It wouldn’t be a mid-November week without some West Liberty love on the Iowa Girls Coaches Association’s Class 3A all-state volleyball list.
Last Sunday, juniors Gaby Morales and Sophie Buysse were named as all-state players. Morales was named to the Class 3A third team while Buysse earned fourth-team honors.
As this year’s libero, Morales did not let many attacks hit the floor. She tallied 586 digs, which ranked seventh in the entire state, regardless of class.
Playing in all 109 sets for the Comets this year, Morales also tallied 76 assists, 25 aces and one kill.
Buysse was an all-court player for coach Ruben Galvan, showcasing multiple elite attributes throughout the season.
She compiled 424 digs, 336 kills, 33 aces, 14 assists and nine blocks.
Additionally, she showcased her skills as one of the most efficient servers in Iowa. Her 96.7 percent serve efficiency mark ranks third best in 3A.
What makes these achievements even more remarkable is that they mirror last season’s all-state list, just in a slightly different way.
In 2022, Gaby’s and Sophie’s sisters made the all-state list. Monica Morales and Brooklyn Buysse both earned second-team honors.
This continues a trend of Comets earning all-state recognition. At least one Comet has made the all-state list dating back to 2017.
In 2021, Brooklyn Buysse was on the list again with teammate Macy Daufeldt who won the Class 3A Player of the Year award.
Daufeldt was on the 2020 list too with Martha Pace on the third team. In 2019, Daufeldt made her all-state debut, and this time it was on the first team.
2017 and 2018 saw Macy Akers make the second and third team respectively. A third Morales sister, Brianna, was an honorable mention.
For the 2023 edition of the Class 3A all-state list, Chloe Meester of Mount Vernon was named Player of the Year. Tammi Verbeek of Western Christian was named Coach of the Year.
The Class 3A first team is as follows: Meester; junior Dakota Mitchell (Mid-Prairie); junior Ellie Schubert (Davenport Assumption); senior Gabby Lombardi (Des Moines Christian); junior Hadley Hardersen (Des Moines Christian); senior Haley Wielenga (Western Christian); senior Shayna Van Dyken (Western Christian); junior Sydney Huber (Mount Vernon).
On the 3A second team is: junior Avery Knoop (Union, LaPorte City); sophomore Ellah Derrer (Davenport Assumption); senior Finley Schelhaas (Des Moines Christian); senior Gracie Klima (Union, LaPorte City); senior Jada Timmerman (Cherokee, Washington); junior Jadyn Kuper (Monticello); senior Maggie Johnson (Davenport Assumption); senior Marissa Cahoy (New Hampton).
Joining Morales on the third team is: junior Brooke Krogmann (West Delaware); sophomore Jovi Evans (Mid-Prairie); senior Keana Wynja (Western Christian); junior Laney Wolfswinkel (Cherokee, Washington); junior Paige Schurbon (Mount Vernon); sophomore Sophie Sander (Anamosa); junior Sydney Maue (Center Point-Urbana).
Lastly, with Buysse on the fourth team is: junior Grace Erwin (Solon); senior Haley Kuperus (Unity Christian); sophomore Harper Pacha (Mid-Prairie); senior Jalyn Hovenga (Forest City); junior Jenna Scharper (Osage); junior Reese Neuhaus (Anamosa); junior Tierney Huss (MOC-Floyd Valley); senior Xada Johnson (Clear Lake).
Down in Class 2A, three other River Valley Conference athletes were named as all-state players.
Two Beckman Catholic girls, juniors Alexie Hogan and Katelyn Schmitt, were named to the Class 2A third team. Sophomore
Reese Naeve of Iowa City Regina also made the third team.