Talent remains in All-BCR cupboard
There were no state tournament runs this year for Bureau County volleyball teams and none made it past the regional level.
But that doesn’t mean the county cupboards were bare. The talent was abounding as the 2009 All-BCR Volleyball Team shows.
Lauren Hasbrook, sr, Bureau Valley: The Storm’s team captain was a picture of consistency, coach Vicki Litherland said. Their team’s younger setter, “always knew she could go to Lauren when needing to get out of a jam, and she would put it over the net,” the Storm’s coach said.
The first-team Three Rivers all-conference pick led the Storm with 148 kills (1.94 per game), as well as serving 155 points and 59 aces.
Lauren was a quiet leader on the floor for the Storm and off the court she models what every coach can only hope for from all players, hard work, good decision making skills and teamwork,
Jolyn Kane, jr, Princeton: As a sophomore, Jolyn Kane took part in the Tigresses’ ride to the state tournament in 2009. In her junior season, Kane took on a much more prominent role for Princeton.
The 5-8 outside hitter delivered 168 kills for a 2.0 per game average, second only to senior Sarah Maynard. Her 126 digs were second only to PHS’ libero, Sylvie Tracy. Kane was also sweet serving, leading the Tigresses with 52 aces and tying for second with points (166). She ranks in the top five all-time in the Puck era at PHS in five categories.
“She’s very reliable; she puts balls away for you. She’s one of our better servers and of our better serve receivers,” PHS coach Andy Puck said. “She’s just awesome. Definitely glad to have her back for next year.”
Kayla MacDavitt, so, St. Bede: There’s a bright future ahead for this sophomore striker. The six-footer swung a lethal, left-handed attack at the net for St. Bede opponents. MacDavitt led the Lady Bruins in kills (186) and total attacks and was second on the team in blocks, alongside Anna O’Sadnick. Her 2.62 kills per game average led all hitters in the BCR Leaderboard.
“Kayla is a quiet leader on the court, but makes her presence known with a variety of attack angles that are difficult for opponents to block,” SBA coach Dawn Williams said.
She netted first-team Tri-County All-Conference honors and was voted co-MVP for the Lady Bruins along with senior Molly Scott.
Katelyn Raineri, sr, Hall: The 5-8 senior outside hitter stepped up for her senior season and did a little bit of everything for first-year Hall coach Dani Zellmer. She led the Lady Devils with 185 points with 42 of them being aces. She also delivered 121 kills and 25 blocks.
Zellmer described Raineri as an all-around exceptional athlete on the volleyball court and was like a coach on the floor.
“Katelyn always kept thinking about what our next move could be to win the next point and would help her teammates out by calling what was open,” Zellmer said.
Raineri picked up second-team NCIC Lincoln all-conference honors.
Molly Stephens, sr, Princeton: Another season, another spot on the all-BCR Team for Princeton’s Molly Stephens. She took over as the Tigresses’ setter her sophomore season and never let it go.
Stephens was a model of consistency and team leader on the floor for coach Andy Puck. She led the Tigresses in assists (606) and points (203) for the second straight season and also chipped in 85 digs and 21 blocks.
Puck describes Stephens as a “floor captain, a floor general and someone we’ll completely miss.”
The PHS setter was a first-team NCIC Lincoln all-conference selection.
Sylvie Tracy, sr, Princeton: Like her teammate Molly Stephens, Tracy lands again on the All-BCR First Team at the libero position. One opposing coach believes Tracy is the best player around with her consistent play at the defensive end of the floor for Princeton.
Puck would agree.
“She’s probably one of the best liberos at probably every tournament we went to, and at that position they don’t get noticed a whole lot,” Puck said. “Coaches from all over would come up to me and say, ‘wow that libero is unbelievable.’”
The second team NCIC Lincoln selection led the Tigresses with 244 digs and proved a solid server with 166 points.
Mickey Victor, sr, Hall: First year Hall coach Dani Zellmer needed someone to step up at outside hitter for the Lady Devils with the graduation of former co-BCR Player of the Year Kendall Rush, and Victor delivered.
The 5-10 senior outside hitter led the Lady Devils with 177 kills, second most in the area behind St. Bede’s Kayla MacDavitt. The NCIC first-team pick also had 39 blocks, 57 digs and 21 aces.
“Mickey has been a great asset to the volleyball program throughout her whole high school career. She led as a captain and maintained her strengths at the net every game she played in,” Hall coach Dani Zellmer said.
Second team
Aubrey Franklin, Bureau Valley, jr: The Storm junior strike could be electric on offense with her jumping ability. She led the Storm in kills with 150 and compiled 147 points and 46 aces at the service line.
“She’s a very talented young lady who could really put that ball away,” BV’s Litherland said.
Franklin earned TRAC-8 honorable mention honors.
Jacquie Kane, Princeton, sr: A key returning figure from the 2008 state squad had another solid season for the Tigresses. She had 142 kills and played the right side where she was in charge of blocking the other team’s best hitters (0.54 blocks per game).
“She’s a tall presence that blocks extremely well. She was an offensive threat, too,” Puck said.
Sarah Maynard, Princeton, sr: As far as big hitters go, PHS’ Maynard ranked right up with the best of them when she kept the ball in the court. She led the Tigresses with 182 kills and her 2.16 average ranked third best among county hitters.
Although he would have liked to got more out of her at the end of the season, Puck said Maynard “was a vital part of the team and very consistent for us throughout the season.”
Meghan Mussche, BV, sr: There was one thing the Storm senior captain wanted and that was the libero position. She got it the old fashioned way — she earned it. She ended the season with 250 digs and worked hard every night in practice, Storm coach Litherland said.
“Meghan really wanted that libero spot and went after it working hard each and every night at practice, dig, dig, dig and more digging,” Litherland said.
Kelle Nett, Hall, so: There was not a bigger presence at the net than Hall’s Nett. The 5-11 sophomore middle hitter came up big for the Lady Devils with 128 blocks averaging four stuff blocks per match. She also had 118 kills and had 80 points with 38 aces.
“Without Kelle Nett, our back row would have had to work a lot harder,” Hall’s Zellmer said. “Kelle always kept a positive attitude on the court as well as off, and if she did happen to make a mistake, she would shake it off and make sure it did not happen again.”
Nett received NCIC Lincoln honorable mention honors.
Molly Scott, St. Bede, sr: The Lady Bruins captain may not have been an explosive player, but she was a very consistent all-around player. The Lady Bruins’ co-MVP led her team in digs (173), points (185), highest attack percentage (90) and broke the school record for career serving at 95.8 percent.
“She was the player I never wanted to take off the court, and was a solid go-to player in tight situations,” SBA’s Williams said.
Sam Shepard, BV, jr: There were big shoes to fill at the setter position at Bureau Valley this fall with the graduation of all-BCR Alyssa Pursley and Sam Shepard filled them well. The junior setter ran the offense with 478 assists while contributing 24 aces.
“She is such a coachable kid. She is also a great model for girls’ athletics, always enjoying what ever sport it is,” Litherland said.
The Storm setter received TRAC-8 honorable mention honors.
Honorable mention
Bureau Valley — Gabriela Fisch, Melanie Thompson.
DePue — Carmen Lopez.
Hall — Brigitte Klein, Christina Richardson.
Princeton — Steph Bonucci, Lacey Jensen, Katlin Petersen.
LaMoille/Ohio — Raeann Coughlin, Eriza Walzer.
St. Bede — Hollie Brayton, Taylor Miller, Anna O’Sadnick, Bethany Starvakas, Jillian Stariha.
Comment on this story at www.bcrnews.com.
