columbia Falls’ Cydney Finberg and Morgan Stenger have been named to the Class A All-State volleyball team, and three of their teammates joined them in receiving All-Conference accolades.

Whitefish’s Allie Schulz and Cailyn Ross also earned All-State honors.

The Wildkats swept through the Class A state finals last weekend, going undefeated in the double-elimination tournament on their way to the title. Columbia Falls graduates only one senior off its championship team, and all five of the school’s all-state and all-conference honorees are juniors.

Finberg led Northwestern A in hitting percentage (.361) and assists per set (8.6) during the regular season, and was second in aces per set (.619) on her way to collecting All-State recognition for the second straight year.

Stenger was second in the conference in hitting (.337) and led the league with an average of 3.2 kills per set. The junior also collected 43 blocks.

Whitefish’s lone senior, Schulz, was an Honorable Mention All-Conference selection last year and moved up to the All-State team in her first year under head coach Jackie Fuller. Schulz finished in the top five in the conference in assists per set, hitting percentage, kills per set and aces per set. The senior helped lead the Bulldogs to an appearance at the state tournament last week.

Ross, just a sophomore, notched 186 kills and hit .317 during the regular season, good for third-best in Northwestern A. The 6-foot Ross paced the conference in blocks, averaging precisely one per set and finishing the season with 65 total, 44 of them solo blocks.

Columbia Falls’ Kiara Burlage joined Finberg, Stenger, Schulz and Ross on the All-Conference First Team. Burlage led the conference with 45 aces and notched 135 total kills.

Wildkats Kaitlyn Casazza and Anna Nicosia were named to the All-Conference second team, as was Whitefish’s Nina Thew.

Polson’s Lydia Dupuis and Chadelle Smith also garnered second team All-Conference recognition.

Class A Volleyball

All-State Team

Baily Christensen, Belgrade

Shania Neubaurer, Belgrade

Ellie Hanser, Sr., Billings Central

Lacey McGree, Sr., Butte Central

Teresa Piazzola, Sr., Butte Central

Emily St. John, Jr., Butte Central

Cydney Finberg, Jr., Columbia Falls

Morgan Stenger, Jr., Columbia Falls

Hannah Capko, Sr., Corvallis

Ashley Davis, Sr., Corvallis

Kylie Willet, So., Frenchtown

Marenah Crockett, Sr., Glendive

Shannon Casale, Sr., Hamilton

Elissa Lind, Sr., Hardin

Keaunna Mason, Sr., Hardin

Dani Wagner, Havre

Abbie Lohoff, Sr., Laurel

Sierra Higgs, Park

Cailyn Ross, So., Whitefish

Allie Schulz, Sr., Whitefish

Northwestern A All-Conference

FIRST TEAM

Kiara Burlage, Jr., Columbia Falls

Cydney Finberg, Jr., Columbia Falls

Morgan Stenger, Jr., Columbia Falls

Kylie Wilet, So., Frenchtown

Cailyn Ross, So., Whitefish

Allie Schulz, Sr., Whitefish

SECOND TEAM

Kaitlyn Casazza, Jr., Columbia Falls

Anna Nicosia, Jr., Columbia Falls

Laci Willett, Sr., Frenchtown

Lydia Dupuis, Sr., Polson

Chadelle Smith, Jr., Polson

Nina Thew, Jr., Whitefish