Thirteen local spikers named to all-league
Volleyball awards
4A Western Slope
First team
Tatum Huffman, Battle Mountain
Sky Lieuerance, Eagle Valley
Sofi Petrovski, Battle Mountain
Carly Post, Battle Mountain
Sophia Rinn, Eagle Valley
Honorable mention
Olivia Fedrizzi, Eagle Valley
Emma Judge, Battle Mountain
2A Western Slope
First team
Payton Connolly, Vail Mountain
Lexi Linafelter, Vail Mountain
Kendelle Smith, Vail Christian
Honorable mention
Mari Engleby, Vail Christian
Skye Karsh, Vail Mountain
Abby Kuhns, Vail Christian
Brooke Layman, Vail Christian
Tyler Wolfe, Vail Mountain
The only real issue for this hypothetical team is it would be whistled for too many players on the court.
Thirteen players earned some form of all-league honors from Battle Mountain, Eagle Valley, Vail Christian and Vail Mountain School volleyball, and 13 really doesn’t work in any way with six spots.
For instance, how does one mash in boppers Sophia Rinn (Eagle Valley), Battle Mountain’s Tatum Huffman and Sofi Petrovski, Vail Mountain’s Lexi Linafelter and Vail Christian’s Kendelle Smith into three spots up front. And, oh, by the way, VMS’ Skye Karsh and Mari Engleby can play at the net, so there’s a serious logjam.
Some themes from this year’s honorees:
• While some choices are obvious because big kills get the oohs and aahs, what’s also nice to see in the postseason honor roll is the acknowledgment of the defense. Battle Mountain’s Carly Post and Emma Judge, Eagle Valley’s Olivia Fedrizzi, Vail Mountain’s Tyler Wolfe and Vail Christian’s Brooke Layman, defenders all, got the nod.
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These five have had the thankless task of getting in front of smashes all season long — be it during games or practice — and turning the ball the other way.
• Battle Mountain’s Huffman makes all-league on merit, but also because she probably leads the Slope in grandmother appearances at volleyball matches. Congratulations, Bubbe.
• Vail Mountain’s Connolly had some big shoes to fill, stepping in for setter Chloe Pesso who graduated last year. Connolly filled them admirably. And for the purposes of our local fantasy volleyball team, we can run a 6-2 with Vail Christian’s Kuhns.
• Comeback of the year goes to Eagle Valley’s Rinn, who lost last season to a broken ankle.
• Youngsters: Vail Christian’s Smith and Vail Mountain’s Karsh are both coming back next year.