Chester captures berth in state finals

For the Chester Coyotes, things are going as planned just as they did in the basketball season.

The Chester girls basketball team won the district title, then the divisional title, then the state title. For the Coyotes so far in volleyball, they have the district title and the divisional title. They hope the state title is next.

In what seemed like deja vu, Chester cruised to a divisional title with a win in three games over Sunburst, 15-12, 15-7, 16-14. Chester had defeated Sunburst in the district tournament for the title and defeated them in the semifinals earlier Saturday morning.

In another similarity between the two seasons, Chester was undefeated at this point in the basketball season and is also undefeated in volleyball.

"It was kind of expected of us," senior Jamie Graham said of the championship. "We expected ourselves to get the job done. We've never lost in our lives on our home floor and we weren't about to lose now."

Graham said it was also nice to have the home crowd and the band, plus not having to travel and being able to be in their own beds for the tournament.

Teammate and fellow senior Katy Engstrom agreed: "It was good we could sleep in our own beds at night and that we didn't have to travel. It was easier this way."

While playing a team as many times as Chester has played Sunburst may get old, both Graham and Engstrom said they are glad that Sunburst will be making the trip to state with them.

Blue Sky, which finished third in the Northern Class C Divisional Volleyball Tournament, will not be making the trip to state, as only two teams from each division go.

Chester and Manhattan Christian meet up in the first round of the state tournament Thursday. Graham said they have seen Manhattan Christian the last three years at the state tournament, but have never played them.

"They're going to be tough, though," Graham said.

Also on the same side of the bracket as Chester are Harlowton and Jordan. On the other side are Richey, Twin Bridges, Sunburst and Bridger.

In the divisional championship game, Chester totaled nine aces, three by senior Chasi Buffington and two by senior Maci Tempel. Another senior, Michele VanDyke, led with 16 of the team's 35 kills, Engstrom added nine. Senior Heidi Cicon led with eight of the team's 29 digs, with Tempel adding seven. Graham led with 18 assists while Tempel added the other 10. The Coyotes had six total blocks in the game, with Engstrom leading with four.