Brownstown volleyball awards ceremony highlights sectional crown

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BROWNSTOWN

Veteran Brownstown Central volleyball head coach Jennifer Shade says she hopes she never has to go through another season like the one that was completed in late October.

That’s because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It was a season like no other. It was very emotional. It was an up-and-down season,” she said during the team’s awards program Monday night in the school auditorium.

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She said sometimes at practices early in the season, some of the Braves players got emotional, and she wanted to give them a hug, but she knew she couldn’t because of the pandemic.

“We had to practice social distancing," Shade said. "We kept a positive approach, and we told the girls we would make it happen. We sent the girls for handwashing breaks instead of water breaks.”

Early on, she said, “We decided it was our volleyball season, and we weren’t going to miss it. We had to work on being a team.”

The Braves ended up 22-12, won the Mid-Southern Conference title and won sectional while defeating several highly ranked teams along the way.

That sectional title was the 21st in school history with the first one coming in 1983. The Braves won 16 straight from 1997 to 2013, then didn’t win another until 2019.

Shade, who was named MSC Coach of the Year, doesn’t like individual awards, and she does not name a most valuable player.

She said her favorite award to present is the mental attitude award, and that went to Jennifer Pence. Pence also received the leading blocker award after recording 75 this season.

Kendra McCory and Reagan Nuss were named all-MSC, and Kayla Guthrie received honorable mention.

Guthrie and McCory were named academic all-state. It takes a grade-point average of at least 3.5 to be academic all-state.

McCory and Nuss were named to the all-state first team, and Shade said that is notable since there were only 14 girls named to the all-state Class 3A first team. Guthrie was named to the all-state second team.

In addition, Guthrie, McCory, Pence and Nuss were named all-district.

Nuss, McCory, Guthrie and Pence were named to The Tribune’s All-Jackson County team.

Shade said at the Danville Regional, the host school recognized the Braves as “a class act,” and game officials there notified the IHSAA of their conduct that day. The IHSAA sent the school pins for the athletes’ sportsmanship, and each girl on the team received a pin Monday night.

The Braves lost to Brebeuf Jesuit in the regional finals. Brebeuf defeated Silver Creek in the Jennings County Semistate and lost to Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger in five sets in the Class 3A state championship match.

The other Braves awards were based on statistical totals.

McCory received an award for having the most career kills and was honored as the leading hitter this season with 337 kills.

Nuss was the recipient of the leading server and assist awards (557), and Erin Singleton was named the leading passer and received the outstanding defensive award.

Myka Keltz, Pence, Singleton and Kelsey Wischmeier and manager Jaycob Gray received their letter jackets.

Guthrie, Keltz, McCory and Pence were the seniors on this year’s team, and they drew special praise from Shade.

“It was a very unusual season," Shade said. "They didn’t get to have a senior night. They had outstanding careers. They were state champs (in 2019), and I’m proud of you.”

Freshman coach Abbi Young introduced the freshmen, who had a record of 7-6.

Junior varsity coach Cassidy Wurtzburger introduced members of her team, which had a record of 9-11, and presented the most improved player award to Kaitlyn Williams.

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