Class A all-state team boasts 5 area athletes

YANKTON — Two hitter-setter combos and three other hitters comprise the first team of the South Dakota Volleyball Coaches Association’s Class A All-State Team, announced today.

Kelly Reed and Reanna Bertram of state runner-up Elk Point-Jefferson, and Devon Brecke and Jessa Doom of third place Wagner are on the first team. Also named to that elite list were Kaitlin Hanson of state champion Sioux Falls Christian, Emily Johnson of Platte-Geddes and Katie Friedel of St. Thomas More.

All seven first-team selections played in the Class A state volleyball tournament Nov. 18-20 in Aberdeen.

Brecke and Doom are the lone underclassmen on the first team, and led Wagner to third in the state despite the team’s heavy graduation losses from their back-to-back title teams in 2008-09.

Brecke posted 353 kills, 46 ace serves, 24 blocks and 312 digs, playing a full rotation after starting in the front row the past two seasons.

“She led the team in serve reception,” noted Wagner head coach Amy Tyler. “She picked up her level of play in all aspects of the game.”

Doom replaced a first-team all-stater in Keaya Weber and picked up where Weber left off. The sophomore — the only sophomore among the 19 players honored by the SDVBCA — posted 887 assists, as well as 49 kills, 54 ace serves and 170 digs.

Tyler credit’s Doom’s off-season work with helping her prepare for her first season as the Red Raiders’ setter.

“Jessa loves volleyball and she really worked hard at it,” she said. “She went to a lot of setting camps during the summer. She was a kid we had to kick out of the gym (at the end of open gym) all summer long, and she was really good about rounding up her hitters.”

Johnson pounded out 351 kills and had 42 blocks, 28 ace serves and 246 digs in helping Platte-Geddes finish as consolation champions at state.

“She was a great leader on the court. She directed people, a lot like a setter,” said Black Panthers head coach Jill Kemnitz. “She was one of our leading serve receivers, and she was very fun to watch at the net.”

Reed and Bertram, both seniors, led EPJ to its best finish since the school won the Class A title in 1997.

Reed was a powerful force up front, notching 406 kills and 87 blocks.

Along side her was Bertram, who not only finished with 780 assists, but posted 69 kills and 24 blocks to go with her 42 ace serves and 189 digs.

Hanson led the Chargers to their first state title since 2007. The 5-10 senior middle hitter finished the year with 208 kills and 69 blocks.

“She really controlled the net very well,” said SFC head coach Darci Wassenaar. “She was a very good blocker, and her hitting improved throughout the year.”

Hanson’s hitting prowess shown through in the state tournament, as she finished with 45 kills in the three matches, including 17 in the three-set championship win over EPJ.

Freidel, the only outside hitter on the first team, posted 249 kills, 39 ace serves, 15 blocks and 200 digs in leading the Cavaliers to their third state tournament appearance in four years.

Sioux Falls Christian’s Claire Assam, Redfield-Doland’s Kara Bause, Winner’s Sharee Galbraith, Sisseton’s Amber Huntington, Harrisburg’s Lindsey Johnson, Mobridge-Pollock’s Kass Keller and Bon Homme’s Raquel Sutera made up the second team.

Kellie Griese of Platte-Geddes, Kalli Grimsrud of Sisseton, Kelsey Hunter of Miller Area, Haley Jorgenson of Viborg-Hurley and Brianna Tuenge of Harrisburg were named honorable mention selections.

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