L-B's Willow, Todd and P-G's Simons gain top BVC volleyball honors

A year ago, teams playing Liberty-Benton in the volleyball tournament knew they would be going up against a conference player of the year.Now they'll be going up against two.Junior Karis Willow, a Penn State recruit who has solidified her ranking as one of the top prep volleyball players in the state, was named the 2021 Blanchard Valley Conference Player of the Year in all-league voting by BVC coaches. In earning the honor, Willow out-pointed teammate Izzy Granger, the 2020 BVC Player of the Year, on a talented 24-0, state-ranked team that includes first-team all-league picks Granger and Sydney Elseser, second-teamer Avery Zuercher and third-team selections Lauren Gerken and Kelsey Conkright.L-B's Julie Todd, who led the Eagles to a 9-0 run through the league, was named BVC Coach of the Year and shared that honor with Pandora-Gilboa's Ron Simons, who guided the Rockets to a 15-8 season and a runner-up finish (8-1) in the league.Willow was 462 of 516 spiking and led L-B with 302 kills. The 6-foot-4 outside hitter was also 229 for 279 serving with 62 aces, 27 blocks and 205 digs.Granger, who will play her collegiate volleyball at the University of Toledo, was 340 of 398 spiking with 202 kills, 26 blocks, 44 ace serves and 215 digs.Elseser set the table for L-B's big hitters. The senior was 1,211 of 1,228 setting with 603 assists, 208 of 222 serving with 32 aces and had 125 digs.Outside hitter Lacie Fenstermaker and libero Autumn Schulte represented Pandora-Gilboa on the all-BVC first team.Fenstermaker was 616 of 694 spiking with 294 kills and 27 blocks and 256 of 263 serving with 20 aces. A defensive standout, Schulte had 409 digs and was 182 of 195 serving with 20 aces.McComb's Brooklynn Downing, Van Buren's Sasha Busey and Arcadia's Paige Massie — all big hitters and solid defensively around the net — rounded out the all-BVC first team.Downing was 591 of 641 spiking with 320 kills and 81 blocks, Busey was 518 of 587 spiking with 268 kills and 120 blocks, and Massie was 529 of 644 spiking with 262 kills, 93 blocks and 203 digs.Zuercher (146 kills, 49 blocks) headed up the all-BVC second team that included Pandora-Gilboa's Mikayla Simons (148 kills 381-293 serving, 46 aces, 282 digs), Vanlue's Mara Simon (253 kills, 65 blocks), Cory-Rawson's Alli Garmatter (114 kills, 37 blocks, 220 digs), Van Buren's Sophie Reineke (171 kills, 48 aces, 66 blocks, 184 digs), McComb's Eliza Dehart (139 kills, 25 blocks, 109 digs) and North Baltimore's Grace Hagemyer.Landing spots on the all-BVC third team were L-B's Gerken and Conkright, Van Buren's Ava Cramer, Riverdale's Brenna Farmer, Pandora-Gilboa's Peyton Diller, Arlington's Jenna Stoltz and Arcadia's Lenci Rodriquez. 2021 All-BVC VolleyballFIRST TEAMLIBERTY-BENTON — Karis Willow, Jr.; Izzy Granger, Sr.; Sydney Elseser, Sr. PANDORA-GILBOA — Lacie Fenstermaker, Sr.; Autumn Schulte, Jr. MCCOMB — Brooklynn Downing, Jr. VAN BUREN — Sasha Busey, Jr. ARCADIA— Paige Massie, Sr.PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Karis Willow, Liberty-Benton.CO-COACHES OF THE YEAR: Julie Todd, Liberty-Benton; Ron Simons, Pandora-Gilboa. SECOND TEAMLIBERTY-BENTON — Avery Zuercher, Sr. PANDORA-GILBOA — MiKayla Simons, Sr. MCCOMB —Eliza Dehart, Sr. VAN BUREN — Sophie Reineke, Sr. VANLUE — Mara Simon, Soph. CORY-RAWSON — Alli Garmatter, Sr. NORTH BALTIMORE — Grace Hagemyer, Sr.THIRD TEAMLIBERTY-BENTON — Lauren Gerken, Soph.; Kelsey Conkright, Sr. PANDORA-GILBOA — Peyton Diller, Fr. VAN BUREN — Ava Cramer, Soph. ARCADIA— Lenci Rodriquez, Sr. RIVERDALE — Brenna Farmer, Jr. ARLINGTON — Jenna Stoltz, Sr. HONORABLE MENTIONARCADIA — Breanna Chambers, Sr.; Tori Best, Sr. ARLINGTON — Riley Launder, Sr.; Addisyn Molina, Soph. CORY-RAWSON — Averie Elchert, Sr.; Brooke Shepard, Jr. LIBERTY-BENTON — Chelsea May, Sr.; Claire Spiess, Jr. MCCOMB — Madiison Schroeder, Jr.; Anna Threet, Jr. NORTH BALTIMORE — Halie Inbody, Sr.; Hailey Lennard, Sr. PANDORA-GILBOA — Erin Shartell, Sr.; Taelor Miller, Sr. RIVERDALE — Makayla Newfer, Jr.; Haidyn Thacker, Soph. VAN BUREN — Olivia Cramer, Sr.; Claire Hoerig, Sr. VANLUE — Taylor Gerschutz, Sr.; Morgan Crowe, Jr.