By Jordan Burton – @thejordanburton (For OzarksSportsZone.com)

The Ozarks continues to prove why it is a hotbed for volleyball at all levels. This year’s All-Ozarks Sports Zone Team includes more than a half dozen Division One commits and signees, with several more receiving D-1 interest. The All-O-Zone Team is compiled by O-Zone staff with nominations and expertise also being provided by local high school and college coaches. Players that were not nominated by their high school coach were not considered.

Ozarks Sports Zone Player of the Year: Chloe Rear, Strafford
Hitter of the Year: Birdie Hendrickson, Rogersville
Libero/DS of the Year: Leah Vokolek, Kickapoo
Setter of the Year: Kennedee Anderson, Ozark
Freshman of the Year: Lacy Stokes, Mount Vernon
Coach of the Year: Skye Wade, Aurora

1st Team

Kennedee Anderson, Ozark, Junior

College: Undecided
Any time you’re setting records at Ozark you know you’re doing something right. Anderson totaled 983 assists, a single-season record, passing the likes of Kendra Sater, Aleah Hayes and Bridget Justis. Anderson had five games of 30 or more assists, with a pair of 40-assist games, and also added 213 digs. She finished the season with three double-doubles and was a Class 4 All-Stater.
Opposing Coach Comment: “Kennedy is a smart setter with great composure. She is able to take passes from anywhere on the court and put up a ball that allows her hitters to be very successful. She has great accuracy and is very consistent. She’s able to play great defense as well, which also makes her a valuable setter.”

Alana Findley, Fair Grove, Junior

College: Undecided
For the second year in a row Findley’s kill count took a major jump. The standout athlete began her campaign for Female Athlete of the Year with 360 kills, 130 blocks and an outrageous .423 hitting percentage, which earned her All-Mid-Lakes and Class 2 All-State nods. She enters her senior year with nearly 800 kills.
Opposing Coach Comment: “Alana is a lefty middle and although she is tall she’s very versatile on the net. She hits the ball at the top of her contact point, which makes her extremely efficient at the net. There is no doubt she isn’t lacking in the vertical department. Findley’s explosiveness off the floor puts her in good position to score.”

Birdie Hendrickson, Rogersville, Sophomore

College: Florida
She might be the most physically gifted player in Missouri, regardless of class. Just one season after being named to the Freshman All-American Team, Hendrickson didn’t suffer a sophomore slump, dropping 308 kills with a .399 hitting percentage. The 6-foot-1 phenom was again a unanimous All-COC Small selection, also adding Class 3 All-State honors.
Opposing Coach Comment: “Birdie is a game changer. She can single handedly take over a match if she’s on the front row. She can play any position, play it well, and most importantly, play it better than anyone else in our area. She’s just a completely different player than the Ozarks has ever seen.”

Lexi Miller, Carl Junction, Senior

College: Central Arkansas
You’ll be hard pressed to find someone that gets off the floor better than Miller, which led to some monster kills. Despite being slightly undersized at 5-foot-9, Miller still amassed a school-record 360 kills and 69 blocks to go along with 235 digs. She leaves CJ with nearly 900 career kills and a Class 4 All-State selection.
Opposing Coach Comment: “One of the most athletic players in our area. Lexi may hit the ball harder than any other player we faced this season. She was a threat from the front and back row so you always had to be ready to defend against her.”

Macey Putt, Ozark, Senior

College: Arkansas State
Her three-year dominance of the COC is now over after more than 800 career kills and 90 wins. The 6-footer saved her best last, posting 368 kills, 275 digs and 48 blocks. Putt had 11 double-digit kill games, earning her All-COC, Class 4 All-State and Honorable Mention All-American honors.
Opposing Coach Comment: “Macey is an amazing athlete. She has the deadly combination of size, strength, speed & skill which makes her a great six rotation player. She’s tough to coach against because she has the ability to hit a variety of shots. If you try to take something away defensively she recognizes it quickly, makes the adjustment and finds another way to score on you.”

Chloe Rear, Strafford, Senior

College: Missouri State
She’ll go down as one of the most decorated players in state history, finishing as a four-time all-state selection and being named to the Under Armour Honorable Mention All-American Team. She’s the only player in Missouri with more than 300 kills (377) and 500 assists (513) this season. She helped Strafford compile a 131-33-4 record with two Final Four runs in her four years.
Opposing Coach Comments: “Chloe is one of those kids you don’t get very often, her fire and passion for the game is evident in every point she plays. She has a heavy arm and a very explosive approach which makes her lethal, and she sees the court well, two things that make reading the ball hard for a defender. Not only is Rear good in the front row, but as well as every other position on the floor. Chloe is consistent and mentally tough.”

Leah Vokolek, Kickapoo, Senior

College: Missouri State
The 5-foot-7 libero didn’t have as many digs as others in the area (342), but it’s the quality of her digs that matters. Vokolek has the ability to get to balls that many others can’t because of her athleticism and pass accurately, posting a 2.47 serve receive pass rating, which earned her all-state honors. She finishes her career with back-to-back 300-dig seasons, totaling just 10 dig errors in 158 sets.
Opposing Coach Comment: “Her ball control is amazing. She anticipates better than most high school kids and seems to be a natural at it. She is capable of making her teammates better, and will keep her team in a big match.”

