Tumwater opened the high school volleyball season by knocking off the defending Class 4A state champion. The Thunderbirds ended the year by capturing a title of their own.
In between it was pure dominance, which ultimately led to perfection.
Tumwater capped a flawless 22-0 season by winning the 2A state championship with a straight set victory over Woodland, 25-22, 25-18, 25-18, at Saint Martin’s University on November 12.
“I didn’t have a doubt from the start,” senior Maddy Pilon said. “I knew we were going to do it and I knew we weren’t going to let up. The fact that we kept pushing and fighting through, it’s what Tumwater does.”
What the T-Birds did this season was run roughshod through everyone they faced.
This proved to be even more so the case at the state tournament when Tumwater swept all four of its opponents, a rare postseason feat for any program.
“We walked in and said this is what we want, and we worked hard and we earned it. That’s probably what I’m going to remember most about this season,” senior Cristina Hegarty said. “We wanted first no matter what. It never crossed our mind we’d finish second.”
It is the third state title for the T-Birds, who also won state in 2008 and 2014. Tumwater also finished as the state runner-up in 2007, 2011 and 2012.
“They were so prepared to come here. They were ready,” said Tumwater coach Tana Otton. “They put in the work at practice. People kind of laugh at them. They are very much into the girly part, the bows and the dancing, but they work hard. They put in a lot of sweat. I am just so proud of them because it’s not like it was easy.”
The T-Birds finished fifth at last year’s tournament after being upset in the quarterfinals by Burlington-Edison (3-2). The Tigers also played spoiler in 2011 when they defeated Tumwater in the state finals.
The T-Birds were able to exorcise a few demons in the opening round this year when they defeated Burlington-Edison in straight sets.
Pullman also fell in three sets in the quarterfinals, then it was Archbishop Murphy’s turn in the semifinals.
The Wildcats lost in three as well, marking the third straight year Tumwater has defeated this team at the state tournament.
The T-Birds briefly trailed in the first set to Woodland before putting the hammer down and pulling away from the Beavers to claim yet another state title.
“(Woodland) was so hyped in game one. I knew it was coming,” Otton said. “We tanked there for a second at the start. It was 19-12, I called a timeout and told them to take it one point at a time and climb their way back in.”
Tumwater opened the year with four impressive victories over traditionally powerful programs, beginning with a 3-2 win over Curtis, last year’s 4A state champion.
Wins over Emerald Ridge (last year’s 4A state runner-up), Bellarmine (back-to-back state 4A champions in 2013 and 2014) and Olympia (the 2012 state 4A champion) followed.
“That gave us a lot of confidence,” Pilon said about her team’s non-conference schedule. “The best thing was we actually improved from those games. We got better as the season went on. We never let up. We just wanted to keep getting better.”
And they did as the T-Birds cruised through their 2A Evergreen Conference slate, sweeping all 10 of their conference opponents (3-0).
“Winning a state title was our goal from the start. There was a purpose with each practice and to have the feeling of getting what we worked for all season is just amazing,” Hegarty said. “It doesn’t feel real. I don’t even know how to describe it.”
Hegarty and Pilon were joined by fellow seniors Shae Watson, Brooke Hare, Annabelle Downs, Ali Smith and Bella Najarro on the Tumwater roster.
“We just knew we were going to do it from the start. We had all the confidence in the world and it showed through our play,” Pilon said. “I just love playing with this team. I never want to leave Tumwater. It was so much fun.”
The T-Birds will return juniors Kennedy Croft, Mia Basso and Sara Schultz; sophomores Savannah Sleasman and Sophia Koelsch; and freshmen Ellis Bocksch and Leah Cairns next season in their attempt to win back-to-back state championships for the first time in school history.
“I don’t think winning this would be as special if it was with any other team,” Hegarty said. “It’s so amazing. This team has been my family.”
