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AAA All-State
HUNTINGTON — It was a banner year for Class AAA Region 4 volleyball.
The region boasted three of the state’s top five teams as ranked throughout the year and both teams in the Class AAA championship game.
The strength of the region was reflected as six of the 10 Class AAA first-team all-state selections came from Region 4.
The talent level of the region made the state championship that much more special for Spring Valley coach Joy Bailey, who had a pair of all-state selections.
“You have the best teams and players in the state all in one region,” Bailey said. “It really helped us be ready for our time in the state tournament.”
The Timberwolves were represented by outside hitter Hannah Bailey and setter Cadara Cole, and joined Ripley as the only team with two first-team selections.
Ripley, who lost to Spring Valley in the region semifinals, featured Class AAA Player of the Year Lexy Kessel and Alannah Sheets.
Bailey said Kessel, a two-time Player of the Year who has inked to play at Marshall University, is one of the most complete players she has seen in a long time.
“It doesn’t matter where she’s at, she’s a threat,” Bailey said. “She’s not that tall, but she can jump out of the gym and she’s just as strong defensively as she is offensively. Back line, front line, she can do it all.”
Class AAA state runner-up Parkersburg placed Emily Patterson on the first-team while Huntington High’s Ali Musick rounded out the six selections from Class AAA, Region IV.
Musselman’s Taylor Allen, Preston’s Paula Renteria, Greenbrier East’s Amanda Alleyne and Bridgeport’s Kaitlyn Farley also were first-team selections.
On the second team, Woodrow Wilson’s Jasmine Woods was voted as captain while neighbor Greenbrier East also featured a second-team selection in Lanti Cole.
The two teams in the championship game also had a player representing them on the second team — Spring Valley’s Sarah Burns and Parkersburg’s Kayla Lowers.
Putnam County was well-represented with Hurricane’s Pookie Dimsdale and Winfield’s Rebecca Lovejoy both earning accolades.
Robert C. Byrd’s Erin Gilmore also made the well-rounded second team along with George Washington’s Natalie Lanham, East Fairmont’s Madonna Gribble and University’s Hannah Kehl.
According to Bailey, the strength of the first two teams shows just how far the game has come in the recent past.
“Everyone has pushed the bar up in Class AAA,” Bailey said. “A lot of it has to do with the rules changes — rally scoring, libero on back line and net serves counting. It has brought more interest to the game and it’s seen with the play on the court.”
On the first team, Ripley’s Kessel and Sheets were both repeat selections, along with Renteria and Alleyne. Farley was a first-team selection after being on the second team in 2008.
Second-team repeat selections were Lovejoy and Dimsdale.
Class AAA all-state team
HUNTINGTON (AP) — The Class AAA all-state volleball team announced by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association:
First team
Lexy Kessel, Ripley
Alannah Sheets, Ripley
Paula Renteria, Preston
Cadara Cole, Spring Valley
Hannah Bailey, Spring Valley
Amanda Alleyne, Greenbrier East
Ali Musick, Huntington High
Kaitlyn Farley, Bridgeport
Emily Patterson, Parkersburg
Taylor Allen, Musselman
Second team
Jasmine Woods, Woodrow Wilson
Lanti Cole, Greenbrier East
Erin Gilmore, Robert C. Byrd
Pookie Dimsdale, Hurricane
Rebecca Lovejoy, Winfield
Kayla Lowers, Parkersburg
Sarah Burns, Spring Valley
Natalie Lanham, George Washington
Madonna Gribble, East Fairmont
Hannah Kehl, University
Special honorable mention
Abby Steele, Huntington; Rachel Long, George Washington; Morgan Busse, South Charleston; Jocelyn Dansey, Parkersburg; Haley Pauley, Cabell Midland; Emily Wymer, RCB; Madison Hollington, Bridgeport; Emily Funkhouser, Musselman; Brittany Brooks, Ripley; Taylor Oates, Musselman; Hilary Young, Nicholas County; Mary Campbell, Princeton; Chelsey Chinuntdet, Winfield; Denae Williams, Woodrow Wilson; Mel McNamara, Wheeling Park; Aerial Munson, Hedgesville; Brittany Alleyne, Greenbrier East
Honorable mention
Angela Johnson, Wheeling Park; Michelle Faulkner, East Fairmont; Devon Zegeer, Capital; Ashley Smith, Lincoln County; Kaitlyn Chuchiah, Brooke; Stephenee Gandee, Lewis County; Kristen Sibold, South Charleston; Samantha Spencer, Parkersburg South; Kylie Perdue, Spring Valley; Leslie Bowman, Bridgeport; Danielle Benjamin, RCB; Shaitece Trigg, Woodrow Wilson; Marah Motley, Huntington High; Chelsey Walker, Princeton; Kaila Burch, Washington; Katie Shaffer Nicholas County
Ever since I began preparing
Ever since I began preparing for my PMP certification I haven't had any time to watch these volleyball matches I used to enjoy.
