New London gets 4 on South team

Anyone who followed high school volleyball this fall knew one thing about the Southeast Iowa Super Conference South Division. It was tough.

The South once again proved to be the area’s premier league. Almost half the conference appeared in the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union’s Top-15 rankings at different points in the year.

For the second year in a row, two South Division teams wound up at the state tournament, and for the second year in a row, the division saw a state title.

Notre Dame won its second Class 1A title in a row. Holy Trinity made its return to the state tournament and both West Burlington and New London practically lived in the IGHSAU rankings.

With as much talent as the South had, it’s a tough gig to get on the list at all, but New London was able to snag four spots, including one on the first team.

Tiger defensive specialist Emma Nye, a junior, was the only area player to make the first list. She did so after leading Class 1A with 655 digs.

The area had just two names on the second team, both juniors. New London hitter Natalie Burden and WACO setter Grace Coble made the second squad.

Along with the first and second teams, each area team selected two honorable mentions.

ALL-SEISC SOUTH DIVISION VOLLEYBALL TEAM

FIRST TEAM

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Josie Bentz (12) Notre Dame

COACH OF THE YEAR: Mike Davis, Notre Dame

HITTERS: Sophia Armstrong (11) West Burlington; Josie Bentz (12) Notre Dame; Gabby Deery (11) Notre Dame; Meghan Hopp (12) Central Lee; Makayla Morrison (11) Central Lee

SETTERS: Jenna Bentz (12) Notre Dame; Macy Watkins (12) Central Lee

LIBERO: Anna Sobczak (12) Holy Trinity

DEFENSIVE SPECIALIST: Emma Nye (11) New London

UTILITY PLAYER: Kassi Randolph (12) Holy Trinity

SECOND TEAM

HITTERS: Megan Harrell (12) Notre Dame; Kenna Marlow (11) West Burlington; Natalie Randolph (10) Holy Trinity; Mary Kate Bendlage (10) Holy Trinitiy; Natalie Burden (11) New London

SETTERS: Abbey Bence (11) West Burlington; Grace Coble (11) WACO

LIBERO: Lauren Summers (11) West Burlington

DEFENSIVE SPECIALIST: Ava Parkins (11) Notre Dame

UTILITY PLAYER: Teagan Denning (10) Holy Trinity

HONORABLE MENTIONS: Sydney Pickrell (12) Cardinal; Emma Becker (10) Cardinal; Alivia Myhre (12) Central Lee; Alix Congdon (11) Central Lee; Jaeda Molle (10) Danville; Ava Smith (12) Danville; Brooke Mueller (11) Holy Trinity; Kayla Box (11) Holy Trinity; Aliya Christensen (12) New London; Elly Manning (11) New London; Maisey Belger (12) Notre Dame; Taryn Stephens (10) Notre Dame; Shea Scott (12) Van Buren County; Jaelyn Boley (12) Van Buren County; Ellah Kissell (11) WACO; Jocelyn Fulton (11) WACO; Isabelle Ritter (11) West Burlington; Bella Blaufuss (10) Burlington

SEISC SOUTH STANDINGS

1. Notre Dame 8-0

2. West Burlington 7-1

3. Holy Trinity 6-2

4. New London 5-3

5. Central Lee 5-3

6. WACO 3-5

7. Van Buren County 2-6

8. Danville 1-7

9. Cardinal 0-8