The Wyoming State High School Volleyball Championships saw fierce competition as four teams—Snake River, Upton, Cokeville, and Southeast—clinched spots in the 1A semifinal round on Thursday, moving one step closer to the state title, Casper Star-Tribune reports.
West Regional champion Snake River, aiming to complete a season-long goal, triumphed over Lusk in a decisive 3-0 sweep (25-16, 25-23, 25-19). With a season record of 30-4, the Rattlers, coached by Jenny Evans, have been nearly unstoppable, building momentum after two early losses to out-of-state teams. Evans praised her team’s versatility.
“I could change my rotation every single day… They can play all positions, so it’s a lot of fun to mix and match,” she said.
Led by junior standout Kenzie Evans, the Rattlers are determined to capture their first state championship since 2016. This group has been playing together since sixth grade, creating a strong team dynamic that has been key to their success.
“We work really well together, so we accomplish great things,” Kenzie said.
Snake River now faces Upton in a rematch of last year’s semifinal, where Snake River emerged victorious.
Upton fought through a tough match to secure a 3-2 win (25-9, 22-25, 21-25, 25-12, 15-7) over Encampment, showing resilience as they came from behind. Despite the loss of key player Sophie Louderback to graduation, Upton has relied on the leadership of senior setter Maddie Mills and junior middle Bella Keller, who recently returned from injury.
“It was nice to see some growth early and then when Bella came back, it put us right back to a comfortable spot,” said Upton head coach Myla Mills.
The Bobcats, who have fallen to Snake River in three consecutive meetings, are eager for a win in Friday’s semifinal.
“This is the time,” Mills said.
Cokeville maintained its dominance, sweeping Lingle-Fort Laramie 3-0 (25-19, 25-19, 25-23) to secure a semifinal slot for the ninth straight year. The defending state champions are once again proving their strength as they seek back-to-back titles.
East Regional champion Southeast also punched its ticket to the semifinals with a hard-fought 3-2 victory (25-22, 25-20, 18-25, 25-27, 16-14) over Riverside. The Cyclones overcame a late-game challenge from Riverside, edging out the win to set up a Friday evening showdown with Cokeville.
The semifinals are set to deliver high-energy matchups as these four teams—Snake River, Upton, Cokeville, and Southeast—battle it out for a spot in the championship round on Saturday.
