Spartan volleyball falls to Badgers in district loser-out match

BONNERS FERRY — The Priest River volleyball team saw its season come to a close Monday night when they lost in straight sets to Bonners Ferry, 25-12, 25-15, 25-14, in the 3A Region 1 loser-out game.

"Our biggest problem last night was the ability to read what was happening," head coach Meagan Mize said. "It's again the same thing I've been saying all year — it's youth, it's time and it's inexperience."

The Spartans came into Monday's match with little rest. After falling to Kellogg at home on Oct. 13, Priest River headed to Bonners Ferry on Thursday and Genesis Prep on Saturday. The Spartans lost both matches and Mize said the lack of time off definitely hurt the team during the district tournament Monday.

Priest River finishes the season with a 1-13 record.

In her first year as head coach, Mize said she saw tremendous growth from her team that has her excited about the future of the program.

"The girls have every physical capability to be a great team," she said, "and I think that over the next year and the year after, I think we're going to see a lot of really great things come from the program."

Star outside hitter Josie Booth and libero Kylee Lederle will graduate, but the rest of the varsity team will return next season.

With the high school season now over, the players will head straight into the club volleyball season. Tryouts for the River City Volleyball Club, started by Mize last year, are from 4-7 p.m. this Sunday at Priest River Lamanna High School. The team is for 14 to 16-year-olds.

Clinics will be held from November through Christmas, but it's unclear what the club volleyball season will look like in the spring due to the restrictions currently in place in Washington.

Mize can't coach the team, but she believes Lindsay Troudt, a Priest River alum, will do a great job leading the club season.

"I have a lot of faith in this new coach," Mize said. "I think she's going to be fantastic and I think she's really going to help me in furthering the program."

Mize said she hopes more players join the team next season, so they can have more depth and the ability to challenge each other every day at practice.

"I'd love to get a bigger team where we can actively scrimmage more and the girls are being pushed," she said.

Mize admitted it was difficult to navigate all the challenges thrown the Spartans' way in her first year, but she's grateful the schools in the region were able to find a way to have a season this fall.

"I've got a great group of girls," she said. "I care about each and every one of them."