Voting for top V net awards ends with three double honors

Six rounds of team votes for the top awards for this year’s Colfax volleyball season ended in three ties, Coach Sue Doering reported Tuesday night before presenting the awards at the season-end banquet.

Becca Hardie and Misty Skelton were named most improved, Rachel Robinson and Hannah Harazin, most inspirational; and Amelie Bruya and Taylor Larsen, most valuable players.

Lauren Moore received the senior scholastic award with a 3.807 grade point average.

Skelton, Hardie, Moore and Harazin were honored as the departing seniors on the team. Moore, Harazin and Bruya also received the captain’s award.

Captains named for next season were Bruya, Sidney Huber and Robinson, all juniors on this years team.

Coach Doering also reported Skelton, Bruya and Larsen were named to the all-tournament team after the state show in Yakima this year. The same three players were named for the NE league’s all opponent team.

The 2011 Colfax net campaign rated as the third most challenging over her year’s as Bulldog coach, Doering said. She credited the team for meeting the challenges all the way to the state 2B championship came against their neighborhood nemesis.

The volleyball team finished with a 23-10 record. They started with a tough non-league schedule, came up with a surprising 13th-place finish in the giant Spokane crossover tournament and then did battle in a league race with Reardan, Northwest Christian and Davenport as the other powers.

The Bulldogs five-game battle with Reardan was among the league highlights and their state run to a showdown with the same Reardan team in the title game at state produced a lot of memories.

Juniors collecting varsity awards were Taylor Lange, Sidney Huber, DeAnna Aeschliman, Robinson and Bruya.

Sophomore letter winners were Leah Heiner, Cassidy Vorderbruggen, Bailey Mackleit and Larsen.

Freshman Andra Hamilton, Amara Huber and Kindra Kneale also earned varsity awards.

Nicole Sheer, who was sidelined for the season with an injury, received recognition for supporting the team through the season. Sheer is expected to return next year to add extra power to the team.

Jayvee Coach Shawna Kneale’s team was undefeated during their season run. Individual awards voted by the team went to Erica Eng, most improved; Andra Hamilton, inspirational; Leah Heiner, hardest worker; and Kasey Cloaninger, best teammate.

Heiner and Emma Gingerich received the captains awards.

Jayvee certificates went to Katharine MacDonald, Gingerich, Bekah Kraut, Kasey Cloaninger, Heiner, Scoops Hahn, Erica Eng, Andra Hamilton, Carolyn Knaack and Kori Goodwin. Swing players from jayvee to varsity for the season were Aeschlimen, Mackleit, Vorderbrueggen and Kneale.

C squad coach Jill Solbrack awarded certificates to Allison MacDonald, Ysabeaux Ng, Madi Biesecker, Kelly Ward, Heather Robinson, Jenny Hansen, Holly Rimbey, Maia Gingerich, Kirbee Barney, Ali Shirley and Rachel Hardie.

Players presented presents to the three coaches and volunteer assistant Cory Whitmore, a WSU student.