‘To the winner go the spoils’ according to that old adage, and that was certainly proved true in Great Northern Conference volleyball voting.
Senior outside hitter Kaitlin Doughty was the only unanimous selection to the First Team after sharing that distinction with Merrill’s Kayla Duesing that past two years, and racked up Player of the Year for the second consecutive year. But senior setter Kaylyn Olson, senior libero Jenna Otterholt and junior middle blocker Kellan Flynn all joined her on the First Team.
Senior outside hitter Sydney Lakatos and junior setter Anna Sudbury were selected to the Second Team.
Doughty, Flynn and Sudbury also earned WVCA All-State Honorable Mention. Doughty, who recently signed a National Letter of Intent with St. Cloud State, was one of just six players picked to the WVCA State D2 All-Tournament team.
Doughty ranked 2nd in both total kills (3.6 kpg) and kill % (.382) and was 1st in aces (1.8 apg). Flynn was 1st at .425 k%, 2nd in digs (1.3) and tied for 6th in aces (.6). Olson was 1st in assists (5.5) and tied for 6th in aces (.6). Otterholt was 1st in digs (3.1) and 4th in serving % (.942).
Lakatos rated 2nd in aces (.8) and digs (3.0), 9th in k% (.260) and 12th in kills (2.0). Sudbury was 4th in assists (4.4), tied for 7th in digs (.8) and 10th in k% (.253).
“After one day of (sixth grade) camp, I knew there was a special talent in Kaitlin,” THS CoachJen Pfannerstill, the GNC COY, said. “She has grown up so much in the last four years, from being a player who tipped a ball on match point, to a player we wanted to have the ball on every match point. She was a tremendous leader by example, a hard worker and a go-to player on the court.
“Kellan has such natural talent and is so athletic. She is a super one-on-one blocker and can really put the ball down when she wants to. Jenna did so much for the team. She allowed us to run the offense we wanted to run. She became incredible at anticipating where the ball was going to be instead of reacting to where it was. Kaylyn probably could have been a great outside hitter, but her hands were so nice that she became a setter, and the best that Tomahawk volleyball has ever had. She made setting look effortless at times.
“Sydney is extremely athletic with a high volleyball IQ, who made great plays at the perfect time. Sydney was really a viable threat at outside hitter for being only 5′ 8″. Anna provided a great threat for us at the other pin, opposite of Syd and Katie, and made defenses really have to adjust. She is an extremely improved setter, who can distribute the ball and run patterns really well.”