Thank You, Seniors! (Part 3)

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This is the final part of my senior appreciation series. It is so fun to see seniors perform at the highest level as they finish their high school careers. Several of these athletes had the NLI signing day today, which…
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SubscribeThis is the final part of my senior appreciation series. It is so fun to see seniors perform at the highest level as they finish their high school careers. Several of these athletes had the NLI signing day today, which is very exciting. Congratulations to all athletes!
Eliana was a huge leader for Rice Lake in their match against Xavier. She was a go-to player on the pin and carried most of the offensive load. She also was a key defender and led the team in digs. It was not uncommon for Eliana to get multiple touches on the ball every time it came over the net. Eliana is an incredibly talented athlete who is committed to play basketball at UNI next year.
Tessa is a very talented middle blocker who led Pewaukee in blocks in their 5-set thriller against McFarland. She was also a really positive energizer on the court throughout the match. I could see her bringing the team together after plays, and she always had a smile on her face. That leadership is just so valuable, especially with a younger team like the Pirates had.
Dani has been an absolute dominant force for Pewaukee for several years. She surpassed 1,000 career kills and got a lot of touches on the ball in defense and offense. Dani had 19 digs and 3 aces in their 5-set thriller against McFarland. Dani is an energizer and motivator on the court and carries a heavy leadership role on the team.
Highlights
Olivia is an absolute gamer on the court. She is gritty, scrappy, and powerful. She led her team in kills with 28 and hit a 0.218. Olivia’s defense really sets her apart. She is incredibly competitive, and it shows in her intensity and drive on the court. Olivia knows how to make tough plays no matter where she is on the court.
Kamryn had 49 assists in Howards Grove’s championship match against St. Croix Falls. What an amazing number. Kamryn has had such an impact on this program and she was reliable and consistent throughout the state tournament. She also had two aces and nine digs.
Highlights
Elle was all over the place in the back row. She logged 25 digs but got numerous other key touches in coverage. Elle is quick and scrappy and can get a great touch on nearly any ball. She makes huge hustle plays, and she is fearless in her pursuit of the ball. Elle rarely lets a ball get past her, which was true throughout the state tournament.
Highlights
Kelsey was absolutely unstoppable throughout the state tournament. She had 28 kills in the 5-set thriller against Howards Grove in the championship match. Kelsey led the team in both kills and digs in their semifinal match. She was crucial to her team’s success in all six rotations and was a go-to hitter and leader on the court.

Ayla Schmidt
Ayla Schmidt
Ayla made some truly incredible plays and put up big defensive stops against some really talented Howards Grove hitters. She had 30 digs in the championship match, along with five assists. One really impressive stat is that she had no reception errors – a truly amazing feat for how strong of servers Howards Grove is.
What a rockstar athlete who set and swung for Newman Catholic. She had 3 kills, 34 assists, 2 aces, and 12 digs in the championship match. Paige led her team in every aspect of the game and was a player who never backed down throughout the match. She fought for every point and played at a very high level.
Kelsey was absolutely dominant at the state tournament. She hit 0.256 in the championship match and had 34 kills. Kelsey is an all-around athlete who was critical to both of her team’s reverse sweeps in the state tournament. Once Kelsey got going, she was unstoppable, and she is a state champion as a result. It will be very exciting to watch her thrive at the collegiate level in the coming years.