Union sports quite a kill combo

It's the equivalent of a football team with two guys that rush for 200 yards per game. Or a basketball team with a pair of 25-point scorers.

Statistically, it's highly improbable. But in this case, not impossible.

The season is still young, but Maria Wrage and Megan Hudson of Union High School rank 1-2 in Class 3A in kills.

A senior middle hitter and a Winona State University recruit, Wrage averages 4.60 kills per set. Hudson, a sophomore outside hitter, is next at 4.40.

'We've been working hard since the beginning of practice to get it going, get stuff cranked up,” Wrage said.

A first-team all-stater last year, Wrage is 5-foot-11 and has obviously has leaping ability; she has cleared 5-7 in the high jump.

When she's in the front row, she's the featured hitter. When the rotation flips, it's Hudson's turn. She stands 5-10.

'Megan gets more sets because she's an outside hitter and because she goes all the way around,” said Union Coach Brian Jesse. 'She'll get a few swings out of the back row.”

Wrage owns a kill efficiency of .434 and averages 1.47 blocks per set. Hudson hits .292 with 2.87 digs per game.

The Knights have built a consistent winner in recent years and are regulars at the state tournament. They're on that path again.

Union, ranked 10th in Class 3A, won the East Marshall Tournament on Saturday, then improved to 11-2 Tuesday with a five-set win over Denver.

Both of its losses have come to bigger schools, to Linn-Mar and Marion at the Warrior Invitational on Sept. 6 at Cedar Rapids Washington.

Wrage is the only senior on the roster. There are no juniors.

'I'm expected to be a leader,” Wrage said. 'The girls are learning a lot about the game. Coming into high school, the varsity level is such a different level than they've experienced before.”

KREJCI HEADED TO THE HALL

Randy Krejci of Cedar Rapids is one of three people chosen to the Iowa Girls Coaches Association volleyball Hall of Fame this year.

Krejci will be inducted as an official. He was worked 19 years at the state tournament, including 10 state finals beginning in 1994 and through 2009.

He has been a member of the Cedar Rapids Athletic Officials Association. In 1996, Krejci was the Iowa Volleyball Official of the Year.

Krejci, along with former coaches Darrell Koenen (Aplington-Parkersburg) and Jeanne Spieler (Carroll Kuemper) will be inducted Nov. 22 in Carroll.

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com