Freshman
I agree with Voodooboy. One example is the Freshman Ernest girl from Woodrow Wilson. Made AAA All Tournament at the State Championships and was only player from that All Tournament team to not make any of the all state selections.
I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW THE
I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW THE GRADE LEVEL OF ALL THE ALL-STATE GIRLS FOR AAA. I THINK LIMITING A COACH TO ONLY 5 NOMINEES IS NOT FAIR TO A SOLID TEAM. ALL- TOURNAMENT TEAMS ARE JUST FOR THAT TOURNAMENT, BUT DOES NOT MEAN SHE WAS NOT A GOOD PLAYER FOR THE WHOLE SEASON. A FRESHMEN MAKING ALL-TOURNAMENT IS BIG. I THINK GIVING A GIRL CREDIT BECAUSE SHE IS A SENIOR IS WRONG. I WONDER HOW THE NBA WOULD TELL LEBRON HE CANNOT MAKE THE ALL-STAR GAME BECAUSE HE IS A ROOKIE. HAS A ROOKIE HE WAS A TOP 10 PLAYER EASILY, I AM NOT A BIG LEBRON FAN. I AM SURE THEIR ARE GIRLS THAT HAVE SOLID SEASONS WORTHY OF SOME RECOGNITION, BUT THEY DON'T GET, BECAUSE OF GRADE LEVEL, SCHOOL, AND WHAT TOURNAMENTS THEY PLAY IN. IF SHE PLAYS A PARKERSBURG, WOODROW, OR GW SHE WILL GET SOME GOOD LOOKS.
FRESHMEN
ALL THE ALL STATE LIST ARE MISSING SOME VERY GOOOD FRESHMEN.
I WANT TO SAY CONGRATS TO ALL
I WANT TO SAY CONGRATS TO ALL THE GIRLS. I AM SURE SOME GIRLS WERE LEFT OFF. I WANT THE GIRLS THAT DID NOT MAKE ANY ALL STATE SELECTION, NOT TO WORRY BECAUSE REAL TALENT WILL BE SEEN SOMEDAY.
All State Selection Process
Congratulations to all fo the girls selected!!
Can any of the coaches or well informed parties explain teh process of selection?
1) Who votes?
2) Are there ballots provided with names from whcih to choose?
3) Who decides what names are on the ballots (if answer 2 is yes) from each team or are all girls from every team on the ballots?
4) Is a particular region limited to the number of selections from that region?
5) What role do the sports writers...who I dare say go a lot from hear say versus actually attended games, based on the limited "press" this sport recieves.....play in the selections?
Again, congratulations to all!!
all state
Coaches and members of the media vote. Ballots are provided but not with names on them. Coaches can vote for 8 players in each class, but cannot vote for their own players. Coaches can nominate up to 5 players from their team. A particular region is not limited to the number of selections. Sportswriters votes count the same as coaches. A lot of coaches unfortunately don't vote, and also don't even bother to nominate a player.