IHSAA 1A Preview: #7 Springs Valley
Larry Bird, West Baden and the casino. Question? Name three things from French Lick, Indiana. Three more things should be mineral springs, beautiful views, and Blackhawk volleyball. Springs Valley has positively owned its sectional for the better part of two…
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Continue ReadingLarry Bird, West Baden and the casino. Question? Name three things from French Lick, Indiana. Three more things should be mineral springs, beautiful views, and Blackhawk volleyball. Springs Valley has positively owned its sectional for the better part of two decades, and the train keeps on rolling. Although four important players graduate from this 23-4 squad, two of those losses came to Loogootee, who will be named later in this countdown. The Blackhawks are also perennial conference champions, and regularly send multiple kids to Union Volleyball Club, not too far away. That being said, here are five kids we like from Springs Valley.
’24, Leigh Carnes Leigh Carnes 5'8" | OH Springs Valley | 2024 State IN , 5-8 RS/S
The primary attacker for this squad is a regular in Union circles, and comes from a family of volleyballers. Mom is the coach, younger sister is an eighth grader, and they all play outdoor ball too. Leigh already has an outdoor title to her name, and the younger sister has an outdoor win in nearby Louisville. Leigh is a gym rat through and through, who last fall set from the back row and attacked as much as possible from the front row. Being a Union kid, she’s also got great ball control, and at the 1A level, her volleyball IQ is far about the remainder of her conference.
’23, Alayna Denbo, 6-2 MB
Did I mention Union? The tallest kid by far on this roster is on the 16-3 at Union, and returns as the leading blocker while hitting over .300 on the season. She’s also the #3 option on the attack, which will probably turn into #2 by fall’s end. She takes up space on the block, can terminate at will, and is one of a pair of middles that are smart and athletic enough to hit multiple shots on multiple sets. You don’t see this kind of size from such a small school, so I hope I get a chance to watch the Blackhawks play this fall.
’23, Tynley Kluesner, 5-10 MB
The “other” middle isn’t just a placeholder. Tynley leads the team in aces, is just behind Miss Denbo above in blocks, and is yet another option in the middle for this 6-2 offense. Once again, this is another kid that uses her speed and athleticism to her advantage, and beats most larger blocks by outpacing them, or in some cases, going over them.
’22, Kennedy Land, 5-5 DS/L
The team leader in digs returns for her senior season, and will be looked upon to don the special jersey. None of the players listed above can do anything without Kennedy’s serve reception, and her defense is effective from all parts of the back 2/3. According to MaxPreps, Kennedy was responsible for nearly 30% of all serve receptions, at a “good pass” rate of 93%. To say that Miss Land is reliable is a gross understatement.
’23, Brynne Buchanan Brynne Buchanan DS/L Springs Valley | 2023 State IN , 5-4 DS/L
Most likely waiting in the wings for her turn to be the ’bro, Brynne has an outdoor title too—with teammate Leigh listed above. Bottom line; there is no substitute for exceptional team play. Serve and pass, serve and pass, serve and pass. And when your serve and pass is good enough to win outdoor titles, you have my attention. I wouldn’t be surprised if Brynne became the libero before her senior season.