Jordan Smith is 3A’s top player

When Jordan Smith arrived at Solon High School, she walked into the gym as a raw, talented volleyball player.

'She had one shot,” Coach Peter Gustin recalled. 'And that one shot was swing at the ball as hard as she could.”

'I cried at almost every practice,” Smith said. 'I didn't have a lot of shots. I got put into the back row, too, and I had no idea what I was doing.

'I guess I've grown a lot since then.”

Smith has been selected as the Class 3A player of the year by the Iowa Girls Coaches Association in conjunction with the IGCA's all-state teams released today.

A 5-foot-10 outside hitter bound for Eastern Michigan University, Smith led Solon to three state-championship matches in her three years there. She averaged 4.12 kills per set and posted a .306 kill efficiency as the Spartans (33-8) captured the 3A title earlier this month.

Solon was the 4A runner-up in 2012 and 2013.

'It's amazing,” Smith said. 'I can't believe I'm finally a state champion. It's a great feeling.”

After spending her freshman season at Cardinal High School near Eldon, Smith moved to Solon the summer before her sophomore year.

'She was the one, our energy runs through her,” Gustin said. 'She was a vocal leader, the first one into the huddle and the last one out.

'In time, she developed three or four shots that kept opponents on their heels. She developed into a Division-I player and made tremendous growth.

Smith is one of eight players named to the Elite all-state team. Mikaela Foecke of 1A champion Fort Madison Holy Trinity and Rachel Koop of four-time 2A champ Dike-New Hartford share player-of-the-year honors.

It is Foecke's second time chosen as player of the year. The 6-foot-3 senior will play at the University of Nebraska. Koop, a setter, is headed to UNI.

Koop and Foecke are class players of the year in 2A and 1A. Jaali Winters of Ankeny Centennial and Jess Schaben of Harlan were honored in 5A and 4A. All won state titles.

Smith and Solon are part of the Wamac Conference, the state's best league this season. The Wamac sent five teams to state, and all reached the semifinals.

Solon beat Mount Vernon for the 3A title while West Delaware was the 4A runner-up.

The Wamac is represented by 13 all-staters, including seven first-teamers.

Smith is joined by teammate Jordan Runge and Mount Vernon's Morgan Melchert on the 3A first team. West Delaware's Carlee Ketchum and Emily Thole and Marion's Alyssa Thomas and Abby Phillips are first-teamers in 4A.

Runge posted 3.41 kills per set and a .314 kill efficiency. Melchert collected 9.63 assists per set as the Mustangs went 33-8 and advanced to state for the third straight year.

West Delaware (45-3) was a state runner-up for the fifth time, falling to Harlan in the championship match. The Hawks' mojo was speed, and Ketchum (8.88 assists per set) and Thole (4.52 digs per set) making it click.

An Iowa State recruit, Phillips (4.06 digs per set) missed Marion's regional run due to a broken hand. But she returned in time for state and helped the Indians (34-8) reach the semifinals before falling in five to West Delaware. Thomas led a young, balanced hitting attack with 3.40 kills per set and a .343 efficiency.

Other area first-teamers are Maria Wrage of Union and Cassedi Simon of West Liberty.

Wrage was third in 3A in kills per set (4.69, with a .410 kill efficiency) as Union (24-12) got to state for the fifth straight year. Simon posted 8.73 assists per set for West Liberty (37-6), another 3A state qualifier.

Metro/Iowa City second-teamers are Amanda Ollinger of Cedar Rapids Jefferson, Laynie Whitehead of Iowa City West and Alexa Aldrich-Ingram of Iowa City High in 5A and Amanda Sahm of Marion in 4A.

Gustin was selected the 3A coach of the year. Thrust into the position just before the 2012 season upon the resignation of Kurt Trout, Gustin has posted a 99-16 record with three trips to the finals in three years.

IOWA GIRLS COACHES ASSOCIATION ALL-STATE VOLLEYBALL TEAMS

ELITE TEAM

Jess Schaben, sr., Harlan; Mikaela Foecke, sr., Fort Madison Holy Trinity; Rachel Koop, sr., Dike-New Hartford; Jordan Smith, sr., Solon; Jaali Winters, sr., Ankeny Centennial; Briana Weber, sr., Dike-New Hartford; Megan Ballenger, sr., Ankeny; Hayley Dotseth, sr., Johnston.

Co-Players of the year - Foecke and Koop.

CLASS 5A

First team - Jaali Winters, sr., Ankeny Centennial; Megan Ballenger, sr., Ankeny; Hayley Dotseth, sr. Johnston; Megan Sharkey, jr., Bettendorf; Kristen Stucker, sr., Johnston; Josie Herbst, jr., Bettendorf; Danielle Pennington, jr., Bettendorf.

Player of the year - Winters. Coach of the year - Jessica Rinehart, Ankeny Centennial.

Second team - Amanda Ollinger, jr., Cedar Rapids Jefferson; Samantha Bohnet, sr., Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln; Laynie Whitehead, sr., Iowa City West; McKenna Pierson, sr., Ankeny Centennial; Tessa Mendoza, jr., West Des Moines Dowling; Alexa Aldrich-Ingram, soph., Iowa City High; Bailee Gofta, sr., Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln.

