IDAHO FALLS – Pocatello and Lakeland gave the crowd everything one could expect from a doubleheader. There were long rallies, thunderous spikes, stifling blocks and impressive digs.

Unfortunately for the Thunder and its fans, there weren’t many Pocatello wins, as the Hawks knocked off Pocatello in the final game at the Mountain America Center on Friday night. Bonneville and Rigby were also eliminated earlier in the evening.

Pocatello came in as the No. 2 seed and knocked off Wood River to open its tournament Thursday. No. 1 seed Lakeland lost its first game to No. 8 Twin Falls.

And after the Thunder suffered its first loss to Idaho Falls on Friday morning and the Hawks dominated Middleton, the top two seeds in the 5A tournament faced off much sooner than many expected.

Lakeland took an early lead, scoring the first four points of the game.

The Thunder staged mini-rallies but were never able to fully come back and lost the first set, 25-17.

Another Lakeland lead in the second did not sink Pocatello, which rallied again, behind the play of senior Jakobi Nebeker.

Nebeker has been one half of the Thunder’s offensive one-two punch all season, joining junior Abby Lusk. However, in Pocatello’s first two games this weekend, she wasn’t as effective as her team hoped.

Against Lakeland, she found this efficiency again, especially in the second set where she managed seven decisive attacks.

The Thunder won the second set, 25-23, to tie the match.

The third set saw a relentless and evenly distributed attack, as Nebeker and Lusk did their best to keep the Thunder’s offense going.

Poky’s dynamic duo had eight kills in the third set alone. But the Hawks’ three-headed attack of Alyssa Ryckman, Landree Simon and Ziya Munyer was too much for the Thunder as Lakeland won the third set, 25-19.

Pocatello scrapped and fought, and got huge late contributions from Katie Matulis, but the depth of the top-ranked team in Division 5A proved too much as the Hawks finished the season in Pocatello with a 25-20 victory in the fourth set.

Munyer led the way for Lakeland, finishing the match with 20 kills, four blocks and two service aces. Simon had 15 kills and Ryckman added 10 kills.

Lusk gave the Thunder 17 kills and Nebeker totaled 13 kills and a block.

Owyhee eliminates Rigby, 3-0

Rigby pulled off the rare reverse sweep – losing the first two sets and winning the last three – to stay alive Friday morning. But Owyhee even allowed that door to open.

As they did against Eagle, the Trojans were able to come back in the third set. But the Storm nipped that in the bud by locking in the sweep with a 25-23 sets victory.

Wood River eliminates Bonneville, 3-1

The Bees, who lost to Twin Falls late in the afternoon, remained on the field for the evening game and were dropped by Wood River.

Bonneville won the third set, 25-14, after losing the first two, 25-18 and 25-16, and forced extra points in the fourth. But the Wolverines had just enough to prevent a fifth set, winning the fourth, 26-24.

SATURDAY

With their losses, Bonneville, Pocatello and Rigby were all eliminated.

This means that District 5-6 only has two survivors between the 6A and 5A tournaments.

Idaho Falls is the lone 5A representative, having picked up wins over Columbia and Pocatello. The Tigers will return to the field at 11 a.m. Saturday to face 5A tournament Cinderella, Twin Falls. The No. 8 seed followed up its win over Lakeland with a victory over Bonneville on Friday.

The winner of the match will advance directly to the final, where they will have to lose twice to be eliminated. The loser will face the winner of the Wood River-Lakeland showdown from the morning session.

In 6A, No. 2 Madison remains undefeated, with victories over Rocky Mountain and Owyhee.

The Bobcats will face No. 1 Skyview at 11 a.m. with the same potential results facing Idaho Falls and Twin Falls.

Whisk

Bear Lake remains alive and undefeated in the 4A tournament played at Lake City High School.

The same can be said of Malad in the 3A bracket, played at the University of Idaho.

Butte County is still in the running, and also undefeated, in the 2A tournament played at Jerome High School.

Grace Lutheran, which earned a playoff berth via play-in, remains undefeated in 1A at Canyon Ridge. They are joined by Rockland, which suffered a loss to Grace Lutheran Friday afternoon.

The six state champions will be determined Saturday, when the IHSAA volleyball season concludes.