Mother-daughter title night in the Dome

Doerings win titles ||

YAKIMA, Wash. — When Sue Doering got a big hug from her 26-year-old daughter, Megan, on Saturday night after being inducted into the Washington State Volleyball Coaches Association Hall of Fame, it didn’t get to last as long as the emotion of the moment called for.

Both of them had things to do.

Sue was preparing to coach the Colfax Bulldogs to their second consecutive Class 2B state championship and sixth straight overall, the previous four having come in the 1A ranks, and the school’s 10th title under Doering. Megan was preparing to lead  St. John-Endicott to its first-ever state championship in her third year as the Eagles’ coach.

Colfax High School players (l-r)Megan Pearson, Sidne Huber and Shaina Simonson celebrate at the team wins a point in a Nov. 14, 2009 quarterfinal match against LaConner High School in the quarterfinal match of the Washington state class 2B volleyball tournament in Yakima, Wash. (Gordon King/Yakima Herald-Republic)

Megan played for her mother from 1997 to 2000, the Bulldogs improving each year from fourth to third to second to the championship — the third of Sue Doering’s 10 career titles.

“I liked playing for Mom, because she’s a good coach,” she said. “At times it might have been harder for me because she pushed me a little harder, but overall it was a good experience — and I’m sure it made me a better coach.”

As if this week wasn’t going to be emotional enough this week — Megan’s third team as Eagles coach coming to state with a chance at a big trophy, and her mother’s hall-of-fame honor — things got even more interesting on Tuesday.

As the Eagles’ practice was coming to an end, Megan was called from the gym by the school secretary, part of a ruse concocted by her boyfriend, LaCrosse-Washtuchna girls basketball coach Mike Dorman, and the girls on her SJE team. When she returned to the gym, seemingly half of the SJE athletic community was on the periphery of the gym and her players were grouped together on the court, holding up a large sign that read, simply, COACH DOERING.

Then the players put down that sign to reveal a second sign that read, WILL YOU MARRY ME?

Then that sign was dropped, revealing Dorman — on one knee, ring in hand.

Yes, she said yes.

Sue Doering’s Bulldogs rolled over top-ranked LaConner 25-19, 25-20, 25-16 in Saturday morning’s much-anticipated quarterfinals, which many observers considered the de facto championship match.

“I got really nervous before the LaConner game,” Doering said, “especially when I saw the caliber of their team.” The Bulldogs, though, were up to the task, and after sweeping No. 3 La Salle in a semifinal, they routed Northwest Christian (Colbert) 25-21, 25-19, 25-10 in the almost anticlimactic finale.

Senior all-stater Kayla Johnson led Colfax with 24 kills, while Rachel Johnson had 20 assists, Christa Nyholm came up with 16 digs and Shaina Simonson added 11 kills.

“This has been the perfect week,” Doering said. “My daughter gets engaged on Tuesday to a great guy, this is my 10th championship, and it would be even better if” — she glanced across the SunDome to the 1B title match on the far court — “if they won it.”

At the moment, the Eagles were rallying behind senior middle hitter Kelly Van Lith, scoring 10 straight points to turn a 24-14 second-game deficit into a 24-24 deadlock. Their championship foe? LaCrosse-Washtucna — yes, where Megan’s future husband coaches and teaches. SJE ultimately lost that game and the third, but came back to win the fourth and fifth games, with Van Lith getting a kill and a block on the final two points to close out the 26-24, 26-28, 23-25, 25-21, 15-10 victory.