Comets streak comes to an end

Comets streak comes to an end

By Will Lohre

Volleyball season has come to an end for the Naselle Comets, and though they bowed out in their first game of the state championship against Garfield-Palouse, the program will long remember their path to get there and their fairy tale win to qualify for the tournament.

After finishing third in the Coastal 1B league, the Comets battled through the district tournament to earn their place in the big dance. Naselle first beat Wahkiakum High School 3-1, which set up a faceoff with #1-seeded Ocosta for a win-or-go-home game on Nov. 8 at Raymond High School.

The Comets had a 1-1 record against Ocosta during the regular season, and though Ocosta entered the district tournament with only one loss on the season, Naselle was the only team in the league to have challenged them, winning 3-1 on Oct. 22.

Head Coach Rebekah Wirkkala said that the team entered the district matchup with "positive, fiery energy," and that the team came out "confident and swinging." Naselle ended up taking the match 3-1, off the back of heroic performances from the squad's stars.

"Brooke (Davis) and Mylinh (Schell) refused to allow a ball hit the floor from the get-go; Mylee (Dunagan) was lights out at the net, putting 15 kills away," Wirkkala said. "Our setters placed their sets where our hitters were successful. Sadie (Kilponen) and Sophia (Colombo) commanded the back row, and Haylee (Rose) was a touching/blocking machine at the tape."

Kilponen and Jessie Smith both went on scorching serving runs that gave the Comets more of a cushion on the scoreboard. Kaitlyn Steenerson came in off the bench to provide a high-octane spark, picking her shots and putting eight kills away. Wirkkala said Brooke Davis was "flying" and was smashing kill shots, registering nine kills.

A high-flying team, Wirkkala said that people came out of the woodwork to support them as they solidified the upset. Players from Pe Ell came to watch and cheer them on, as well as coaches of the Willapa Valley program. The reason? "Our girls are fun to watch," Wirkkala said.

The team also enjoyed support from the Naselle community as they took down the top dogs.

"Our bench and crowd were electric, our entire community showed up for our girls and I am so incredibly proud to be a Naselle Comet," Wirkkala said.

Unfortunately for the Comets, their season ended in the first round of the state tournament, but not without a major fight. Naselle did lose 3-1 to Garfield-Palouse, but the scores were ever so close. After winning the first set 25-13, Naselle narrowly dropped the second by a score of 23-25. Another grueling battle in the third set saw the Comets narrowly lose again, this time 25-22. In the final set of the match, Naselle couldn't quite stick around and ultimately came out on the losing side 25-14.

Though the team surely wanted to keep the season going, the 2024 season will still be one to remember for years to come.