Meet the 2011 Victoria Advocate all-area volleyball team
Originally published December 18, 2011 at 2:31 a.m., updated December 18, 2011 at 2:31 a.m.
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DARRELL VYVJALA/SCHULENBURG STICKER
Schulenburg's Leah Mikesky kills a set against Shiner earlier this season.
Schulenburg's freshman setter Shannon Mikesky is the 2011 Victoria Advocate's newcomer of the year.
Sara Hermes of Victoria West is the 2011 defensive player of the year.
Calhoun coach Virginia Parsons, who is in her first year in Port Lavaca after coaching at Sinton, is the Victoria Advocate's coach of the year for helping to lead a turnaround of the Sandies this year.
Victoria West's Brooke Smith is the Victoria Advocate's all-area offensive player of the year.
St. Joseph's Kate Tucker was selected as the all-area setter of the year.
AWARD WINNERS
MVP: Leah Mikesky, Sr., OH, Schulenburg
Setter of the Year: Kate Tucker, Sr., St. Joseph
St. Joseph co-volleyball coach Allyson Griffin once said if she had six Kate Tucker’s the Flyers might not lose. The Flyers captain, who finished with 600 assists, 396, digs and 175 kills, was versatile enough that she could lead her team in attacks and defense on a given night in addition to her passing abilities.
“Kate is a natural-born athlete and a natural-born leader,” Griffin said. “Some people train for years to perform the way she does. She excels in sports because its instinctive.”
Defensive Player of the Year: Sara Hermes, Sr., Libero, Victoria West
Hermes registered 376 digs for a team that once again won 36 matches. However, her true impact might have been the way she marshaled the back row of the Victoria West defense throughout the season. Teammates and coaches raved about how her communication in the back provided the spine for the underrated Warriors defense.
“She’s very bright when it comes to reading the ball,” said Victoria West coach Sandy Longoria. “She does a great job reading the block. She’s vocal and directs traffic on defense quite well. She is also very quick.”
Offensive Player of the Year: Brooke Smith, Sr., MB, Victoria West
Entering her senior season Smith worked on her hitting versatility. It showed as the University of Houston signee was the Warriors primary offensive threat all season with 375 kills.
More than one area team complimented Smith and her hitting ability by calling her “a beast.” She also averaged more than four blocks per match for a Victoria West team that advanced to the regional semifinals.
“A 6-foot-2-inch middle hitter in many people’s eyes is going to be a beast,” Longoria said. “She can place the ball very well and she can attack multiple sets. She has improved a lot since last year. She has become a lot stronger in how to adjust her hit from various positions.”
Coach of the Year: Virginia Parsons, Calhoun
The first year coach took a team many predicted to miss the playoffs to a 25-win season and a berth in the regional quarterfinals.
A late slide in the regular season dropped the Sandies to third in District 30-4A, but they still advanced farther than any Calhoun volleyball team in nearly a decade. Her players constantly praised Parsons for the positivity and volleyball fundamentals she instilled in the program.
Newcomer of the Year: Shannon Mikesky, Fr., S, Schulenburg
The freshman had a near telepathic relationship with older sister Leah, which helped the Lady Horns advance to the regional semifinal. Mikesky was also an attacking threat for a Schulenburg team that went undefeated in district play.
She finished with 1,297 kills, 285 digs and 154 kills and 65 aces for a Lady Horns team that won 35 games in 2011.
“Shannon is very mature for her age,” said her varsity volleyball coach Donald Zapalac. “She has been around volleyball for a long time. She has the benefit of Leah being around volleyball for a long time. Even coming in as a freshman, she doesn’t let things bother her.
Athletically, it’s just there. Her hands are terrific. When I talk to other coaches about her it’s her deception as a setter, when you can have deception, and the blockers don’t know were you are going with the ball, that’s a big key.”
2011 ALL-AREA FIRST TEAM
LaNeshia Hunt, Sr., OH, Shiner
At times the senior was the only consistent attacking force for the Comanches, yet still found a way to hit through the two-person blocks of opponents. Hunt had 401 digs, more than 200 kills and 69 aces for Shiner.
Miranda Hogsed, Sr. Libero, Industrial
She returned from an ACL injury her junior year to help the Cobras breeze through District 26-2A undefeated. Industrial went on to finish 24-6, in part because of Hogsed’s 450 digs and 28 aces.
They were pleased that Miranda was able to come through her surgery well and come back and be an impact player for Industrial.
“She is a really big part of our team,” said Industrial coach Sandra Fellers. “She has played multiple positions for us. She has been our libero, she’s been an outside hitter. At one point she led us in aces. She is a huge and is a huge team leader. She is a competitor and loves to win. She is responsible for a lot of good things that happened in our varsity over the last three years.”
Sage Sexton, Sr., OH, Calhoun
A four-year letter winner for the Sandies Sexton was the team’s emotional leader throughout 2011. She helped Calhoun return to the playoffs, then, according to head coach Virginia Parsons, played some of the best volleyball of her life during team’s playoff run.
“Sage has worked hard as a volleyball player since her freshman year and had only played the front row, which gave her a lot of experience. But, when I got here I soon realized her impact on the back row as well. She stepped up her overall game and helped lead the Sandies.”
Sexton closed her varsity career with 269 kills, 316 digs, 51 blocks and 30 aces.
Morgan Lienemann, Jr., OH, Victoria East
The junior did not sneak up on opponents after in 2011 after being named the 2010 Newcomer of the Year, and didn’t shirk from the attention. She was the most consistent presence for a Titans team that began the season spectacularly slow, but wound up taking second in District 30-4A and advancing to the area playoffs. She led Victoria East with 439 kills, 247 digs and 205 digs.
