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Saturday, December 1, 2018
Denton Record-Chronicle
Denton Record-Chronicle
2018 All-Area Volleyball Team FIRST TEAM Kenzie Turkoly Sanger, Sr.
The Turkoly name is a prized name mentioned all across Sanger athletics, from softball to basketball and volleyball. Kenzie more than lived up to that family legacy while posting 256 kills, 780 assists, 402 digs and 57 aces during Sanger’s trip to the region finals. She was a first team all-district selection and also earned all-state honors for her role in the Lady Indians’ historic run.
Ella Marr Liberty Christian, Sr.
Liberty Christian had an impressive regular season and cruised through the TAPPS 6A District I schedule. Marr was a big part of that success as a senior, finishing with 258 kills, 26 aces, 94 digs and 101 blocks to earn district MVP honors. Marr was one of two area players, joining Denton’s Taylor Thomas, to be named a district MVP this year.
Brooke Slusser Guyer, So.
Slusser was the key to just about everything Guyer did this year and overcame an early season injury to help the Lady Wildcats make some noise in the vaunted District 5-6A race that featured Southlake Carroll and Trophy Club Nelson. Slusser finished her sophomore year with 512 assists, 263 digs, 228 kills and 54 aces, earning first team all-district honors.
Gabbi Roelofs
Sydney Price
Sanger, Sr.
Besides Sydney Price, if there was one name being chanted by the fans when Sanger needed a rally, it was usually Gabbi Roelofs. Roelofs, a senior, was a first-team all-district selection while finishing her final season with 334 kills and 98 digs. Roelofs joined Turkoly as an allstate selection and certainly left her mark in her final year with the Lady Indians’ program.
Sanger, Sr. It’s difficult to argue any other volleyball player in the Denton area had more of an impact on her team’s performance than Sanger’s Sydney Price. The senior middle blocker was a menace to opposing defenses at the net and finished with 459 kills and 101 blocks. She helped ease the transition from Tammy Niemczyk to Scott Montgomery as the Lady Indians thrived under their first-year coach. Price came up with big play after big play at the most crucial times while guiding the Lady Indians to the regional final – their deepest run in school history. The senior was the Co-Blocker of the Year in District 11-4A, where she helped Sanger clinch a share of the district title for the first time since 1986. Price will continue her volleyball career next year at Oklahoma Baptist.
Jordyn Williams Guyer, So.
Williams again gave Guyer a formidable one-two punch at the net, teaming with senior Rachel Tullos to give opponents problems all year long. Williams had a teamhigh 421 kills, 128 blocks and 232 digs and was also a first team all-district selection. With Tullos off to Arkansas State next season, coach Heather Van Noy and the Lady Wildcats will rely even more heavily on Williams.
Nicole Schroeder Ryan, Jr.
Schroeder was named the District 8-5A defensive specialist of the year, but that only told part of the role she played for the Lady Raiders. Ryan fell short of the playoffs, but Schroeder was difficult for opponents to account for as she lined up all over the court in 2018 as a hitter, setter and defender while recording 756 digs, 64 aces and 76 assists.
Ruthie Forson Lake Dallas, Jr.
Lake Dallas went through a lot of early season struggles, but the Lady Falcons got things figured out and were able to make a late push to qualify for the playoffs in District 8-5A. Forson was a key part of the turnaround under firstyear head coach Jason Roemer, finishing with 977 assists, 276 digs and 43 aces. She was named district’s Setter of the Year and will be a key returner for Roemer next season.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
SETTER OF THE YEAR
Kaia Saylor Aubrey, Jr. Saylor’s 598 kills are not only the most in the area, they are 139 more than the next in line. Her dominance was imporatnt for the Lady Chaps, who depended heavily on Saylor to help lead the team in coach Whitney Stout’s first season. Saylor, who is committed to TWU, averaged over five kills per set to go along with her 490 digs, 71 blocks and 40 aces. Aubrey advanced to the second round of the playoffs and went 27-15 this year, but the expectations will be high next year with Saylor back to lead the way.
BLOCKER OF THE YEAR
Tytiana Johnson
Kassidy Reeves Argyle, Jr. There’s plenty of reason why hitters like Paxton McGlinch and Mariah Hesselgesser have had dominating careers for the Lady Eagles, but perhaps the biggest is having a capable setter in their corner. That’s what Reeves has been for the last three seasons. The junior continues to put up all-state caliber numbers (874 assists, 369 digs, 53 kills and 50 service aces) and was instrumental in Argyle’s run to the third round of the playoffs. Reeves will be back next season as the Lady Eagles look to return to the state tournament.
Braswell, Jr.
Johnson was a force at the net, and her 142 blocks were the second-most in the area this year. The junior middle blocker also had 281 kills for the Lady Bengals, helping the team advanced to the playoffs in only its third year as a program. Johnson will be a centerpiece for coach Allison Irvin next year as Braswell looks to continue to build on some early success.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR Rachel Tullos Guyer, Sr.