2nd Team

Brynn Bonewell, Ozark, Junior

Digs: 362
Dig Errors: 5
Season-High Digs: 17
Opposing Coach Comment: “Brynn has the ability to play multiple positions which she has done for Ozark throughout her high school career. She’s an extremely smart player and has the ability to manipulate the game with great decision making.”

Kara Finkbiner, Willard, Senior

Kills: 179
Digs: 210
Serve Receptions: 195
Opposing Coach Comment: “Finkbiner is a great all-around player who can execute all skills. She has a fast, heavy arm on the outside and finds crafty ways to get kills. She is a great team leader and when she is on fire so is her team.”

Madison Grantham, Nixa, Senior

College: Arkansas Tech
Digs: 515
Serve Receptions: 341
Serve Receive Pass Rating: 2.19
Season-High Digs: 33
Single-season Nixa record for digs and digs per set
Opposing Coach Comment: “Grantham is really good at making sure her team is in system so it is key to keep the ball away from her on service receive. She makes great defensive reads and is able to put herself in good position to make spectacular digs which gives her team a lot of energy.”

Lynna Hadlock, Miller, Senior

Digs: 525
Serve Receptions: 630
Broke her own single-season school record for digs
Single-match school record for digs (28)
Eight games with at least 20 digs
Opposing Coach Comment: “She can read the ball or hitter very well. No matter where you hit the ball she seems to get there 9 times out of 10. She also seems to control the court for Miller. She has not only done this as a Senior, but she has been a very effective player since she was young and has made a big impact since she was young.”

Kaylee Huffman, Aurora, Senior

Digs: 363
Serve Receptions: 394
Aces: 34
Season-High Digs: 29
Opposing Coach Comment: “Huffman reads very, very well. She could read our hitters and knew their tendencies, so she was always one step ahead of it. That made it so hard to get anything down on her.”

Julia McCown, Ozark, Junior

College: Missouri State
Kills: 290
Hitting Percentage: .335
Blocks: 101
Opposing Coach Comment: “Julia’s size and wingspan tops all players in SWMO. She’s one of the hardest kids to get a ball past, especially when you are somewhat out of system and she can tell where the set is going. She has the build that coaches at any level wish for their kids to have and knows how to use it.”

McKenna Miller, Rogersville, Senior

College: College of the Ozarks
Assists: 723
Errors: 8
Season-High Assists: 41
Four games with at least 30 assists
Three double-doubles
Opposing Coach Comment: “McKenna’s biggest attribute is her volleyball IQ. She makes plays happen because she knows the game. Few players have such a natural feel and flow for the game. She makes it look easy for her hitters because she knows when and where to send the ball.”

3rd Team

Madison Bowles, Strafford, Senior

College: Central Arkansas
Kills: 294
Hitting Percentage: .331
Blocks: 45
Season-High Kills: 14 (3 times)
Ten games with double-digit kills this season
Opposing Coach Comment: “She is a very strong hitter and very effective as a left-handed hitter; it’s always different trying to defend a lefty and they’re harder to read. She was definitely a game changer for Strafford.”

Alexa Boyle, Carthage, Sophomore

Kills: 302
Hitting Percentage: .348
Season-High Kills: 23
Digs: 181
Opposing Coach Comments: “When Alexa is on she has the ability to carry a team on her back. The crazy thing, she’s only a sophomore! She will be a threat for two more years that area coaches will have to scout and prepare their teams for.”

Moriah Coose, Lockwood, Senior

Kills: 342
Hitting Percentage: .338
Blocks: 105
Season-High Kills: 23
Opposing Coach Comment: “She is very strong. She reads the block well and hits around it effectively. She was definitely the one we focused on when it came to defense. She is able to mix it up and hit/tip strategically.”

Sylvia Lawson, Carl Junction, Senior

College: Oral Roberts
Assists: 647
Digs: 220
Blocks: 37
Three double-doubles
Three games with at least 30 assists
Opposing Coach Comment: “Her height makes her a good high school setter. There are very few setters in high school with her height and that gives her the ability to run a fast offense and put up a big block. Her height allows the tempo of the game to be faster and when her location is on they are very difficult to defend.”

Carly Spencer, Liberal, Senior

College: Fort Scott Community College
Kills: 350
Hitting Percentage: .447
Blocks: 61
Season-High Kills: 23
19 games with double-digit kills
Opposing Coach Comment: “She’s a beast. She’s powerful and hit several balls in front of the 10-foot line. She’s extremely effective. She placed the ball well and made our blockers work the entire game.”

Jazzlyn Wells, Lebanon, Senior

College: Arkansas-Fort Smith
Digs: 497
Career Digs: 1,197
Set single-season and career digs record at Lebanon
Opposing Coach Comment: “As an opposing coach, it was a goal to not serve to Jazzlyn, which is a huge compliment. On defense she reads well, which puts her in a good position to cover a lot of the floor. And as soon as the play is over you will see her celebrating with her team and/or finding a player to “High 5” and encourage. Jazzlyn has the defensive mindset that you want from your libero and the intangibles that made her a leader. You could tell that Lebanon’s team fed off the defensive plays Jazzlyn made.”

Anna Wolf, Bolivar, Senior

College: Central Methodist
Kills: 260
Digs: 211
Aces: 58
Blocks: 52
Opposing Coach Comments: “She is extremely athletic and explosive at the net. Honestly, she is underrated in my opinion as to what she’s capable of doing. She can take a great swing, she’s versatile in her shots and a good blocker. She can play all six rotations.”