This time, Wednesday didn’t mark the middle of the week.

For three volleyball players at Cheyenne Mountain – Wednesday kicked off a whirlwind weekend.

Mika Dickson (Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo), Bethany Cullity (Troy) and Elizabeth Wayne (Duquesne) signed national letters of intent after school in front of friends and family to mark their personal accomplishments on the court.

Thanks to inclement weather that hit the Pikes Peak region, Lewis-Palmer School District 38 canceled school, and will hold its signing ceremony for Mariah Evans (North Carolina) and Nicole Mack (Furman) on Thursday.

Then it’s on to team goals as both schools, seeded 1-2, respectively, in the 4A state volleyball tournament seek to prevail when the two-day meet ends Saturday in Denver.

Cheyenne Mountain beat Lewis-Palmer to win it all in 2012, while the Rangers have won the past two state crowns, including an epic five-setter over the Indians in the 2013 semifinals. Earlier this season, Cheyenne Mountain ended Lewis-Palmer’s two-year in-state winning streak.

“I’m very excited for today, but even more excited for the weekend,” Dickson said. “I was on the team my freshman year (when Cheyenne Mountain won state), but we haven’t been to the finals since then. That’s a super big goal for us. Now that we’re the No. 1 seed, we know we have a huge target on our backs.”

For Dickson, Evans and Mack, the week won’t end on Saturday, regardless of the outcome. Following a good night’s sleep, the three will find themselves on the same team Sunday when the club volleyball season starts at Monument-based Colorado Juniors.

“The three of us have a joke that we have 13 hours of offseason,” said Evans, who verbally committed to North Carolina as a sophomore, so another day to wait isn’t much of a big deal. “The seasons aren’t allowed to overlap. On Sunday, Mika will be on my team, and she’s one of my best friends. But this weekend, she’s my biggest competition.”

In the 14 years as coach at Lewis-Palmer, and 27 overall with the program, Susan Odenbaugh of Lewis-Palmer can’t remember when signing day actually came before the state tournament.

“It’s kind of a first for me,” Odenbaugh said. “Everything started a week later, and I can’t recall a signing before state. That seems to give everything a whole new dynamic.”

Evans reflected on the whirlwind that’s about to start.

“I mean, it’s kind of crazy,” Evans said. “Getting to finally sign my letter is kind of surreal, then state starts right after. This is my favorite weekend of the whole year. It’s a blast. I’m on an all-time high.”