Kylee Anderson Ponder, Jr.
Kylee Anderson was the District 9-3A libero of the year for Ponder, helping the Lady Lions advance to the third round of the playoffs for the second time in three years. The Lady Lions went 33-12 this year as Anderson posted 536 digs and 33 aces. She will be back again next year to lead the defensive charge under coach Stormi Snider, who is 8247 over the last three years.
Paxton McGlinch Argyle, Sr.
McGlinch had one of the more inspiring performances of anyone in the Denton area by playing through a back injury to lead Argyle to a share of the District 8-5A title. She was hitter of the year in district with 337 kills, 426 digs, 29 blocks and 29 aces. McGlinch was also an allstate selection and will now head off to Stetson University to play beach volleyball at the college level.
Mariah Hesselgesser Argyle, Jr. Hesselgesser turned heads as a freshman two years ago during one of Argyle’s runs to the state tournament and continues to get better. As a junior, Hesselgesser had 341 kills and 123 blocks to earn blocker of the year honors in a district that featured eventual state champion, Decatur. A versatile player, Hesselgesser will surely take on a bigger role next year.
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
After transferring to Guyer from Flower Mound’s Coram Deo Academy last year, Tullos quickly turned into one of the Lady Wildcats’ most important and passionate players. As a senior, she helped Guyer go 30-17. Tullos’ emphatic blocks and powerful kills often sparked the Lady Wildcats’ on both sides of the net, and she was named the District 5-6A defensive player of the year. Tullos had 371 kills, 181 blocks, 146 digs and 16 aces in her final year at Guyer, and the Lady Wildcats will now have to shift their focus to replacing both her leadership and her dominant play on the court in the coming years.
UTILITY PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Meagan Cope
Taylor Thomas
Ponder, Sr.
Denton, So.
Ponder has developed into one of the area’s top volleyball teams on an annual basis and Cope has been key to the program’s rise over the last few years. As a senior, she contributed 404 kills, 57 blocks and 48 aces to help the Lady Lions advance to the third round of the playoffs again this year. Cope was a first team all-district selection in her final year at Ponder.
Thomas did it all for the Lady Broncos as a sophomore, helping Denton post an area-best 35 wins. Thomas was the only player in the area to end the year with more than 260 kills, 260 digs and 200 assists, which shows her versatility in different positions for Denton. Thomas was the District 8-5A MVP after leading the Lady Broncos to the district title, and expectations will continue to rise as Thomas returns for coach Cassie Headrick next year.
Allie Jones Argyle, Jr.
Mariah Hesselgesser and Paxton McGlinch often stole the show for Argyle but Allie Jones was an important part of the team’s success as a junior. Jones contributed 408 digs, 258 kills, 53 blocks and 26 aces to earn first team honors. Argyle went 26-17 and went to the third round of the playoffs, and Jones will return next season alongside Hesselgesser, Reeves and a handful of other key players.
COACH OF THE YEAR Scott Montgomery
SECOND TEAM Name Kiley Goodrum Payton Lucas Shelby Malone Laney Roos Leah Stolfus Tori Kelly Candice Collier Madeline Guffy Madison Brown Sydney Soto Averee Tipton Miranda Guffy
School Class Liberty Sr. Krum So. Pilot Point So. Aubrey Jr. Denton So. Ryan Sr. Lake Dallas Sr. Krum So. Braswell Sr. Denton Jr. Ponder So. Krum So.
Stats 271 digs, 212 kills, 38 aces 439 kills, 308 digs, 64 aces, 28 blocks 342 kills, 283 digs, 44 aces, 23 blocks 568 digs, 46 aces 248 kills, 72 blocks 387 kills, 480 digs, 36 aces 286 digs, 267 kills 586 assists, 294 digs, 137 kills, 72 aces 588 digs, 58 aces 304 kills, 364 digs, 28 aces 1,250 assists, 351 digs 541 assists, 268 digs, 74 kills, 56 aces
Sanger
Maggie Walsh Guyer, Fr. Guyer coach Heather Van Noy was hopeful Maggie Walsh would be able to carve out an important role as a freshman, and Walsh did just that. She was a reliable weapon for the Lady Wildcats in key situations and gives Guyer a lot to be excited about in the future when paired with returners Jordyn Williams and Brooke Slusser. Walsh had 342 digs, 191 kills and 52 blocks, earning district Newcomer of the Year honors.
DRC file photos, feature photo of Sydney Price by Jeff Woo
When former Sanger head coach Tammy Niemczyk departed for an administration job in Pilot Point, Montgomery made perfect sense as her replacement after spending five years as an assistant with the Lady Indians. Montgomery quickly led Sanger to its first ever appearance in the regional final. The Lady Indians finished the year 29-18.