High school volleyball: The Olympian’s fall 2021 All-Area team

First and second-team selections for The Olympian’s 2021 fall All-Area team.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Kate Johnson, Olympia, right-side hitter, sr. — First team All 4A South Puget Sound League South in her only full season of varsity play at Olympia, Johnson used her powerful left-handed swing to record 270 kills on a .257 hitting efficiency. She added 21 solo blocks and 17 assists. During the 4A state tournament, in which the Bears snagged eighth place, she upped her efficiency to .310. Johnson overcame a benign tumor in her ankle that required surgery and cost her most of her sophomore and junior seasons to become a team captain and a force opponents found difficult to deal with during her final season. “She’s a super productive hitter,” said coach Laurie Creighton. “She hits a heavy ball and came up with big kills in big moments. Kate has a strong, steady, focused on-court presence.”

COACH OF THE YEAR

Laurie Creighton, Olympia —An obvious sentimental choice as she completed a 43-year career at Olympia, Creighton earned the honor on the court, taking Bears farther than any other local team in this season’s state tournaments. Olympia finished eighth in 4A. Creighton led the Bears to state championships in 1998 and 2011. She completed her career with 870 victories, second most in Washington history behind only former Colfax and Deer Park coach Susan Doering, who amassed 904 between 1984 and 2017. “I chose a great group of kids to go out with,” Creighton said of this season’s squad. “They did a fantastic job of finishing strong and taking their season and, obviously, my last season all the way out to the last possible day at the state tournament. I couldn’t be any prouder of how they went about their business.”

FIRST TEAM

OUTSIDE HITTERS

Hannah Byers, Olympia, soph. — Though she missed the first five weeks of the season with an injury, Byers still led the Bears with 319 kills and 3.7 kills per set. She was an 89.1 percent server and upped her .260 regular season hitting percentage to .292 at 4A state, where she had a double-double in all four matches. A top-level beach player, Byers also made All-Area as a freshman. “Hannah is an undeniable talent,” Creighton said. “She has an unassuming personality, but plays big.”

Brooklynn Hayes, Tumwater, soph. — Despite a position change from libero to outside hitter, Hayes earned first team All-2A Evergreen Conference honors. She was All-Area last season as a libero. She led the Thunderbirds in digs with 5.14 per set. “We decided to move her to the outside this season and she continued to be just as strong a competitor as she was at libero last season,” said Tumwater co-coach Jordan Stray.

Olivia Hisaw, Black Hills, sr. — A team captain who was named first team All-2A EvCo for the second time, Hisaw led the Wolves in kills with 156 and attacking efficiency at .320. She served 90 percent with 35 aces. “Olivia is a complete six rotation player who can attack, serve and play defense,” said coach Paige Walker, who guided Black Hills to an undefeated 2A EvCo season.

Alexis Meyer, North Thurston, soph. — Meyer earned first team All-3A South Sound Conference honors after hitting .266 for a Rams team that reached the 3A state tournament. She also had 20 aces, 28 blocks and 160 digs. She helped lead the team with her energy and encouragement, coach Jackie Meyer, her mom, said.

Brooke Parsons, North Thurston, sr. — The 3A South Sound Conference co-offensive MVP, Parsons led the Rams in kills with 184 on a .222 hitting percentage as they reached the 3A state tournament. She served at 97 percent and had 16 aces plus 143 digs. “Brooke has a calming presence,” said Meyer. “The girls know she’s our go-to person, that she’s going to put the ball away.”

MIDDLE BLOCKERS

Isabela Burney, Tumwater, jr. —As with the T-Bird football team, which had two tight ends share league MVP honors, state tournament participant Tumwater fields two All-Area quality middles, including Burney, who earned first team All-2A EvCo accolades by averaging a block per set, with a high of seven vs. a strong Washington team. “Bella is an exceptional blocker. It shows in the way she leads our net defense,” said Stray.

Alyssa Duncan, Tumwater, sr. — A repeat All-Area selection who was the 2A EvCo MVP during the spring season, Duncan led Tumwater with 2.68 kills per set. “Alyssa is a fierce competitor who pushes herself and her team to win,” said Stray. “These two middles make practices so fierce, constantly blocking each other and the rest of their team mates.”

Laney Sneva, North Thurston, jr. — The older of two sisters who alternate in the middle for the Rams, Sneva led North Thurston with 37 blocks and averaged two kills per set on a .254 hitting percentage. She earned first team All-3A SSC.

Anna White, W.F. West, sr. — The durable White played in every set for the Bearcats and led the team in blocking with 23 solos and 16 assists. A captain, she was voted Most Inspirational by her team mates. Coach Robert Lucas called White “always positive, encouraging and enthusiastic, welcoming new players without prompting.”

SETTERS

Sydney Bronson, Capital, sr. — A six-rotation player, Bronson stuffed the stat sheet with 169 digs, 126 assists, 97 serve receptions, 84 kills, 47 aces and 27 blocks while hitting .278. Coach Katie Turcotte calls Bronson, a repeat member of the All-Area team, “one of the most well-rounded players. She has a great eye for the game and reads very, very well. A very dynamic, tough player.”

Alex Loveless, Black Hills, jr. —The 2A Evergreen Conference MVP, Loveless racked up 547 assists for an average of 9.3 per set. She had an attack percentage of .375, totaled 91 digs and 44 aces. “She’s a total workhorse and the most coachable player on the team,” said Walker. “She’s completely selfless and our only player to play in every set of every match.”

LIBEROS

Evie Rooklidge, Centralia, sr. — Rooklidge served at a 99 percent clip for the Tigers, adding 23 digs and two aces per match. First team All-2A EvCo, Rooklidge’s energetic style helped propel Centralia to the league championship during the spring season.

Taryn Wilson, Olympia, sr. — A repeat member of the All-Area team, Wilson totaled 509 digs for the Bears and had 82 assists and 39 aces while serving 89.5 percent. A two-year captain and first team All-4A SPSL selection, Wilson “stepped up her defense to another level at state,” according to Creighton. “She has a high character and makes great choices. She’s leaving a great legacy.”

SECOND TEAM

Audrey Beaudoin, Shelton, Sr.; Lily Bauer, Black Hills, Jr.; Ellie Copeland, Timberline, Sr.; Jaelynn Carrier, Yelm, Sr,; Payton Childers, Black Hills, Jr.; Molly Corak, Yelm, Sr.; Elinor Davis, Capital, Jr.; Kate Herrick, Olympia, So.; Aubrey Moore, Elma, So,; Mya Phelps, Yelm, Sr.; Morgan Rogerson, W.F. West, Jr.; Kambriah Simper, W.F. West, Sr.; Emerson Sims, Black Hills, Jr.; Mckenzie Uyehara, North Thurston, Jr.