2020-2021 Year in Review: Crossover Edition

What a year! We had a full season at both the high school and club levels. Entering the high school season, we had no clue how the season would play out. After a successful high school year, everyone again held their collective breath as the club year began. The debate over masks and fans continued into the winter. The athletes cared about one thing; the opportunity to play the game they love with their teammates they love. In this first look back at the year it was, we are starting with a crossover edition. These are our top 5 moments that crossed the state line between Missouri and Kansas this year. 5. Cancellation of the Missouri vs. Kansas All-Star Volleyball Game We understood the cancellation of the game at the time due to the liability being placed on the event sponsors. The Mo-Kan Volleyball Match is a yearly contest between the large and small schools in the two states in Kansas City metro. The top players selected from the large Missouri schools play the large Kansas schools. The same game takes place prior with the small schools. It's typically a great atmosphere with tremendous competition. Even though we understand, it doesn't mean we weren't disappointed the game didn't take place. It's possible the game could have occurred with the same limitations many schools put in place during the school season with limited fans, no side switching, and each player providing their own water bottles. It would have been a great send-off for the high school seniors and for some the last opportunity to lace up and wear stinky knee pads in their careers. The other thought was playing the contest on a weekend in May between GJNC and graduation for many of the players. By then, many places were business as normal but the decision to scrap the game took place early, and no opportunity to be played later. Both sides consisted of All-State, All-Conference, All-Region, and All-Americans. We would had loved to see this match-up take place. Here were the players selected for the contest: Missouri Large Class [player_tooltip player_id="101690" first="Arley" last="Anderson"]; Park Hill South, [player_tooltip player_id="41749" first="Bailee" last="Middleton"]; Liberty, [player_tooltip player_id="41748" first="Kristen" last="Birmingham"]; Park Hill, [player_tooltip player_id="116388" first="Kendall" last="Boone"]; Lee's Summit, [player_tooltip player_id="116395" first="Hannah" last="Graves"]; Park Hill, [player_tooltip player_id="41757" first="Aly" last="Gurtiza"]; Lee's Summit West, [player_tooltip player_id="41759" first="Aubrey" last="LaPour"]; Blue Springs South, [player_tooltip player_id="41765" first="Lily" last="Letchworth"]; Blue Springs, Abby Massengill; Lee's Summit West, [player_tooltip player_id="101677" first="Maggie" last="McInerney"]; St. Teresa's, [player_tooltip player_id="116396" first="Rachel" last="Spainhour"]; Liberty North, Rylee Staatz; Liberty North. Kansas Large Class [player_tooltip player_id="105482" first="Caroline" last="Bien"]; St. Thomas Aquinas, [player_tooltip player_id="105483" first="Sarah" last="Bingham"]; Shawnee Mission East, [player_tooltip player_id="105486" first="Keyana" last="Cruse"]; Bonner Springs, Kenna Holland; Blue Valley West, Ashlyn Lovett; St. James, [player_tooltip player_id="105490" first="Olivia" last="Lovett"]; St. James, [player_tooltip player_id="105488" first="Alyssa" last="Miller"]; Blue Valley West, [player_tooltip player_id="105485" first="Jaden" last="Ravnsborg"]; Mill Valley, Calrey Spachman; Blue Valley North, Jalyn Stevenson; Spring Hill, [player_tooltip player_id="105497" first="Brooke" last="Stonestreet"]; DeSoto, [player_tooltip player_id="105481" first="Kendra" last="Wait"]; Gardner-Edgerton. Missouri Small Class [player_tooltip player_id="118842" first="Aly" last="Anderson"]; Platte County, [player_tooltip player_id="101691" first="Ryenne" last="Gepford"]; Butler, Ciara Gower; Grain Valley, [player_tooltip player_id="118882" first="Morgan" last="Irvin"]; Midway, [player_tooltip player_id="101695" first="Hannah" last="Joyce"]; Pleasant Hill, [player_tooltip player_id="101675" first="Andi" last="Kreiling"]; Kearney, [player_tooltip player_id="101678" first="Bryn" last="McGehe"]; Platte County, [player_tooltip player_id="118872" first="Aleena" last="Peterson"]; The Lutheran High School, [player_tooltip player_id="41756" first="Tera" last="Reberry"]; Pleasant