Which Missouri Freshmen Left Their Mark in 2019?
The 2019 Missouri High School volleyball season is one for the books, with Advance, Hermann, St. Francis Borgia and Nixa all leaving Cape Girardeau with a state title. The evolution of freshman from the first day of camp to the…
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Continue ReadingThe 2019 Missouri High School volleyball season is one for the books, with Advance, Hermann, St. Francis Borgia and Nixa all leaving Cape Girardeau with a state title.
The evolution of freshman from the first day of camp to the final whistle of their first season can be incredible. Other times, a freshman’s impact on their team is immediate. Whatever the scenario, here is a group of players whose mark on their team – and on the high school volleyball scene in 2019 – was a significant one.
Reese Gray – Outside Hitter, Lesterville
Gray helped Lesterville capture its fourth straight district title and advance to the state quarterfinals, all while being just behind star Mallory Polk in kills with 321. The outside hitter is one of two freshman on the Missouri High School Volleyball Coaches Association All-State team for Class 1 – in large part due to performances like the one in the state quarterfinals against Billings, where she had 23 kills and hit .333. Gray also had 401 digs and 37 aces in 2019. The Bearcats finished the year at 18-14-4, but will be a team to watch in 2020 as it loses just two varsity players to graduation.
Logan Jones – Setter, Carl Junction
Imagine walking into workouts your first year of high school volleyball and then, just weeks later, being called upon to lead your team’s offense. Jones more than embraced that roll for Carl Junction in 2019. The freshman received first-team all-conference honors for her 817 assists, good enough to average 9.5 assist per set. She plays her club volleyball with the Ozark Juniors.
Ava Roth – Libero, Jefferson (Festus)
Roth finished 2019 with JCAA first-team all-conference honors as a libero, as well as being named her team’s most valuable player. Impressive stuff for a freshman. Roth averaged just under 5.5 digs per set for Jefferson this season. In the district semis against Arcadia Valley, Roth had 39 digs in the three-set loss. Jefferson will be a team to watch in 2020, as the Blue Jays lose just a couple of significant players to graduation.
Emma Siron – Middle Hitter, Sacred Heart
Siron shares the honor of being one of two freshman on the all-state team in Class 1 with Gray of Lesterville. The middle hitter was nearly unstoppable in the latter half of the season, and she ended 2019 with 332 kills, 145 digs, 56 blocks and 72 aces. In the final match of the season – the district final against Calvary Lutheran – Siron had an impressive 18 kills, 6 solo blocks 18 digs and 6 aces. The effort nearly put the Griffins over the hump and into sectionals. Siron will spend her club season with Invasion KC and should turn some heads.
Swindle – courtesy KC PowerVolleyball
Ella Swindle – Setter, Rock Bridge
Ella Swindle is pretty accomplished for being just a freshman. In 2018, she was part of the USA Select A1 National Training Program and added to her list of accomplishments after being named to the Class 4 All-State team last week. In her first season as Rock Bridge’s setter, she was masterful, averaging nine assists per set, totaling 747 assists. Oh – she also has 97 kills, 52 aces and 237 digs. Maybe the biggest honor of them all? Being named captain of the Bruins as a freshman. That is the epitome of leadership.
Maya Watkins – Outside Hitter, East Buchanan
Watkins led East Buchanan in kills with 276 and was a formidable force beside fellow outside Addisyn Ishmael. The Bulldogs reached the state quarterfinals where they lost to St. Paul Lutheran in three sets; but the Bulldogs have a good shot to make even more noise next season with Watkins and fellow first-team all-district selection in setter Emma Klein. In 2019, Watkins also had 266 digs and 46 aces.