Photos by DEBBIE RANEY

The Crane Mustang volleyball team poses with their first-place bracket and trophy. Crane defeated St. Paul in the championship game, to win their first-ever 1A state title! Back row from L-R: Assistant Coach Andi Nichols, Head Coach Maddye Wester, Elaia Idoeta, Kara Goss-Bodily, Kaitlyn Siegner, Ava Bowen, Kortney Doman, Shayn Miller, Taya Nelson, Talina Friedrichsen, Assistant Coach Celeste Owens, and Assistant Coach Kendra Curtis. Front row from L-R: Jacee Otley, Anita Peila, and Kendal Nichols.

The No. 1 seeded Crane Mustang volleyball team put away the St. Paul Buckaroos to win their first 1A state title at the 2023 OSAA/OnPoint Community Credit Union State Volleyball Championships, held at Ridgeview High School in Redmond on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 3-4.

Senior Kortney Doman logged 37 kills against St. Paul to help Crane win their first title in four sets 25-22, 21-25, 25-12, 26-24. Doman was named the Moda Health Player of the Match, along with St. Paul’s Audra Rose.

Tied at 13-13 in the first set, the Mustangs went on a 9-1 run to increase their advantage 21-14. The Buckaroos came back within one point, 23-22, before Elaia Idoeta picked up an ace to end the first set 25-22.

With Crane up 18-13, St. Paul used an 11-1 run toward the end of the second set to hold off the Mustangs’ celebration, 21-25.

Crane quickly put away the Buckaroos in the third set, as Kaitlyn Siegner logged three aces, and Doman finished with nine kills, for a 25-12 win and a 2-1 game lead.

Tied at 24-24 in the fourth set, Doman logged her final two kills, as Crane went on to win 26-24 and claim the 1A state title.

In the championship game, Doman led the high-powered offense with 37 kills. Siegner finished with six, Ava Bowen racked up four, Idoeta had three, Taya Nelson picked up two, and Nichols finished with one.

Seigner led the team with five aces, while Doman and Nelson had four. Bowen finished with two aces, and Nichols and Idoeta had one ace each.

Idoeta finished with 10 digs to lead Crane, while Nichols added eight. Doman and Nelson each picked up six digs. Siegner, Bowen, and Anita Peila each finished with two digs.

Siegner had five blocks for the Mustangs. Doman had two, while Bowen and Nelson had one each. Nichols finished with 46 of the team’s 49 assists.

Crane finishes the season 1A State Champions with a 33-2 overall record and High Desert League Champions.

Senior Kortney Doman earned First Team All-Tournament Team honors, which was unanimous. Kaitlyn Siegner was named to the Second Team All-Tournament Team.

Crane made their way though bracket play by defeating the No. 8 seeded Adrian Antelopes in the quarterfinals in straight sets 25-11, 25-23, 25-20, on Friday, Nov. 3. Later that evening, Crane took down No. 4 seeded Umpqua Valley Christian Monarchs in the semifinals in four sets 25-13, 25-15, 23-25, 25-17.