Order in the court: Blue Valley North senior middle hitter Cook paces roundup of All-Sun volleyball stars |
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| Written by Mark Dewar | |||
| Wednesday, 03 February 2010 00:00 | |||
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She rewrote whole sections of the Blue Valley North High School volleyball record books. Now the book on the Mustangs’ 6-1 senior middle hitter and Duke University recruit Chelsea Cook includes All-Sun Player of the Year status, up from the ranks of this well-rounded volleyballer’s second-team All-Sun recognition of a year ago.
Accolade upon accolade found their way to the well-rounded Cook in a senior season to remember, one that culminated with fourth place for the Mustangs at the Class 6A state tournament. A litany of honors came the way of Cook, the East Kansas League Player of the Year and Gatorade Kansas Player of the Year. A Kansas Volleyball Association Class 6A first-team all-state pick, she also earned 6A state all-tournament team recognition. A four-year starter and two-year captain, she exits the Mustangs scene with school single-season and career records for kills and hitting attempts. She rates among the program’s top 10 in passing attempts, aces, serving attempts and blocks. This year’s numbers included 411 kills and a kill efficiency of .380 in 878 attempts. She had 93 blocks, a passing percentage of 1.83, 48 digs and 43 aces. Here now is a look at the 11 other top performers who join Cook to comprise the 2009 All-Sun first team. Lauren Brown St. James Academy Brown, a 5-9 senior setter and right-side hitter for the repeat Class 4A state champions, earned Kansas Volleyball Association 4A first-team all-state recognition and made the 4A state all-tournament team. She served up 54 aces and enjoyed a 93-percent serving percentage. She had 166 kills, a .400 hitting percentage and led her team with 606 assists. She managed 199 digs and 31 solo blocks. She will play collegiately at Appalachian State.“Lauren has been a huge asset to our program,” St. James Academy coach Nancy Dorsey said. “She has been a four-year starter and has finished her career in the (overall) top three of almost every statistical category that exists. She is not only a great player but has been an absolute pleasure to coach.” Liz Buck Blue Valley West Buck, a 5-7 right side hitter, powered her way to Kansas Volleyball Association Class 6A first-team all-state and 6A state all-tournament team status for the state runner-up Jaguars. She was a first-team All-East Kansas League selection as well. The southpaw made the move to the outside hitter position for the Jags this season, putting down 248 kills for a kill efficiency of .196 and 3.03 kills per game. She had 39 aces, serving at 91 percent. She averaged .45 aces and .32 blocks per game. The athletic Buck will attend Drake University on a softball scholarship. “Liz has been a part of four 6A state runner-up teams at Blue Valley West,” Blue Valley West coach Terry Flynn said. “As a senior co-captain and one of the lead hitters on this year’s team, Liz could be counted on to turn a crucial shot, pound the ball for a kill or jump serve for a point at exactly the right time in a match.” Margaret Clark St. Thomas Aquinas This 5-11 senior setter will continue her volleyball career at Auburn University after she exited the Saints scene with Kansas Volleyball Association Class 5A first-team all-state status and 5A state all-tournament team honors. She enjoyed first-team All-East Kansas League status for the 5A state runner-up Saints as well. “Margaret is a team captain,” St. Thomas Aquinas coach Kim Bogart said, “and floor leader.” Lauren Ford St. Thomas Aquinas This 5-10 junior outside hitter enjoyed a big jump in her play and reaped the benefits with a Kansas Volleyball Association Class 5A second-team all-state nod and place on the 5A state all-tournament team. She was a second-team All-East Kansas League pick for the 5A state runner-up Saints. She led Aquinas in kills and was third on the team in attack percentage and digs. “Our go-to player,” St. Thomas Aquinas coach Kim Bogart said. “A huge jump from last year to this year. A key all-around player and hard worker.” Hanna Forst St. James Academy Forst, a 6-0 junior left side hitter, landed a place on the Kansas Volleyball Association Class 4A all-state first team and 4A state all-tournament team for the repeat state champs. She rung up 43 aces with a 93-percent serve percentage. She led the Thunder with 405 kills and boasted a .400 hitting percentage. She had 293 digs and 44 solo blocks. She will continue her volleyball career at the University of South Carolina. “Hanna is an excellent player and amazing young woman,” St. James Academy coach Nancy Dorsey said. “She led us this season in kills and has really developed into one of our main leaders.” Lindsey Sauls SM East This 5-10 