A solid core of seniors on Emporia High’s volleyball team helped lead the Spartans to a winning record in coach Betsy Martling’s first season at the helm despite losing a number of key players off the 2007 team.
Three of those seniors, including All-Area Player of the Year Ashley Leihsing, earned spots on The Gazette’s All-Area volleyball team for 2008, as did productive and promising sophomore Sarah Kolmer.
The 5-foot-8 Leihsing, who earned a spot on the All-Centennial League second team at the conclusion of the season, was the Spartans’ top attacker. Martling’s statistics, which cover 36 of Emporia’s 39 matches, show Leihsing with 134 kills, a 98 percent serving percentage and 55 blocks from her outside hitter position.
Kolmer was the other Spartan to earn postseason all-league recognition, getting an honorable mention for the All-Centennial team as a sophomore middle hitter. Martling’s stats recorded an impressive 169 blocks for the 5-foot-10 Kolmer.
Defensive specialist Janae Scheve and libero Amber Miller, both seniors, were a big part of the Spartans’ efforts to keep the opposition from putting up points, and each earned All-Area selections. Emporia finished 20-19 on the year, losing to Kapaun in the first round of substate.
Six combined player selections and the top coach honor came between the two area teams that had the most success this year. Lebo, led by All-Area Coach of the Year Gina Peek, went from a good team in 2007 to a great one this year, improving on last season’s 21-10 mark with a 37-3 season that ended in a substate final. The Wolves’ three first-team All-Lyon County League selections were also selected to the All-Area team: Senior Chelsie Eagleburger and juniors Morgan Tastove and Morgan Laflin. Tastove was a unanimous selection to the All-LCL squad.
Osage City, which finished 35-8 and made a trip to the Class 3A state tournament, also earned three nods for its All-Flint Hills League performers: senior middle hitter Paige Fort, sophomore middle hitter Carly Spicer and sophomore setter Leah Garland. Fort was an honorable mention for the Class 3A All-State team.
Olpe’s Kathryn Flott earned an All-Area nod after netting a unanimous All-LCL selection as a sophomore. Flott led the Eagles to a 25-10 record, and she and Tastove were the only unanimous selections to the All-LCL first team. Also selected to the All-Area squad as a lone representative of her team was Northern Heights senior Andrea Miller. Miller logged an All-Flint Hills League season at middle hitter for the Wildcats, who finished with a 13-19 mark.