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