Hill, [player_tooltip player_id="41790" first="Lexie" last="Smither"]; West Platte, [player_tooltip player_id="118881" first="Makenna" last="Willard"]; Drexel, Kennedy Wolf; Pembroke Hill Kansas Small Class [player_tooltip player_id="105494" first="Katrina" last="Davis"]; Heritage Christian, Leilani Elder; Bishop Miege, [player_tooltip player_id="105492" first="Erin" last="Garr"]; Bishop Miege, Madi Quinn; Louisburg, [player_tooltip player_id="105503" first="Ella" last="Martin"]; Bishop Miege, Alysa Moore; Louisburg, Merrin O'Connor; Bishop Miege, [player_tooltip player_id="105570" first="Jayla" last="Pierce"]; Eudora, [player_tooltip player_id="105504" first="Carleigh" last="Pritchard"]; Louisburg, Abby Richmond; Paola, Peyton Verhulst; Bishop Miege, [player_tooltip player_id="105517" first="Darby" last="Weidl"]; Ottawa 4. Boys Volleyball Continues to Rise One of the things we wanted to keep an eye on was how would the pandemic affect high school volleyball in the Kansas City area. The St. Louis Region has for a long time incorporated volleyball in the high schools. In 2019, the Kansas City area gave it a shot and found great success but with no 2020, how would it look in 2021? Well, there were a few schools that decided to not give it a run back but many did and had a successful season. With this addition, we also saw the numbers of teams and players increase across the region in 2021. We also can't forget having Nationals in our own backyards was a treat in itself. Our hope is the game continues to take on life for young men in the states of Kansas and Missouri. 3. Kansas and Missouri National Accolades High school volleyball in Kansas and Missouri had great players in the 2020 season. We saw numerous players earn All-State, but we also saw a great number of players earn national honors from the Amerian Volleyball Coaches Association. They begin with a watch-list for their Under Armour All-American team. The AVCA received over 900 nominations from coaches across the country. This number was scaled down to All-Region teams. There are 10 regions representing the nation's 50 states. Missouri falls into region 6 joining Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin. Kansas in the bucket of Region 9, accompanying Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. Players from the All-Region team then make up the 150 student-athletes that make up the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and Honorable Mention All-American teams. This is a tremendous honor and congratulations again to these players. Region 6: [player_tooltip player_id="41753" first="Salma" last="Lewis"]; Carl Junction, [player_tooltip player_id="101693" first="Anna" last="Deutschmann"]; Francis Howell, [player_tooltip player_id="118846" first="Hannah" last="Grosse"]; Hermann, [player_tooltip player_id="41784" first="Grace" last="Winkelmann"]; Hermann, Andi Krieling; Kearney, [player_tooltip player_id="41752" first="Kate" last="Owen"]; Kickapoo, [player_tooltip player_id="41757" first="Aly" last="Gurtiza"]; Lee's Summit West, [player_tooltip player_id="116396" first="Rachel" last="Spainhour"]; Liberty North, Rylee Staatz; Liberty North, [player_tooltip player_id="41762" first="Taylor" last="Golmen"]; Nixa, [player_tooltip player_id="116389" first="Hannah" last="Tadlock"]; Ozark, [player_tooltip player_id="41748" first="Kristen" last="Birmingham"]; Park Hill, [player_tooltip player_id="101690" first="Arley" last="Anderson"]; Park Hill South, [player_tooltip player_id="101678" first="Bryn" last="McGehe"]; Platte County, [player_tooltip player_id="116394" first="Taylor" last="Beaven"]; Seckman, Lana Gerard; St. Joseph's Academy, [player_tooltip player_id="101677" first="Maggie" last="McInerney"]; St. Teresa's, [player_tooltip player_id="41751" first="Maddy" last="Bushnell"]; Willard, [player_tooltip player_id="41750" first="Payton" last="Van Veen"]; Willard All-American: 3rd Team [player_tooltip player_id="41748" first="Kristen" last="Birmingham"], [player_tooltip player_id="41784" first="Grace" last="Winkelmann"]; HM [player_tooltip player_id="41751" first="Maddy" last="Bushnell"], [player_tooltip player_id="101675" first="Andi" last="Kreiling"], [player_tooltip player_id="101677" first="Maggie" last="McInerney"] Region 8: [player_tooltip player_id="105496" first="Ella" last="Larkin"]; Bishop Carroll, [player_tooltip