Mid-Prairie leads All-District volleyball list

The Iowa Girls Coaches Association released its All-District lists for the sport of volleyball last week, and the Union area’s small schools filled the list in a couple of classes.

After a 27-12 season, the Mid-Prairie Golden Hawks led the area with five names on the list. Four of those were players, and one was head coach Sherry Evans.

Evans earned the Class 3A All-Southeast District Coach of the Year award after not only leading her team to a 27-win season, but also a second-place finish in the River Valley Conference South Division, and a spot in the substate championship game.

The Golden Hawks fell in that substate title game, dropping it in three sets to eventual Class 3A champion Davenport Assumption.

Senior hitter Ella Groenewold and setter Landry Pacha both made the Class 3A Southeast list for Mid-Prairie. Also finding the list were sophomore libero Dakota Mitchell and freshman hitter/setter Jovi Evans.

Six area seniors were listed on the Class 1A list. Three of those were New London players. WACO and Winfield-Mount Union had two each on the list.

New London hitter Natalie Burden, setter Elly Manning and libero Emma Nye were all listed on the Class 1A list. WACO hitter Ellah Kissell and setter Grace Coble were on the list, as were Winfield-Mount Union hitter Bradie Buffington and libero Keetyn Townsley.

CLASS 1A SOUTHEAST ALL DISTRICT: Abby Korschgen (12), Notre Dame; Bradie Buffington (12), Winfield-Mount Union; Brooke Mueller (12) Holy Trinity; Brookelyn Hemlsey (12) Sigourney; Caitlin Jensen (12), North Cedar; Ellah Kissell (12), WACO; Elly Manning (12), New London; Emily Hemphill (11), Wapello; Emma Nye (12), New London; Gabby Deery (12), Notre Dame; Grace Bean (12), Belle Plaine; Grace Coble (12), WACO; Janessa Blomme (12), HLV; Keetyn Townsley (12), Winfield-Mount Union; Maddy Chizen (12) Belle Plaine; Mary Kate Bendlage (11), Holy Trinity; Natalie Burden (12), New London; Presley Myers (9), Holy Trinity.

CLASS 1A COACH OF THE YEAR: Mike Davis, Notre Dame

CLASS 2A SOUTHEAST ALL-DISTRICT: Abby Bence (12), West Burlington; Ava Czarnecki (11), Lisbon; Haley Steffener (11), Mediapolis; Hanna Wagenbach (11), Mediapolis; Iva Senio (12), West Branch; Kali Nelson (12), Lisbon; Kate Shafer (10), EBF; Madelynn Falco (10), West Branch; McKenna Marlow (12), West Burlington; Molly Shafer (10), EBF; Peyton Robinson (12), Lisbon; Reese Naeve (9), Regina; Sophia Armstrong (12), West Burlington; Sydney Wagner (11), Regina; Taylor Drayfalh (12), Wilton; Whitney Klyn (12), EBF.

CLASS 2A SOUTHEAST COACH OF THE YEAR: Gladys Genskow, EBF.

CLASS 3A SOUTHEAST ALL-DISTRICT: Abby Matt (12), Van Meter; Ava Schubert (12), Assumption; Ava Shepard-Harris (12), Assumption; Avary Calonder (12), Tipton; Brooklyn Buysse (12), West Liberty; Dakota Mitchell (10), Mid-Prairie; Ella Groenewold (12), Mid-Prairie; Ellie Schubert (10), Assumption; Jovi Evans (12), Mid-Prairie; Landry Pacha (12), Mid-Prairie; Maggie Johnson (11), Assumption; Makayla Morrison (12), Central Lee; Monica Morales (12), West Liberty; Sophia Young (12), Davis County; Sophie Buysse (12), West Liberty; Sophie Waber (12), Albia.

CLASS 3A SOUTHEAST COACH OF THE YEAR: Sherry Evans, Mid-Prairie.

CLASS 4A SOUTHEAST ALL-DISTRICT: Addy Janssen (11), Dallas Center-Grimes; Annalise Buxton (10), Burlington; Aspen Nelson (10), Indianola; Brittany Bacorn (11), Knoxville; Brynn Bishop (11), Indianola; Grace Dehmer (11), Norwalk; Katie Scheckel (9), Pella; Kaylee Koudelka (11), North Polk; Lauren McGriff (12), Carlisle; Makayla Howard (12), Clinton; Maleah Walker (12), Oskaloosa; Noelle Sutcliffe (11), Norwalk; Tiana Gehling (12), North Polk.

CLASS 4A SOUTHEAST COACH OF THE YEAR: Kent Halstead, Indanola.