Four Wampus Cats garner all-league honors

CLARK FORK — Junior setter Brooke Stevens was named Most Valuable Player, leading a contingent of four Clark Fork underclassmen earning All-North Star League volleyball honors, as voted on recently by the league’s coaches.

Stevens (356 assists, 50 digs, 30 kills, 30 aces, 16 blocks) joins junior outside hitter Hailey Bristol (145 kills, 68 digs, 36 aces), junior middle blocker Tessa Sutton (84 kills, 23 aces, 18 digs) and sophomore right side/setter Ellie Kiebert (111 kills, 66 digs, 61 aces, 61 assists) on the all-league team.

Clark Fork head coach Cindy Derr, who would have probably earned Coach of the Year if the league voted for the award after steamrolling through league play, on what each player did to earn a spot on the team:

n Stevens: “Brooke is the glue to the team. She is developing into a great setter and did a great job of placing the ball to various hitters this year. Brooke had a mid-season injury that kept her on the sidelines at the Genesee Pea and Lentil Tournament, but she came back strong to lead her team to first place in the District tournament and then to state.”

n Bristol: “Hailey was the go-to outside hitter. As the year went on, Hailey became more confident in her playing and finally realized she could pass out of the back row. She is the only one stopping her to becoming better. Hailey was co-captain this year and stepped up and lad the team at the Genesee Tournament, where she made the all-tournament team.”

n Kiebert: “Ellie was our secret weapon on the right side. She did very well hitting and well as back up setter. She stepped into the setter position at the Genesee Tournament when Brooke went down with an injury and did a great job. Ellie was a force at the service line and would have several aces in a row during a run in each match. She also could jump serve and it was effective while scoring points.”

n Sutton: “Tessa mainly played front row only and went to the back row to serve, even though she did see some time passing. Tessa is a force at the net and when she figures out her potential no one is going to stop her. We need to have her blocking more hits.”

ALL-NORTH STAR LEAGUE VOLLEYBALL

Most Valuable Player — Brooke Stevens, jr., Clark Fork

Destiny Angle, sr., Wallace; Kaili Gentry, sr., Kootenai; Hailey Bristol, jr., Clark Fork; Madison Napierala, sr., Kootenai; Rachel Schroeder, jr., Genesis Prep; Ellie Kiebert, so., Clark Fork; Josie Scribner, jr., Genesis Prep; Tessa Sutton, jr., Clark Fork; Halei Ungerbuehler, sr., Wallace; Alyssa SiJohn, jr., Lakeside; Bella Murekatete, jr., Genesis Prep.