Class 1B: Top Teams – Firm Foundation Christian
The next high school volleyball season won’t start in Washington until March 2021, but there’s absolutely no reason why we should wait until there to know more about the best teams in each class. In this series, we’ll dissect each…
Access all of Prep Dig
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingThe next high school volleyball season won’t start in Washington until March 2021, but there’s absolutely no reason why we should wait until there to know more about the best teams in each class. In this series, we’ll dissect each of the state’s six divisions by analyzing the top teams and the most promising players and what we can expect from them when the balls are finally allowed to fly. In the second week, Class 1B will be in the spotlights.
Firm Foundation Christian
Firm Foundation Christian has a brief, but promising history in the division as the Lady Eagles have appeared at the State Championships in each of their three campaigns, amassing a fifth-place finish in 2018 and a seventh-place result last year. The team won’t see the return of four seniors from last year’s squad, but with their main scorers and top setter still part of the roster, Firm Foundation should be able to be among the division’s elite once again.
Their three key players are:
Katie Kogler– Middle-Blocker – Senior
Katie Kogler is the centerpiece of everything Firm Foundation Christian does on a volleyball court and next season is the last one in which the Lady Eagles will be able to capitalize on her presence. An All-State second-team selection in 2019, she led the team in kills, blocks and aces in each of her three seasons of high school volleyball. The six-foot middle-blocker was exceptionally effective last season, when she added 389 kills (more than all of her teammates combined), 79 of the team’s 94 blocks and 56 aces.
Elsa Helmes – Middle-Blocker/Defensive Specialist – Sophomore
Elsa Helmes’ rise last season provided Kogler with some much-needed help as the freshman displayed massive improvement from her performance as an eighth-grader in 2018. The 5’5” Helmes might be slightly undersized for the middle-blocker role, but she quickly became Firm Foundation’s secondary scoring option with 123 kills and 51 aces and also contributed immensely to the Lady Eagles’ defensive system with 15 blocks, a team-high 250 digs and 231 passes.
Abbie Helmes – Setter – Senior
Elsa’s older sister Abbie has been doing a good job of orchestrating Firm Foundation’s offense. The 5’4” setter has been wisely using her top attacking pieces as much as she can, which led her to register a career-high 295 assists last season. She also helped the Lady Eagles in other aspects of the game with 43 aces and 130 digs.