Ashtyn Henkes, Sr., MB, Yoakum
The senior middle blocker led Yoakum in kills and blocks with 404 and 134 respectively. She was a large reason why the Lady Bulldogs went 26-12 and advanced to the area round of the playoffs in 2011.
“She was our big middle,” said Yoakum volleyball coach Paula Berger. “One really important factor in her play this year was her quickness. She shifted really well from blocking defensively to a quick attack. She was exciting to watch play this year.”
Kelsea Kalich, Jr., OH, Victoria West
The junior was the Warriors second leading attacker with 385 kills during the regular season. Her front row blocking and back row defense allowed the Warriors to constrict opponent offenses. Kalich helped the Warriors advance to regional tournament for the second straight year.
“She is our power outside hitter (especially with) her aggressiveness on offense,” Longoria said. “She hits the ball very hard and pretty accurately. She compliments Kelly (Fowler.) Kelsea knows one-speed and that’s all out.”
Ryah Michalec, Sr., Libero, Shiner
Michalec’s athleticism routinely made opposing teams produce extra attacks to try to get past the Shiner defense. Her 550 digs and 38 aces, in addition to her sprawling play in the back of the Comanches defense, helped Shiner won a challenging District 29-1A.
“There’s a reason she wears the white jersey,” said Michalec’s coach Michelle Winkenwerder after a match this season. “She takes her job seriously, which is to keep it off the floor. There is a reason she is our leading digger.”
Lauren Hlavaty, Jr., OH, Louise
Louise finished the regular season third in District 29-1A, but got hot at the right time, advancing all the way to the regional semifinal. Hlvaty, one of three holdovers from the 2009 state championship team, was a big reason the Hornets finished 2011 23-16.
“She was by far our best offensive player,” said Louise volleyball coach Bryan Branch. “She was our only legitimate threat to attack. She struggled last year in that and really worked at that over the summer and got better at that.
“As well as being our best hitter she is one of our two top passers. She is an excellent defender, which allowed us to not take her off the court and allowed her to play in the back row. We ran our offense through her 90 percent of the time. Especially in the playoffs, she really stepped her game up.”
2011 ALL-AREA SECOND TEAM
Rachel Hamon, Jr., MB, Victoria West
Cassie Stafford, Sr., S, Shiner
Madison Kucera, So., OH, Edna
Analise Ybarbo, Jr., MB, St. Joseph
Leanna Dunk, Sr., OH, Flatonia
Katie Williams, Sr., OH Victoria East
Melina Ortiz, Jr., MB, Calhoun
Lesley Seidenberger, Jr., OH, Yoakum
Jordan Fedorchak, Sr., OH, Victoria West
Marissa Ynclan, Sr., MB, Shiner St. Paul
Lauren Jones, Sr., S, Hallettsville
Chelsea Slaughter, Sr., OH, Palacios
HONORABLE MENTION
BAY CITY: Chazmin Franklin, Haley Dibbern
BLOOMINGTON: Brittany Wallace, Ariana Ortiz, Katie Williams
CALHOUN: Ciana Tankelewicz, Melina Ortiz, Jayda Barton, Jordan Edison
CUERO: Abby Sheppard, Emily Valenta
EAST BERNARD: Terralyn Williams, Ashley Dusek
EDNA: Kealeigh Alex, Katrina Jackson, Natasha Evans
EL CAMPO: Becca Korenek, Lauren Gregurek, Amy Pflughaupt, Nikki Grant
FAITH ACADEMY: Gabbie Torres, Emily Reinke
FLATONIA: Abigail Rodriguez, Alex Bruns, Courtney Mica
GANADO: Ashley Bridges
GOLIAD: Lanna Gonzales, Ashtin Zamzow, Kaitlyn Bleier
GONZALES: Danyelle Glass, Carly Bozka
HALLETTSVILLE: Cassidy Targac, Heather Henneke, Cheyenne Dowdey
HALLETTSVILLE SACRED HEART: Adrienne Klimitchek, Shelby McElroy
INDUSTRIAL: McKayla Lenamon, McKenna Zacek, Bianca Moreno
KARNES CITY: Jonie Reyes, Sarah Barkley, Aileen Lundquist, Calli Ferguson
LOUISE: Shayla Machichek, Kaleigh Kutac
NIXON-SMILEY: Devon Tristan
PALACIOS: Geneva Perez
REFUGIO: Michelle Rosas, Jackie Gonzalez, Lexy Hawthorne
RICE CONSOLIDATED: Kelsey Danklefs; Kaycie Rathburn
SCHULENBURG: India Connor, Sarah Walker, Tanner Guentert, Kristin Moring,
SHINER: Lauren Oden, Amanise Coleman, Kristin Schacherl
SHINER ST. PAUL: Kourtney Knesek, Alexa Schaeffer, Kali Kocian
St. JOSEPH: Natalie Bales, Lauren Kurtz
TIDEHAVEN: Kerissa Wiley, Brianna Rozner, Sarah Siptak
VAN VLECK: Ansley Garcia, Sha'mera Pettit
VICTORIA EAST: Amy Stasny, Hannah Jaschke, Bianca Trevino
VICTORIA WEST: Blair Butschek, Kelly Fowler, Jordan Fedorchak, Bryana Frazer
WEIMAR: Payton Wunderlich
WHARTON: Chekel Farr, Shanice Baldwin
WOODSBORO: Bria Brown, Toni Martinez, Taylor Perez
YOAKUM: Ryan Hagan, Camiel DeSmet
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