Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First

Kimball High volleyball showing promise

The 2013 Kimball High volleyball season didn't play out like coach Vicki Mitchell and her girls were hoping, but the future certainly shows lots of promise! After a disappointing, first round loss in the sub-district tournament. Kimball saw their season end with a record of 12-13, but how close it was to being much better. Of the 13 losses, 4 were by 2 points, 4 were within 3 points, and 1 was within 4 points.

Only 4 of the losses were by more than 4 points and they were twice to Class B Sidney, Chase County and Dundy County. Other close losses were twice to Mitchell by scores of 22-25 and 21-25, Bridgeport 22-25, Hemingford 24-26 and 23-25, Alliance in 5 sets 22-25,Gering 23-25, Burns in 5 sets 22-25, and Mitchell again 25-27.

Coach Mitchell used a 9 player rotation for the most part this season and loses only two seniors, Kelly Green and Courtney Hunsaker, by graduation. Jessica Hanks was the lone junior on this year's varsity with the balance all sophomores and freshmen. Kelly Green, along with sophomores Danika Daum and Madison Biesecker were named to the Western Trails All Conference Team, and Jessica Hanks and sophomore Miayla Fiehtner were given Honorable Mention. This is why volleyball at Kimball High shows so much promise and the future is bright!

Coach Mitchell said with work through out this upcoming summer, and with improved team concept, she feels the Lady Longhorns could be the team to beat in conference and district play next season. We have looked at the team record, the wins an losses, and how close those losses were. Looking now at some of the season team, and individual stats, several stand out.

In service points, Biesecker was high with 159 followed by Daum with 132, Arica McCloud 115, Jessica Hanks 113, Courtney Hunsaker 97, Kelly Green 91, Raelynn Hinton 22, Maddie Snyder 16, and Ali Hunsaker 2. Daum had 27 ace serves, Biesecker 24, McCloud 13, Green 12, Hanks 10, and Hunsaker 9. McCloud had the top serve percentage at 97.3 with most everyone else in the upper 80% range.

Daum led in kills with 173, Green had 122, Biesecker 113, and Fiehtner 82. Biesecker charted 273 assists and Daum an even 200. Daum was tough at the net with 64 blocks, Fiehtner had 52, Green 17, Hunsaker and Biesecker 13 each. Hanks led in digs with 53 followed by Biesecker with 43, Green 29, McCloud 27, Daum 15, Hunsaker 12, and Snyder 12.

As a team, Kimball served 88.6% with 101 ace serves. They had 547 kills charting 26.5% and averaging 7.8 a game. They averaged 7.2 assists per game. A total of 123 blocks, or 1.8 per game, and 12.2 digs per game. With another year of maturity and working together as a team, once again, volleyball at Kimball High shows lots of promise.