CASEY LOPER, middle hitter

In one of the closest votes in recent times, The College of Idaho’s Torrey Hulsey was named the Cascade Collegiate Conference’s Player of the Year by a vote of the conference coaches.

The 6-foot-1 senior middle blocker from Sutter, Calif., ranked third in the CCC in hitting percentage at .292 and 10th in total kills per set with 2.76. Hulsey recorded double-digit kills in 14 of the 25 matches the Yotes have played this season and has tallied at least one block in 24 of those 25.

EUGENE —  The second-ranked 4A team handed La Grande its final loss of the season Saturday, 3-0.

Sisters may have gone into the playoffs and the state 4A volleyball tournament at Lane Community College as the second- ranked team behind perennial power Crook County, but a 3-2 loss to Astoria in the opening round of the tournament Friday knocked the team into the consolation bracket.

CALDWELL, Idaho — A furious first set rally fueled The College of Idaho to their fifth Cascade Collegiate Conference Championships title in seven years, as the Lady Yotes defeated Eastern Oregon, 27-25, 29-27, 25-20, inside the J.A. Albertson Activities Center.

The victory for the No. 15 ranked Lady Yotes (21-6) clinches the CCC’s automatic berth to the NAIA National Championships — their fifth-straight trip to the tournament and their seventh trip in eight years. The Mountaineers missed out on an at-large bid despite a 23-7 season and a second-place finish.

Joe Griffin (bottom, right) leaps into the endzone for Imbler. CASEY KELLAS - The Observer

IMBLER — Eighth-seeded Triangle Lake came to top-seeded Imbler Saturday and tested the Panthers early on, but in the end it was Imbler’s high-scoring attack that prevailed in the first round of the 1A playoffs, 60-24.

The game was a back-and-forth tilt for the first quarter and a half.

ST. PAUL — The Powder Valley Badgers have come a long way since the beginning of the season, according to their coach.

But after a long road trip and a 66-20 loss to perennial 1A power St. Paul in the first round of the state playoffs Friday, the Badgers appear to still have a long way left to go.

CAMAS VALLEY —  The defending state 1A football champions were undefeated last season.

They still are this season.

The Cove Leopards became the latest victims of the Hornet swarm when they were stung with a lopsided 94-12 loss in the first round of the state playoffs Saturday.

PHILOMATH — Philomath brought an end to the La Grande girls soccer team’s season Saturday in the quarterfinals of the 4A state playoffs.

The Warriors pulled out a 4-0 victory.

“It was a tough one. But we played well. I’m not the least bit disappointed,” coach Sam Brown said.

The Powder Valley Badgers celebrate after the winning shot in Saturday’s 1A state volleyball championship match against Imbler. Powder Valley won in five sets. JOE KLINE - Bend Bulletin

Badgers rally to beat Panthers in five sets for first state crown