Area schools had plenty of representation in one of the most explosive Three Rivers League volleyball seasons in recent memory.
Leading the charge for league champion Crest High was senior Kayla Hermreck, who earned her second straight unanimous first-team All-TRL selection. All she did was pound home 360 kills, with a sparkling .415 hitting percentage, while serving at an 83% clip with 40 service aces, while compelling 122 digs, 179 assists and 21 solo blocks.
She was joined on the first team by Marmaton Valley High senior Janae Granere, who like Hermreck, earned all-league honors all four years of high school.
Granere registered a .372 hitting average and a 95% service rate with more than 50 aces.
Also taking home first-team honors was Yates Center High’s Kamdyn Trahan, who led the team in kills with 222, with a 34% kill rate, while also leading the Wildcats in blocks with 39, and tied for second in aces with 49 on a 91% serve rate. She also ranked third on the team in blocks with 39, digs with 205 and receptions with 201.
Earning second-team all-league honors was Crest junior Karlee Boots and Yates Center freshman Cayten Cummings.
Honorable mention went to sophomore Kinley Morrison of Yates Center and Marmaton Valley junior Piper Barney.
THE THREE local first-team honorees drew praise for their work on and off the court.
“Kayla Hermreck has grown up in the gym,” Lady Lancer head coach and Kayla’s mother Abigail Hermreck said. “She often played up a couple of age groups in club ball and loved the game very early on. She has put in countless hours in the weightroom and gym to develop her skills and knowledge.
“We relied on her a lot during the season, not only for her skills, but for her volleyball IQ,” Coach Hermreck added. “Her strength and ability to jump has made her a dominant force at the net. She was able to shake off a mistake or swing away after just being blocked. I loved her temperament and determination to give it her all.
“She has always been a leader on and off of the court and yet is humble and doesn’t demand attention for her accomplishments.”
MARMATON Valley head coach Megan Blythe praised Granere’s ability to keep the Wildcats together during tough stretches of the season.
“She’s an incredible athlete and teammate who had everyone looking to her for leadership and encouragement,” Blythe said.
“No matter where she was on court, the girls knew they could count on Janae to make the pass, or the set, or find the hole in the opponent’s defense. She encouraged everyone in practice, often helping younger athletes improve their personal skills.”
LIKEWISE, Yates Center head coach Carrie Cummings said Trahan’s presence as a middle hitter, and for her leadership will be missed.
“Kamdyn was the go-to on the floor to put the ball down,” Cummings said. “She improved on the back row as well to make herself a six-rotation player.”
