Sydney Johnson, Edgewood senior
Johnson was already a big part of Edgewood’s offense last season but the Wildcats needed more from her as a senior if they wanted to have the same success. Johnson was consistently one of the team’s top outside hitters, doing most of her work from the right side. She turned things up a notch in the postseason, recording 31 kills in the state tournament including 13 on 13 swings in the final match to help Edgewood repeat as AISA-AA champions.
“Our team goes as our ball control goes,” Edgewood coach David DeLozier said after the championship match. “When we get a good first touch, our setters can put the ball in a better spot for our hitters and we have good hitters so we want them to get a chance to take a rip at it.”
Alex Green, Stanhope Elmore senior
Green could be officially listed as the setter for the Mustangs but that title would not do her role justice as she contributed in a variety of ways in the attack and from the back row. Green rarely went to the bench even with a loaded roster and she earned the playing time. She was the lead facilitator of the attack, recording 274 assists, while also adding 158 kills at the net. Green helped out on defense with 97 digs and was a consistent weapon from the service line, finishing with 52 aces.
“With her playing several different positions, that’s always helpful,” SEHS coach Virginia Barber said. “But the biggest thing I have seen from her is that she has become a coach on the court and it’s big to have a player like that. That’s what stood out more than anything else.”
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Yennifer Gomez, Wetumpka senior
After showing flashes of greatness in her first two seasons at the varsity level, Gomez put it all together during her senior year to help lead Wetumpka back to within one win of the state tournament. Gomez rarely left the court and was essential to most plays as she got to show off her versatility both at the net and on the back row. She led Wetumpka with 221 kills and helped out on defense with 570 digs. Gomez also had a 93 percent success rate from the service line.
“She’s just so calm under pressure,” Wetumpka coach DeAnna Smith said. “She never shows too much emotion which is good to have out there sometimes. She’s always steady. I could always see that she had a hunger for the game to just keep getting better.”
Erin Douglass, Wetumpka junior
Douglass was the anchor of Wetumpka’s defense in her second season as the team’s starting libero. She was not only charged with making last-ditch efforts to keep points alive but also putting the ball back in play so her offense could get back in control. Douglass finished with 1,021 digs and also provided a spark from behind the service line where she converted on 93 percent of her serves and recorded 43 aces.
“Without that first pass, nothing else is going to work,” Wetumpka coach DeAnna Smith said. “It’s all about trying to stay within our system so she has to get the setter the ball to give a chance for one of our hitters. And she was one of the top servers. She is a very reliable player.”
Chloe Andress, Elmore County senior
Consistency and familiarity with a setter can play a huge role in determining how successful a volleyball team is and Chloe Andress provided both of those things for the Panthers in her final season. In her third season with the team, she was one of the lone staples in Elmore County’s lineup from the beginning of the year until the postseason. Andress finished with 285 assists as the starting setter, spreading the ball out to a handful of the team’s top hitters at the net. She also provided a boost on defense with 50 digs.
“Her experience out there had a calming effect on the younger girls,” ECHS coach Kim Moncrief said. “She’s such a motivator and they look to her for encouragement, She gives it her all on every play and she really leads by example. She’s going to be hard to replace.”
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Coranda Lozada, Elmore County sophomore
When Elmore County’s lineup saw some changes early in the season, Lozada was one of the beneficiaries as her playing time skyrocketed. After starting the season on the bench, she quickly moved into a starting role and eventually became an every-point player by the end of the season. She finished with 95 kills in the attack while pitching in 96 digs on the defensive end.
“During the summer, we worked a lot on her hitting and I always knew her vertical jump was really high,” ECHS coach Kim Moncrief said. “It was a no brainer she was going to be on varsity and she was going to be working for a starting spot. She came in and started getting playing time in tournaments then she really turned it up. It really turned up her confidence.”
Honorable Mention
Wetumpka – Kylie Wilson, Jr.; Stanhope Elmore – Rylie Grimes, Jr., Rikki McAdams, Sr.; Tallassee – Lexi Love, Sr., Belle Haynes, Jr.; ECHS – Kelley Green, Sr., Abbi Williams, Fr.; Holtville – Kelsey Franklin, Sr., Karsyn Findley, Sr.; Edgewood – Faith Wheat, Sr., Haylee Brown, Sr.
