The Bainbridge volleyball team couldn’t repeat their success of last season in making the district playoffs.

They struggled in league play and missed qualifying for the Metro League tournament on the last day of the season.

But the Spartans had some big moments during the season, including wins over state qualifier Holy Names and a win over Bishop Blanchet, who took eighth at state. It’s the first time since 2005 that Bainbridge has beat the Braves, when they beat them twice in league play and defeated them at districts.

The Spartans also won an academic state championship, the first in school history.

Two Bainbridge players earned selection to the All-Kitsap News Group volleyball team for the 2010 season.

The team was compiled by the sports writers for the Bainbridge Island Review, the Bremerton Patriot, the Central Kitsap Reporter, the North Kitsap Herald and the Port Orchard Independent. Candidates for the team are nominated by the writers for their respective areas.

The nominees are then voted on by the writers; the top players make the teams. Two honorable mentions are also selected from each school for each sport.

The teams include the best players from area schools that not only performed well individually, but played a role in the success of their team.

The starters

OH/S – Sarah Baugh, North Kitsap, junior: Baugh was a key player in bringing the Vikings to its first state tournament and has been a consistent leader on the team since her freshman year. Baugh also broke the single season school record with 560 kills. She also had 90 aces, 193 assists, 23 blocks and 312 digs.

OH – Asha Hill, Central Kitsap, senior: Hill led CK with 224 kills and 64 service aces and was the second on the team in digs with 267. She holds the school record with 12 service aces during a single match and holds the fifth highest career list in kills, 620; third most digs, 787; and ninth in service aces, 124.

L – Kira Varady, Olympic, senior: Varady led the Olympic team with 288 digs and was a solid receiver for the team as well with 42 assists. Varady was also a team captain who helped lead the team through a strong season.

MB – Alexis Wesley, Central Kitsap, senior: As co-captain and a three-year starter, Wesley led the Cougars in blocks with 67 and had the second highest amount of kills with 194. She is the career leader at Central in blocks with 242 and sixth on the all-time kills list with 525.

MB – Indigo Williams, North Kitsap, junior: Williams helped keep the Vikings alive during the final points of the season with her developing ability to block, which will continue next season. Williams ended the season with 55 kills and 39 blocks.

S – Erin Kinney, Bainbridge, sophomore: Kinney worked hard every game to ensure the Spartan hitters would have a great set to score a point off a kill. She finished with 263 assists, 62 digs, 28 kills and 19 aces.

Coach – Tim French, North Kitsap: In his seventh year of coaching the Vikings, French guided North to a 11-0 Olympic League record and a 23-8 overall record. French took the Vikings to its first state tournament in school history. He also passed a milestone of 300 wins in his career as a volleyball coach during the regular season.

Also stellar

Emma Burgess, Bainbridge, freshman: This libero was solid in the back for the Spartans all season. She finished with 167 digs and 13 aces. Burgess was also an All-Metro honorable mention selection.

Sarah Dacquisto, Bainbridge, junior: This outside hitter was a fine addition to the rotation for the Spartans. She finished with 75 kills, 199 digs and 31 aces and was an All-Metro honorable mention selection.

Sarah Lacey, South Kitsap, junior OH; Toni Bell, South Kitsap, sophomore, MB; Monica Phinney, Olympic, junior, OH; Shannon Jackson, Olympic, senior, MB; Tricia Vantino, Central Kitsap, junior, S; Kiana Huston, Central Kitsap, senior, MB; Megan Shultz, Klahowya, senior, S; Alyson Ormerod, Klahowya, senior, L; AllieRae Taylor, Bremerton, junior, S; Merissa Duzenski, Bremerton, junior, MB; Sarah McMullen, Kingston, junior, L; Maureen Walmsly, Kingston, junior, MB; Nicole Weber, North Kitsap, junior, S/RS; Bryana Bohl, North Kitsap, senior, OH/RS