Athlete of the week: Bon Homme's Raquel Sutera leading the way

TYNDALL — The way last year’s season ended for the Bon Homme High School volleyball team is motivating 5-foot-10 senior middle hitter Raquel Sutera.

Bon Homme finished the regular season with a 22-8 record, but was upset in the first round of the district playoffs by McCook Central/Montrose.

With it being her senior season this year, Sutera has one more chance to make the state high school tournament.

“It would really mean a lot to make it to state,” she said. “After that, we felt like we let down our coach and ourselves … so we are really working hard to win that first district game and hopefully make it to state.”

Sutera is doing all she can to help Bon Homme make the state tournament, too.

The Cavaliers are 12-2 this year and Sutera is playing a big role. She has 154 kills on 391 attacks and 87 total blocks.

She started last week with a season-high 21 kills on 30 attacks in Bon Homme’s 3-0 win over Tripp-Delmont/Armour on Tuesday, Sept. 13. On Thursday, she had 16 kills, 11 digs and seven blocks in a sweep over Irene-Wakonda.

During the Cavalier Clash in Tyndall on Saturday, Bon Homme went 3-0 in pool play and Sutera combined for 24 kills in seven sets. Dakota Valley knocked Bon Homme out in the first round of the championship bracket, but Sutera still had 13 kills.

For her efforts, Sutera has been named The Daily Republic’s athlete of the week, a weekly award voted on by the newspaper’s sports staff.

“Those were two really good wins against Tripp-Delmont/Armour and Irene-Wakonda,” Sutera said of her team’s success last week. “Hopefully, we can get Dakota Valley next time when we play them in about two weeks.”

Second-year coach Lindsey Fathke said Sutera is not just providing the team with stats, either.

“I expected her to step up as a leader … and be the top leader on the team,” she said. “She is very good at encouraging the whole team … and helping them figure out what they are doing wrong and helping them get in the right position. It takes a lot to do all of that, and to be the dominator on the team.”

Sutera has embraced the leadership role.

“I think I am really good at keeping the team spirit up,” she said. “I have been starting since I was a freshman, and I think our team has gotten better with criticizing each other since we are all pretty good friends.”

Even though Sutera is a middle hitter, Fathke is not afraid to put her in the back row during the team’s rotation. This has led to Sutera leading the team with 137 digs.

“She is right up there with our diggers, and she does a great job of playing in the back row,” Fathke said.

With so many different responsibilities, the pressure may be a bit overwhelming to Sutera, but she takes it all in stride.

“I do feel a little pressure, but I expect out a lot out of myself as well,” she said. “There is a lot I can do for the team.”

In their next action, Sutera and Bon Homme play at Wagner today.

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