YAKIMA — By earning fourth place to conclude Saturday’s Class 1A volleyball state tournament, the La Center Wildcats made program history.

Four consecutive state appearances.

Four state trophies.

That’s a first for La Center volleyball.

“This proves the program is so strong,” junior setter Quinn Erickson said after the team’s three-set loss to Cashmere in Saturday’s third/fourth-place match. “It’s built so well. Every year, new kids are coming up; freshmen on varsity a lot of the time. There’s not one class that carries (us). It’s a great program in general.”

Middle hitter Maddie Castro is one of the team’s three outgoing seniors. She’s experienced nothing but state trophies in her four seasons with La Center. The Wildcats placed eighth in 2022, followed by third place in 2023 and fou

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