North Lake Advances to Class 1A Volleyball Final
The fourth-seeded Lakers swept top-seeded Central Christian in the state semifinals before a Saturday title match against Dufur.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Volleyball
North Lake High girls volleyball defeated top-seeded Central Christian 25-4, 25-15, 25-19 on Friday night at Eastern Oregon University in La Grande. The Lakers, now 19-5 overall, will face No. 2 seed Dufur for the Class 1A state championship.
Why it matters
The win gives North Lake a shot at a state title after losing three earlier matches to Central Christian this season. It also marks a strong finish for a fourth-seeded team that came through the bracket against higher-ranked opponents.
North Lake won the semifinal in three straight sets and the quarterfinal 3-1 over Damascus Christian, with sets of 25-20, 21-25, 25-15, 25-22. The Lakers' 19-5 record compares with Dufur's 23-3, and the championship result remains to be decided.
The players
North Lake High School
A Class 1A high school in Oregon whose girls volleyball team reached the state championship match in this tournament.
Central Christian High School
A Oregon high school whose girls volleyball team was the top seed in the Class 1A tournament before losing to North Lake.
Dufur High School
A Oregon high school whose girls volleyball team is the No. 2 seed and will face North Lake in the Class 1A state championship.
The details
North Lake dropped only one set in the semifinal against Central Christian, which it had lost to three times earlier this season. The Lakers reached the semifinals after a four-set quarterfinal win over Damascus Christian on Friday.
Timeline
Friday: North Lake defeats Damascus Christian in the quarterfinals, 3-1.
Friday night: North Lake sweeps top-seeded Central Christian in the semifinals at Eastern Oregon University in La Grande.
Saturday, 6:30 p.m.: North Lake faces Dufur in the Class 1A state championship match.
Season Trajectory
North Lake's run from the fourth seed to the Class 1A final shows how a team can reshape a state bracket after trailing a rival three times during the regular season. Its path to a title match against No. 2 seed Dufur tests whether the Lakers' late-season form can hold against a 23-3 opponent.
Saturday's final will be decided by a single match, so fans planning to attend or watch should note the 6:30 p.m. start time. A North Lake title would be the first state championship for the program in this tournament's recent bracket format.
The takeaway
North Lake's comeback from three losses to Central Christian shows that seeding does not always decide a state bracket. Following the Saturday final against Dufur will show whether the Lakers can turn their semifinal form into a championship.
What happens next
The Class 1A state championship match between North Lake and Dufur is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Saturday.
Further reading
For more high school tournament coverage, see Volleyball on our Oregon section.