Honorable mention (area only) - Anna Fluent, jr., Cedar Rapids Kennedy; Sarah Renner, sr., Linn-Mar; Kate Busswitz, jr., Cedar Rapids Prairie.

CLASS 4A

First team - Jess Schaben, sr., Harlan; Hali Hillegas, sr., Charles City; Carlee Ketchum, jr., West Delaware; Abby Bergstrom, sr., Lewis Central; Alyssa Thomas, jr., Marion; Emily Thole, sr., West Delaware; Abby Phillips, sr., Marion.

Player of the year - Schaben. Coach of the year - Angie Spangenberg, Harlan.

Second team - Meagan Miller, sr., Charles City; Mariah McPartland, sr., Boone; Natalie Brimeyer, sr., Clear Creek Amana; Taylor Frederick, jr., Harlan; Reghan Coyle, sr., Lewis Central; Asia Kloewer, sr., Harlan; Addison Brooks, jr., West Delaware; Amanda Sahm, sr., Marion.

Honorable mention (area only) - Lauren Stopko, sr., Clear Creek Amana; Kristen Wegmann, jr., West Delaware; Kayla Torson, sr., Cedar Rapids Xavier; Isabella Sade, soph., Marion.

CLASS 3A

First team - Jordan Smith, sr., Solon; Jordan Runge, sr., Solon; Morgan Melchert, sr., Mount Vernon; Kate Walker, sr., Red Oak; Maria Wrage, sr., Union; Kelsey Redmond, sr., Iowa Falls-Alden; Cassedi Simon, jr., West Liberty.

Player of the year - Smith. Coach of the year - Peter Gustin, Solon.

Second team - Kaitlin Niedert, soph., Independence; Kaitlyn Volesky, soph., Mount Vernon; Molly Kelly, sr., West Liberty; Grace Blomstedt, sr., Red Oak; Kati Cassabaum, jr., Nevada; Jill VanderPlaats, sr., Sioux Center; Heidi Hillyard, sr., Mediapolis.

Third team - Sydney Nielsen, sr., Shenandoah; Lauren Himan, sr., Roland-Story; Carly Seely, jr., Algona; Taylor Nearad, sr., Solon; Maria Dentlinger, sr., Carroll Kuemper; Alex Miner, sr., Gilbert; Megan Hudson, soph., Union.

Honorable mention (area only) - Libby Ryan, soph., Mount Vernon; Claire Simmons, sr., Williamsburg; Brooke Klostermann, sr., Dyersville Beckman; Arika Wooldridge, jr., Center Point-Urbana; Alyssa Hawkins, sr., Independence; Hailey Daufeldt, jr., West Liberty.

CLASS 2A

First team - Rachel Koop, sr., Dike-New Hartford; Briana Weber, sr., Dike-New Hartford; Ema Altena, sr., Western Christian; Anna Kiel, jr., Unity Christian; Riley Sents, sr., Grundy Center; Jamie Gesink, sr., Western Christian; Karlie Taylor, jr., Eddyville EBF; Lizzy Blough, sr., Dike-New Hartford.

Player of the year - Koop. Coach of the year - Diane Harms, Dike-New Hartford.

Second team - Becca Pagel, soph., Sumner-Fredericksburg; Jaydlin Seehase, soph., Sumner-Fredericksburg; Madison Russell, sr., West Branch; Brynn Reichardt, sr., Des Moines Christian; Haley Weepie, jr., Wapsie Valley; Haley Birks, sr., South Central Calhoun; Karsyn Winterfeld, soph., Western Christian; Alyssa Mathews, jr., Grundy Center.

Third team - Hannah Corey, sr., South Central Calhoun; Abby Musser, sr., Woodward Granger; Kelsea Heintzman, jr., Lake Mills; Katelyn Schechinger, sr., IKM-Manning; Paige Shafer, sr., Eddyville EBF; Madison Paulson, sr., Treynor; Kaira Moss, jr., Western Christian; Piper Thomas, sr., Jesup.

Honorable mention (area only) - Haley Poula, jr., West Branch.

CLASS 1A

First team - Mikaela Foecke, sr., Fort Madison Holy Trinity; Morgan Whitehead, sr., LeMars Gehlen; Sarah Halse, sr., Central Lyon; Kaylee Whittington, sr., Grand View Christian; Kendyl Sorge, sr., Janesville; Angel Rassmussen, sr., Central Lyon; Emily Parks, sr., New London; Gillian Gergan, soph., Janesville.

Player of the year - Foecke. Coach of the year - Melissa Freesmeier, Fort Madison Holy Trinity.

Second team - Blake Banowetz, sr., Bellevue Marquette; Johanna Vaske, jr., Algona Garrigan; Ashlan Thompson, soph., Grand View Christian; Peyton Benson, sr., Tripoli; Ivy Sieperda, sr., Central Lyon; Hannah Barber, sr., Murray; Sydney McLaren, fr., Griswold; Kayla Schaufenbuel, sr., Turkey Valley.

Third team - Jordan Carter, sr., Sigourney; Taryn Williams, sr., Fremont-Mills; Madison Sheetz, sr., Keota; Jorgi Krieger, sr., New London; Megan Wagaman, jr., Springville; Sydney Danker, sr., Guthrie Center; Kennedy Drewis, fr., Tripoli; Rachel Armstrong, jr., Bedford.

Honorable mention (area only) - Marissa Ward, jr., Iowa Valley.

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