By Mike Weber
For Columbia Gorge News
THE DALLES - The Tri-Valley Conference champion The Dalles High enjoyed its finest season ever in OSAA Class 4A girls volleyball a year ago. The Riverhawks have a solid group of players returning from last year’s state playoff squad which finished second at the state tournament.
The Riverhawks (8-0 TVC, 18-6 overall) had a magical season by advancing to the Nov. 8, 2025 state championship game for the second time in The Dalles High School history. Although The Dalles lost 3-0 to the No. 1 ranked Marist Catholic High Spartans (21-3), the Riverhawks won two-out-of-three matches in the eight-team state tournament at Marshfield High School in Coos Bay. One of the wins was a 3-0 sweep of 2024 state champion Marshfield.
The Riverhawks, guided by fourth-year Coach Teresa Morris, beat Henley in the semifinals to reach the finals for the first time since 1989 when The Dalles won the Class 2A state title.
“One of our goals this year is to be one of the best defensive teams and we’ve been working really hard on that in practice,” said Morris. “We only have three seniors, and I foresee those three to step up and provide leadership and be key players on the team.”
The Riverhawks started practice Aug. 17 with one goal — to advance to the state tournament quarterfinals in November for a fifth straight season.
“I do think that we’ll continue to have more success again this year and our goal is to get back to the state tournament,” said Morris, the TVC coach of the year last season. “I think that is a very good possibility with the group that we have on the team. We have several key returning players from last year’s state playoff team.”
The Riverhawks have seven varsity players returning from their 2025 state playoff squad, led by junior outside hitter Jazlynn Morris-Holmes, the daughter of Coach Morris. Morris-Holmes won the TVC player of the year award last season for a second straight year and was a unanimous selection for an all-state tournament first team award.
Another player who will have a key role in helping to lead the Riverhawk squad is 6-foot senior middle blocker Evelyn Rogers (TVC first team in 2025). Sophomore setter Taylor Tuia (TVC second team) and senior defensive specialist/libero Edie May (TVC second team) will also be counted on to make major contributions. Senior setter Morgan Donivan and junior outside hitter Aspyn Rubio will also be featured in the Riverhawks’ explosive offensive team.
Coach Morris said: “I definitely think we have a good chance of winning the league title again this year. We will for sure have some good competition from a couple of other teams in the league this year.”
Those teams include Madras (6-2 TVC, 11-13 overall in 2025) and Estacada (4-4 TVC, 14-8 overall in 2025).
The Riverhawks begin their 21-game schedule with a 4:45 p.m. nonleague home game Aug. 29 against the Tillamook High Cheesemakers (9-9 in 2025). The Dalles hosts Class 5A Crook County on Sept. 1 and plays at defending Class 3A state champion Valley Catholic (27-4 in 2025) on Sept. 3 in Beaverton. (The Valiants moved up to Class 4A level this season.) Immediately following that match, The Dalles and Marist will play at Valley Catholic in a 2025 4A state title rematch.
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