senior outside hitter achieved Kansas Volleyball Association Class 6A second-team all-state honors in addition to first-team All-Sunflower League status. Sauls was a MO-KAN all-star as well. She boasted 332 kills, a 55.6 kills percentage and 4.88 kills per set. She fired 29 aces with .50 aces per set. Her 165 digs made for a 2.4 digs-per-set average. “Lindsey has improved so much since her freshman year,” Shawnee Mission East coach Scott Dowis said. “She has developed into one of the most dominant attackers in the city over the last two seasons. I really think that Lindsey is just starting to realize her potential. I think that she has such a high ceiling to her game.” Kareen Schwartze SM East Schwartze, a 5-10 senior outside hitter, earned Kansas Volleyball Association Class 6A second-team all-state recognition, and closer to home, first-team All-Sunflower League status and a MO-KAN all-star berth. She recorded 308 kills with 4.53 kills per set and a kill percentage of 43.9. She had 701 attacks and an attack efficiency of .297. She fueled 54 aces, averaging .79 per set. She had 238 digs with 3.5 per set. Her passing efficiency was 2.24. “Kareen has had a tremendous career at East, starting on varsity ever since her freshman year,” Shawnee Mission East coach Scott Dowis said. “Our team was dealt a major blow last year when she tore her ACL. She has shown a great deal of character and determination during her rehab. Returning at full strength this year, Kareen showed her versatility by ranking in the top three of each individual statistical category that we tracked.” Laura Skaggs Bishop Miege Skaggs, a 5-6 senior, excelled as a libero and captain for the repeat Class 5A state-champion Stags, who finished the season 38-5. Skaggs’ honors included spots on the MO-KAN all-star team and Kansas Volleyball Association 5A all-state second team and 5A state all-tournament team. She was the East Kansas League Defensive Player of the Year. She served at a 96-percent clip, with 34 aces spread over 103 games. She had 304 digs, averaging 3.3 per game. She had a serve reception average of 2.25 and went 243 of 404 on perfect passes. “Laura was a solid defender on our team,” Bishop Miege coach Gwenn Pike said. “She has been very successful with her great ball control over digs, serve and serve reception. Laura became very dependable, consistent and dominant throughout the season.” Kelsey Sullivan St. Thomas Aquinas A 6-2 senior middle blocker for the Class 5A state runner-up Saints, Sullivan achieved Kansas Volleyball Association 5A first-team all-state status and 5A state all-tournament team recognition. She also was first team All-East Kansas League. She led the Saints in passing percentage and was second on the team in service aces, blocks, attack percentage and kills. She will continue her volleyball career at Pittsburg State University. “Kelsey is an energetic leader on the team,” St. Thomas Aquinas coach Kim Bogart said. “Her chest beating pumps up our team.” Grace Whitley Bishop Miege Whitley, a 6-0 junior outside hitter in her first year at Miege, racked up Kansas Volleyball Association Class 5A first-team all-state and 5A state all-tournament team honors for the repeat 5A state-champion Stags. She was a first-team All-East Kansas League selection as well. She recorded a hitting efficiency of .289 with 284 kills and 681 total attacks in 99 games played. She had a 2.04 serve reception average and 320 points for 157 receptions. Along with 46 solo blocks, she had 57 assists to average 1.1 blocks per game. Her 94-percent serving average included 53 aces. “Grace is my smartest blocker and net player,” Bishop Miege coach Gwenn Pike said. “She has become one of our strongest all-around players for the team. She is extremely coachable and a good leader.” Shelby Workman Bishop Miege This 6-0 sophomore right side hitter and setter, a first-team All-East Kansas League selection, made the Kansas Volleyball Association Class 5A all-state first team and 5A state all-tournament team for the Stags, who repeated as 5A state champions. Workman had a hitting efficiency of .296 with 266 kills in 98 games played and 1.91 average in serve reception. She has 916 sets and 307 assists setting. She had 17 solo blocks and 72 assists, averaging a block a game. She served at a 92-percent pace with 40 aces. “Shelby has taken on the setting role for the first time as a sophomore,” Bishop Miege coach Gwenn Pike said. “She has done a great job while still maintaining a high level of hitting and blocking. Her all-around blocking has been irreplaceable on the team.”
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“What a joy it has been to have Chelsea in our program,” marveled Blue Valley North coach Matt Allin. “She is a kid who values the entire volleyball experience. She is unselfish, dedicated and a true team player.”
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