All-state had to be a substitute for state champ this fall for Brownstown Central’s Reagan Nuss, Trinity Lutheran’s Kennedy Hoffman and other Jackson County volleyball all-stars.
In awards announced this past week, Nuss, Hoffman and several more players received individual recognition in Class A and Class 3A, while Seymour’s Olivia Fish was the lone Owl to receive all-district notice in Class 4A.
Besides Nuss for 22-12 Brownstown, Kendra McCory was first-team all-state in 3A, and Kayla Guthrie was selected second-team all-state.
Nuss, who had 557 assists, McCory (337 kills), Guthrie (230 kills) and Jennifer Pence (276 kills, 75 blocks) were all-district.
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"I’m just really proud of the girls," Braves coach Jennifer Shade said. "They really accomplished a lot. I’m very happy for them."
The seniors won a state championship one year and a sectional championship another year. Though Shade always stresses team, team, team, at this time of year, she is pleased when the individuals receive a payoff with these honors.
"I spend all my time talking about team, but I like to see them receive recognition for their hard work," she said.
Nuss said she never thinks about personal achievements when she is playing and didn’t even know when the all-district and all-state awards were being announced. She said the first she learned about being highlighted as an all-star was when her parents said, "Hey, congrats."
Her first reaction was basically, "For what?" because she wasn’t expecting to hear about anything.
Nuss, a junior setter and three-time all-state selection, said she hoped the Braves could repeat their state championship of 2019.
"I was a little disappointed," she said. "I did think so (the team would be playing to the end)."
Hoffman, a senior hitter, is a two-time all-state performer who recorded a team-leading 391 kills and added 220 digs. The sting of the Cougars falling short of their goal of winning a state crown after being runner-up the year before was somewhat eased by the slew of honors players gathered, she said.
"It’s super good to get the recognition for the season," Hoffman said. "It’s a great way to end senior year."
As a team, 29-6 Trinity won a sectional title, and Hoffman was joined on the all-state first team by Bailey Reynolds (935 assists) with teammates Kamzi Gross (524 digs) and Sydney Jaynes (385 kills) being chosen for the second team.
Those four, plus Stella Kleffman (347 digs), were all-district, and Trinity Lutheran coach Faith Wilder-Newland, who recorded her 700th career victory during the season, was voted the Class A South district coach of the year.
Seeing so many Trinity players gain all-star status was exciting, Hoffman said.
"It’s absolutely awesome and playing for an amazing coach and with amazing teammates," she said.
It hurt to fall short of the title game and the goal of winning a state championship, she said, but looking at the big picture, her volleyball years at Trinity were something to savor.
"It ended up being successful," Hoffman said. "In the end, I had a great four years, even though it didn’t end the way I wanted it to."
Having five Cougars chosen all-district was a lift emotionally.
"It’s just a great thing," Hoffman said. "It feels great to have that boost after that sad regional loss."
Jaynes surprised herself by excelling at volleyball when basketball was her No. 1 sport, so being all-district and second-team all-state was a bonus.
"I was doing volleyball for my friends," Jaynes said. "Just to have that sort of thing was great."
Seymour (16-16) began the season facing a quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic and took some time catching up on conditioning.
Fish, a sophomore, said she was happy the Owls got a season in, although she was out with another injury for part of it. Since she missed some playing time, Fish said she harbored no thought of being named all-district even though she recorded 245 kills.
"I was honestly shocked," she said. "My phone was just completely blowing up. I thought, ‘What is going on?’"
Seymour coach Angie Lucas said Fish displayed her unselfish attitude when she learned of the award, saying, "’This is for all of us.’ She is always thinking of others. That’s what I love about Olivia."
Fish has been a competitive swimmer but is now focusing 100% on offseason volleyball development.
"It is all on volleyball right now," Fish said. "That is the plan."