Brownstown Central’s McCory named Jackson County player of the year

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To say Kendra McCory was the most animated player on the court would be an understatement.

The junior middle hitter for the newly minted Class 3A state champion Brownstown Central Braves was always pumping her fists, stomping her feet or shouting cheers with her teammates after each and every point earned this season.

But for every thunderous roar McCory showed on the outside, she was hiding pain and stress on the inside.

During the volleyball team’s state tournament run, McCory was dealing with a sick grandfather and was torn about where her emotions should be according to Brownstown Central volleyball coach Jennifer Shade. 

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Yet unless you already knew, there was no way McCory was going to let you know she was feeling down. 

"While Kendra looks like a beast on the outside, she was very torn on the inside and didn’t show it," Shade said. "I know on TV they said Kendra was a workhorse, and it takes a strong kid to do what she did without breaking."

Occasionally, it was hard for McCory to find the energy to practice, but she always knew she had a strong support group of family, friends, coaches and teammates to keep her going. 

Though she wanted to be there for grandpa, McCory says he wanted her to do the best she could on the court and to play for him. During the Braves’ state tournament run, he even sent her a message to make sure she was ready to play. 

"He was always telling me to play for him and focus on my game," she said. "My grandpa sent me a video in his bed saying, ‘Are you fired up?’"

But if the emotional stress wasn’t enough, she was also favoring a sprained ankle she injured during the early stages of the season. 

Pushed off of a lake dock, McCory could hardly walk let alone jump up and down the following day at practice. 

She started favoring her bad ankle for awhile, but says it got better over time. Unfortunately, during the sectional at Owen Valley High School, she came down hard on it and re-injured it.

"I played the postseason on it," she said. "Normally, the adrenaline I had in the game overtook the pain."

The adrenaline, coupled with the constant taping by Brownstown Central athletic trainer Devin Harvey, allowed McCory to keep doing what she does best.

Getting kills through the middle.

Totaling a team-high 343 kills this season, McCory was always a threat to get a point for the Braves through their fast-paced, high-powered offense.

She saved two of her best performances of the season for the Jasper semistate game against Evansville Memorial and the state championship match against Bellmont. She nabbed 16 kills against the Tigers and 22 against the Squaws. All told, she earned double-digit kills 14 times this season. 

And she did it all on a bum ankle. 

"While I knew she was in pain and Devin knew she was in pain, Kendra never let everybody else know she was in pain," Shade said. "She fought that all season."

Looking back at the state tournament run, McCory points to the practices as being one of the best parts.

There were days — especially early in the week after a mentally-exhausting win the preceding weekend — where McCory said she and her teammates were just not up to the challenge. However, they would always remind themselves there were bigger and better things to achieve if they just kept working hard.

And they were right, earning the school’s first ever team state title. Something most of the team still hasn’t fully comprehended. 

It’s been almost a month since the Braves clinched the 3A championship, but McCory still can’t believe it.

I’m still in shock," she said. "It’s still settling in that we did that."

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Player of the Year

Kendra McCory, Browstown Central, junior

Accolades/Key Stats: 343 kills, 698 attempts, 75 total blocks, all-Mid-Southern Conference first team, first team 3A all-state, junior all-star, Class 3A all-Central District team. 

All-County

Riley Nuss, Brownstown Central, senior

Accolades/Key Stats: 532 digs, 60 aces, 536 serves received, all-MSC first team, first team 3A all-state, senior all-star, Class 3A all-Central District team. 

Reagan Nuss, Brownstown Central, sophomore

Accolades/Key Stats: 863 assists, 51 aces, all-MSC first team, first team 3A all-state, Class 3A all-Central District team. 

Keeli Darlage, Brownstown Central, senior

Accolades/Key Stats: 295 kills, 784 attempts, all-MSC honorable mention, 3A all-state first team, Class 3A all-Central District team.

Kayla Guthrie, Brownstown Central, junior

Accolades/Key Stats: 183 kills, 522 attempts, 64 aces, Class 3A all-Central District team. 

Olivia Fish, Seymour, freshman 

Accolades/Key Stats: 316 kills, 786 attempts, all-Hoosier Hills Conference first team. 

Chloe Criswell, Seymour, senior

Accolades/Key Stats: 145 kills, 521 attempts, 56 aces, 49 total blocks, 207 digs. 

Lauren Knieriem, Seymour, junior

Accoaldes/Key Stats: 115 digs, 18 aces, 186 serves received. 

Hannah Sabotin, Trinity Lutheran, senior

Accolades/Key Stats: 390 kills, 768 attempts, 80 total blocks, 377 digs, senior all-star, Class A first-team all-state, Class A all-South District team. 

Kennedy Hoffman, Trinity Lutheran, junior

Accolades/Key Stats: 283 kills, 621 attempts, 54 blocks, Class A first team all-state, Class A all-South District team, junior all-star. 

Sydney Jaynes, Trinity Lutheran, junior

Accolades/Key Stats: 280 kills, 593 attempts, 59 blocks, Class A second team all-state, Class A all-South District team. 

Bailey Reynolds, Trinity Lutheran, junior

Accolades/Key Stats: 801 assists, 50 aces, Class A first team all-state, Class A all-South District team. 

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