player_id="105492" first="Erin" last="Garr"]; Bishop Miege, [player_tooltip player_id="105488" first="Alyssa" last="Miller"]; Blue Valley West, [player_tooltip player_id="105580" first="Torrance" last="Lovesee"]; Bluestern Jr./Sr. High, Kayana Cruse; Bonner Springs, [player_tooltip player_id="105497" first="Brooke" last="Stonestreet"]; DeSoto, [player_tooltip player_id="105481" first="Kendra" last="Wait"]; Gardner-Edgerton, [player_tooltip player_id="105504" first="Carleigh" last="Pritchard"]; Louisburg, [player_tooltip player_id="105484" first="Laurel" last="Jones"]; Maize South, Addi Pelham; Maranatha Christian, [player_tooltip player_id="105485" first="Jaden" last="Ravnsborg"]; Mill Valley, [player_tooltip player_id="105487" first="Courtney" last="Jackson"]; Olathe Northwest, [player_tooltip player_id="124434" first="Madalyn" last="Ehlers"]; Olathe West, [player_tooltip player_id="105483" first="Sarah" last="Bingham"]; Shawnee Mission East, Alli Frank; Spring Hill, Jalyn Stevenson; Spring Hill, Ashlyn Lovett; St. James, [player_tooltip player_id="105490" first="Olivia" last="Lovett"]; St. James, [player_tooltip player_id="105482" first="Caroline" last="Bien"]; St. Thomas Aquinas All-American: 1st Team [player_tooltip player_id="105481" first="Kendra" last="Wait"], [player_tooltip player_id="105482" first="Caroline" last="Bien"]; HM [player_tooltip player_id="105496" first="Ella" last="Larkin"], [player_tooltip player_id="105484" first="Laurel" last="Jones"] 2. Salute to the Officials I'm certain I've mentioned this a time or two but I wear many hats. One of those hats is an official crossing into high school, club, and college volleyball. Just like this wasn't an easy year for the players and coaches, it wasn't a walk in the park for officials. From firsthand experience, there were numerous times where the R1 was the only official on the court. Imagine the responsibility of watching the serve, rotation, net plays, keeping score, handling substitutions, and watching and calling all lines solo. That was what it took to allow the players to have a season. Also in this same vein, it is important to thank the coaches and players for their understanding. There were calls missed and errors throughout the season but most showed grace and understanding. They were grateful for the opportunity to be on the court. So salute to the officials who navigated the 2020-2021 season! 1. 2020-2021 Season was Completed When the high school season started we knew it would come with some hiccups. All it would take was one player to not just catch covid but even be exposed and it could cause a shutdown. We saw teams go into quarantine. We saw teams miss games. But we saw a complete season and state champions crowned on both sides of the state line. It looked different. Mask on faces. Teams not switching sides. Little to no fans in the bleachers. Electronic whistles. Water fountains shut off. Chairs spread out on the sidelines. Balls were being cleaned between points and sets. It took a lot but it was done and the players, coaches, and families were able to enjoy a full season. This shouldn't be taken for granted. We saw basketball season come to a screeching halt at the state tournaments. We saw track, tennis, baseball, and other sports shut down before their seasons could get started. It looked different, but it happened and for that, the players should be grateful. Now with the conclusion of high school, you get club season. This was the season hit the most in the volleyball world with the pandemic. Both Missouri and Kansas clubs finished most of their power league action and were heading into qualifier play when the country shut down. So club season was off and running but with some of the same limitations. Some tournaments had no fans. Qualifiers had limited fans and some had no working teams. Due to the pandemic, college coaches for many levels were shifted to a dead period, so no off-campus recruiting. You still had teams occasionally have to shut it down for a week or two but most survived the season and players were able to compete in Regionals, AAU, or GJNC championships. The 2021 club season helped remind us how fortunate we are and to take nothing for granted with this sport we all love. The fact it was able to be completed, we make this our top story for this season! We will continue our series this week with our top moments in both Missouri and Kansas.