Dimond will chase history when state volleyball begins Thursday

The state volleyball tournament opens Thursday at the Alaska Airlines Center, where the Dimond Lynx will be chasing history.

The Lynx, who swept through last week's Cook Inlet Conference tournament without losing a set, have won the last three Class 4A championships.

If they make it four in a row, they'll be the second Class 4A team and the third team at any level to win four straight titles. The only schools to pull off that feat are Service High in Class 4A (1989-1992) and Valdez in Class 3A (2001-04).

Since Service's big run more than 25 years ago, two Class 4A schools have have won three straight championships — South (2005-08) and Dimond twice (2008-10) and (2015-17). In 2009, Dimond halted South's attempt at a fourth title; in 2011, South prevented a Dimond four-peat.

If Dimond's quest comes up short, don't be surprised if it's because of South. Those two teams have won the last 13 Class 4A state championships and often wind up facing each other in the title tilt.

At this point, it looks like Dimond has South figured out. The Lynx beat the Wolverines twice last week to claim the CIC championship, triumphing 25-18, 25-17, 25-15 in the winner's-bracket semifinal and 25-23, 25-13, 25-18 in the championship.

Dimond opens play at 11:45 a.m. Thursday against Colony. The match is one of 12 on tap that day — the main gym at the Alaska Airlines Center will be divided into two courts to handle all the action.

In the Class 3A tournament, defending champion Valdez will be gunning for its third state title in four years. The Buccaneers won it all last year and in 2015.

Class 3A's first game — Mt. Edgecumbe vs. Grace Christian — is a matchup of two former champions. Mt. Edgecumbe has won four of the last seven titles, with its most recent coming in 2016, and Grace Christian took titles in 2013 and 2010.

Championship games are scheduled for Saturday at 2 p.m. (Class 3A) and 5 p.m. (Class 4A).

ASAA/First National Bank state volleyball championships

Alaska Airlines Center

Thursday's matches

Class 4A

First round

10 a.m. — Wasilla vs. South

11:45 a.m. — Dimond vs. Colony

1:30 p.m. — West Valley vs. Soldotna

3:15 p.m. — Thunder Mountain vs. West

Winners bracket

5:15 p.m. — Wasilla-South winner vs. Dimond-Colony winner

7 p.m. — West Valley-Soldotna winner vs. Thunder Mountain-West winner.

Class 3A

First round

10 a.m. — Mt. Edgecumbe vs. Grace Christian

11:45 a.m. — Nome vs. Monroe

1:30 p.m. — Valdez vs. Homer

3:15 p.m. — Nikiski vs. Barrow

Winners bracket

5:15 p.m. — Mt. Edgecumbe-Grace winner vs. Nome-Monroe winner

7 p.m. — Valdez-Homer winner vs. Nikiski-Barrow winner