By Grant Traylor
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
