Published: November 29, 2008 11:43 pm      

Musselman’s Manor heads AAA all-state

Two area players named first-team

MARTINSBURG — Musselman and Ripley each experienced their best volleyball seasons in school history.

Their successes are reflected in the West Virginia Sports Writers Association Class AAA all-state squad.

State champion Musselman and runner-up Ripley lead the first team with a pair of selections each.

Leading the squad comprised of six seniors and four juniors is captain Erica Manor of Musselman.

Manor, the powerful 6-foot-1 senior, recently signed a letter-of-intent to play for two-time Big South Conference champion Liberty.

The dominating outside hitter is joined by teammate Brooke Fritts, a libero whose digging ability was instrumental in helping the Applemen win the fifth game of their state championship match after Ripley rallied from two sets down to force the tiebreaker.

The Applemen, who also have senior Kayla Johns on the second team, lost just one match this season, that coming to an out-of-state opponent. Musselman finished as the state runner-up in 2007, the first time the Applemen played in the state final.

That both of Ripley’s first-team honorees are juniors — Lexy Kessell and Alannah Sheets — bodes well for the Vikings’ future after a 50-8-3 campaign.

Rounding out the first team are seniors Brittany Boarman of Hedgesville, Laura Whitt of Princeton, Molly Kirkland of Parkersburg and Bailey Ruddle of South Charleston and juniors Paula Renteria of Preston County and Amanda Alleyne of Greenbrier East.

Renteria and Alleyne, interestingly enough, each transferred to their schools from out of state.

Manor, one of two repeat all-state selections, managed 38 kills and had 20 digs in Musselman’s championship victory over Ripley. She finished her senior season with 747 kills and a .391 attack percentage for the 43-1-4 Applemen.

“A kid like her, from a coaching standpoint, might come along once in a career,” Musselman coach Shawn Martz said. “I feel good about being able to take advantage of her skill and win a state championship this year.”

The other repeat honoree is Princeton’s Laura Whitt, a three-time selection on a team that never reached the state tournament.

Whitt finished her senior season with 388 kills, 141 digs, 63 aces and connected on 91 percent of her serves.

Fritts, called “the No. 1 libero in the state” by Martz, finished with more than 400 digs and had 53 aces.

Kessell produced 564 kills for Ripley and topped 90 percent in serving, hitting and passing. Sheets managed 225 kills for the Vikings, averaged 4.8 assists per game and finished as a 93-percent server.

Boarman helped Hedgesville to a semifinal appearance in the state tournament, where the Eagles lost a two-point decision to Ripley in the fifth game of their match. Hedgesville, a sectional and regional runner-up to Musselman, was trying to set up a seventh meeting with the Applemen during the season.

Boarman scored kills on 45 percent of her attempts and managed 81 aces as part of a 93-percent service success. She also led her team with better than a block per game.

Kirkland produced 473 kills for Parkersburg while also managing a .488 hitting percentage, 118 blocks and 76 digs.

Ruddle, a versatile player who led South Charleston in assists, aces and kills, averaged 4.3 kills, 9.1 assists and 0.85 blocks per game.

The two transfers, Alleyene and Renteria, are both all-around players for their respective teams, as well.

Alleyene paced the Spartans with 2.1 kills on average, 8.2 assists and 3.0 digs.

A dominant force all over the floor, Renteria earned all-state tournament honors despite her team’s elimination in the first round.

The second team is led by Woodrow Wilson senior Laura Cipolletti as the captain. Senior members include Johns of Musselman, Katey Sheehan of Hedgesville, Holly Carl of Hampshire, Lauren Draber of Parkersburg, Katelyn Whitt of George Washington and Megan Lucas of Capital. Juniors on the unit include Rebecca Lovejoy of Winfield, Kaitlyn Farley of Bridgeport and Pookie Dimsdale of Hurricane.



Class AAA all-state team

PARKERSBURG — The 2008 Class AAA all-state volleyball team released by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association:

First Team

Erica Manor, Musselman, Sr. (capt.)

Lexy Kessel, Ripley, Jr.

Paula Renteria, Preston, Jr.

Laura Whitt, Princeton, Sr.

Molly Kirkland, Parkersburg, Sr.

Brooke Fritts, Musselman, Sr.

Brittany Boarman, Hedgesville, Sr.

Amanda Alleyne, Greenbrier East, Jr.

Bailey Ruddle, South Charleston, Sr.

Alannah Sheets, Ripley, Jr.

Second Team

Laura Cipolletti, Woodrow Wilson, Sr. (capt.)

Megan Lucas, Capital, Sr.

Rebecca Lovejoy, Winfield, Jr.

Katherine Sheehan, Hedgesville, Sr.

Kayla Johns, Musselman, Sr.

Lauren Draber, Parkersburg, Sr.

Katelyn Whitt, George Washington, Sr.

Holly Carl, Hampshire, Sr.

Kaitlyn Farley, Bridgeport, Jr.

Pookie Dimsdale, Hurricane, Jr.

Special Honorable Mention

Cadara Cole, Spring Valley; Sarah Thompson, Parkersburg; Lindsey Echard, Parkersburg South; Lanti Cole, Greenbrier East; Taylor Cassidy, Cabell Midland; Sabina Nicewarner, Musselman; Michelle Raney, George Washington; Hilary Young, Nicholas County; Samantha Larcomb, Washington; Rachel Freeman, Morgantown; Sydney Brickett, Huntington; Sarah Lively, Woodrow Wilson; Erin Laws, Spring Valley; Brittani Brooks, Ripley; Amanda Smith, Princeton; Mallory Miller, Lewis County

Honorable Mention

Shannon Cahill, Cabell Midland; Dena Tuell, Parkersburg South; Brooke Smith, Nicholas County; Shariece Trigg, Woodrow Wilson; Emily Wymer, Robert C. Byrd; Jessica Gooch, Winfield; Madison Hollington, Bridgeport; Michelle Sayre, Ripley; Yolonda Pinkcett, Martinsburg; Hannah Gompers, Wheeling Park; Miranda Peddicord, Preston; Jocelyn Dansey, Parkersburg; Chalcie Raker, George Washington; Heather Webb, Princeton; Hannah Bailey, Spring Valley; Lindsey Layhew, Ripley; Brantlea Wood, Woodrow Wilson; Madonna Gribble, East Fairmont.