Class A All-State Teams: Player of the Year Ruch Stepped Up Down Stretch of Mustangs’ Title Run

As the old adage goes, it’s not how you start but rather how you finish that counts. Millard North junior and Omaha commit McKenna Ruch had just five double-doubles in the Mustangs’ first 30 matches of the season, then added five more in the final 10 of the year to help lead Millard North to the Class A championship.

Ruch would have a double-double in Millard North’s first-round win over Papillion-LaVista South at state and another in the championship match. In the semifinal win over Gretna, she had 13 kills and eight digs. For the year, Ruch finished with 362 kills, 363 digs, 75 blocks and 22 ace serves.

For her performance this season, Ruch has been named the Prep Dig Class A Player of the Year in Nebraska.

The other finalists for the Player of the Year honor were Emily Bressman of Omaha Marian, Norah Sis of Papillion-LaVista and Jaiden Centeno of Millard West.

The Player of the Year honors as well as All-State recognition is based on nominations received from coaches and observations from Prep Dig.

Below are the All-State teams in Class A. Prep Dig All-State teams in Nebraska are comprised of three teams with each having two setters, six attackers and two liberos/defensive specialists.

Class A 1st Team

Setter – Izzy Lukens, 5’11, Jr., Millard North

Setter – Mara LeGrand, 5’9, Sr., Papillion-LaVista South

Attacker – McKenna Ruch, 6’2, Jr., Millard North

Attacker – Emily Bressman, 5’10, Sr., Omaha Marian

Attacker – Norah Sis, 6’1, Soph., Papillion-LaVistsa

Attacker – Delaney Humm, 5’11, Sr., Lincoln Pius X

Attacker – Emmy Grant, 6’1, Sr., Millard North

Attacker – Jaden Ferguson, 6’0, Sr., Lincoln Southwest

Libero/DS – Jaiden Centeno, 5’7, Sr., Millard West

Libero/DS – Emma Gabel, 5’8, Sr., Lincoln Pius X

Class A 2nd Team

Setter – Gracie Gokie, 5’10, Sr., Lincoln Pius X

Setter – Brooklyn Schram, 6’0, Jr., Papillion-LaVista

Attacker – Kamryn Schuler, 5’10, Sr., Gretna

Attacker – Chloe Paschal, 5’8, Jr., Papillion-LaVista

Attacker – Bekka Allick, 6’3, Fr., Lincoln North Star

Attacker – Paige Holdsworth, 5’10, Sr., Millard North

Attacker – Ava LeGrand, 5’10, Fr., Papillion-LaVista South

Attacker – Anna McLain, 5’10, Sr., Lincoln Pius X

Libero/DS – Sam Steele, 5’9, Jr., Millard South

Libero/DS – Samantha Riggs, 5’5, Fr., Papillion-LaVista

Class A 3rd Team

Setter – Baylie Scheaer, 5’9, Sr., Gretna

Setter – Alexis Mishou, 5’9, Sr., Kearney

Attacker – Emma Grunkemeyer, 6’3, Sr., Millard North

Attacker – Paige Fixemer, 6’2, Jr., Millard South

Attacker – Hailey Zuroske, 5’11, Sr., Omaha Marian

Attacker – Lydia Yost, 5’9, Jr., Gretna

Attacker – Lauren Walenz, 5’8, Sr., Millard South

Attacker – Lauren Taubenheim, 6’2, Jr., Lincoln Pius X

Libero/DS – Leah Palensky, 5’5, Sr., Papillion-LaVista South

Libero/DS – Emma Altman, 5’7, Sr., Millard North

Honorable Mention

Omaha Central: Peyton Preston, Delaney Demman, Savanna Vacek

Millard North: Allie Kerns, Molly Plahn, Eve Fountain

Millard West: Bailey Wilson, Hailey Petersen, Bree Green, Gabi Nordaker, Sadie Millard, Elise Gilroy

Millard South: Maddie Mactaggart, Maggie Madej, Kelsey Olson, Makayla Fleming, Jaisee Stinson, Claire Larson

Grand Island: Emma Hilderbrand

Lincoln High: Avery Smith, Kyndal Hudson, Parker Johnson, Tyrah Wood, Gillian Kohl

Lincoln Southeast: Brittany Wulf, Cecily Liphardt, Sadie Emmett, Lexi Long

Lincoln North Star: Cassandra Corral

Lincoln East: Alexandra Lemke, Brooke Peltz, Atley Carey, Erin Morgan

Papillion-LaVista South: Sophie Hendrix, Jessica Hendrix, Ashlyn Dierks, Anna Gregerson, Emma O’Neill

Omaha Westside: Madilyn Siebler, Kenna Nemecek, Marissa Koch

Omaha Burke: Megan Wiggins, Lily O’Mara

Lincoln Southwest: Shaylee Myers, Liz Tomlin, Paige Silverberg, Mariah Zvolanek, Holly Oschner

Papillion-LaVista: Hannah Smith, Erica Broin, Logan Jeffus, Karli Eckert

Omaha Northwest: Jaime Copenharve, Taniya Golden, Nia Brown, Bawi tha Sung

Bellevue West: Kealy Kiviniemi, Jacki Apel, Kaia Hada, Makena Sobczyk, Parker Lauterbach, Brittney Sheibal

Lincoln Northeast: Logan Gronewold, Maddie Bahm

Omaha Marian: MC Daubendiek, Sophie Moes, Ashley Straub, Meredith Mueller

Kearney: Claire Vanderbeek, Adi Wood, Aspen Rusher, Lily Novacek, Ashton Mehlin, Jordyn Kohtz

Fremont: Lexi Proskovec

Bellevue East: Katie Mendick

Norfolk: Gabby Ruth, Alexandra Ruth, Anden Baumann

Gretna: Jadyn Makovicka, Skylar McCune, Emma Prentice

Lincoln Pius X: Alexis Markowski, Morgan Christiansen