Coal Ridge’s Morgan wins 3A WSL volleyball’s Player of the Year
Post Independent
Theresa Hamilton / Garfield Re-2
Following a dominant senior season after returning from a knee injury that wiped her junior season out, Coal Ridge senior Kara Morgan ran away with the 3A Western Slope League’s Player of the Year award, as voted on by league coaches.
Morgan was the top hitter for the Titans during the 2018 season under head coach Aimee Gerber, leading the Titans with 303 kills and 47 aces, adding a team-high 298 digs and 33 total blocks for Coal Ridge, which finished 16-9 (9-0 3A WSL), winning the league championship for the second straight year and the third time in four seasons, reaching the 3A regional playoffs where the Titans fell to Platte Valley in the championship game.
The standout senior led the league in kills with 76 more than the next closest hitter, had the second highest hitting percentage in the league behind sophomore teammate Taylor Wiescamp, and was second in the league in digs.
Along with Morgan, Wiescamp earned First Team All-Conference honors for the Titans after posting 203 kills, a .406 hitting percentage and 114 blocks. Senior setter Kenzie Crawford also earned First Team All-Conference honors for the Titans after finishing her senior season with a league-high 634 assists, adding 86 kills, a team-high 75 aces, 41 blocks and 159 digs.
Aside from the trio of Titans on the first team, Coal Ridge saw three others earn All-Conference Honorable Mention accolades.
Junior Lyanna Nevarez landed on the honorable mention team after recording 101 kills, 26 aces, 14 blocks and 178 digs for Coal Ridge. Senior Alexa Wiescamp also earned honorable mention accolades after posting 57 kills, 15 aces, 42 blocks and 66 digs.
Junior Brecken Gucchini also earned honorable mention honors for the Titans, finishing the year with 62 kills, 24 aces, 36 blocks and 54 digs.
Outside of Coal Ridge, the Grand Valley Cardinals saw senior Shaya Chenoweth and senior Kurra Hitt earn First Team All-Conference honors. Chenoweth finished her senior season with 125 kills, 24 aces and 161 digs. Hitt finished with 36 kills, 22 aces, 25 blocks and 38 digs.
Grand Valley junior Loghan Teter earned All-Conference Honorable Mention accolades for the Cardinals after posting a team-high 164 kills, as well as 28 aces and 174 digs.
The Roaring Fork Rams saw sophomore Letey Crownhart earn All-Conference honorable mention honors after finishing her sophomore season with 16 kills, 23 aces, 28 blocks, 164 digs and 177 assists. Senior Gaby Santana earned All-Conference Honorable Mention accolades after posting 96 kills, 15 aces and 97 blocks.
The Cedaredge Bruins tied the Coal Ridge Titans for the most players on the First Team with three, as well as three players earning honorable mention accolades. Cedaredge coach Heather Dunbar earned the 3A WSL Coach of the Year award after the Bruins went 20-5 (8-1 3A WSL) finishing second in the league, while reaching the regional championship game where they lost to Resurrection Christian.
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