Stalder, Shipley earn first team All-HOIAC, Rams and Rockets pick up accolades

By TYLER ANDERSON tanderson@iowainformation.com

As the 2023 volleyball season comes to a close following the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union’s State Volleyball Tournament’s championship games today, the Greene County and Paton-Churdan volleyball teams were able to claim some honors before transitioning into winter.

Released last Thursday, the Greene County volleyball team earned individual honors from the Heart of Iowa Activities Conference. Senior Kaylee Stalder and junior Emma Shipley were named to the first team All-HOIAC squad, while junior setter Violet Reedy was designated to the league’s second team. Senior libero Graci Cooklin and junior Payton Kokenge were placed among the HOIAC’s honorable mentions.

Over the course of the season, Stalder racked up 256 kills, 114 digs, 33 service aces, 29 assists and 24 blocks. Stalder led the HOIAC in kills and was second in kill attempts. Shipley notched 166 kills, 39 blocks, nine digs and five assists by season’s end, and was second in the conference in kill efficiency (.303). 

Reedy reeled in 464 assists, 124 digs, 22 aces, 20 kills and 12 blocks, alongside Cooklin’s season campaign of 228 digs, 26 aces, 24 assists and eight kills. Kokenge picked up a total of 103 kills, 40 digs, 17 blocks, 13 aces and seven assists. 

Reedy was third in the HOIAC in assists, while Cooklin topped the conference in serve efficiency (96.3 percent). Cooklin was also fourth in the league in digs, serve success (311) and serve attempts (323).

Kokenge was fourth in the league in kill efficiency (.234).

The Rams finished third in the HOIAC under the guidance of Chris Heisterkamp, logging a 5-2 record. Overall, Greene County concluded their campaign at 15-13, which was their third straight season with a winning record.

In a recent announcement by Makayla Sparr, head coach of the Paton-Churdan volleyball team, there were several letterwinners and two honorable mentions from the Rolling Valley Conference. Honorable mentions from the Rolling Valley were sophomore Mia Russell and freshman Ella Tasler.

Over the course of the season, Russell compiled 80 digs, 27 kills, seven aces and five assists. Tasler totaled 76 digs, 11 aces, eight kills and four assists for the Rockets. 

Russell and Tasler picked up letterwinner status, along with senior Hailey Hoyle, junior Grace Cullum, sophomore Madison Roper, and freshmen Kaliyah Minnihan, Abbi Summers, Alivya Smith and Maggie Reed. 

Paton-Churdan had to start from scratch in 2023, finishing 0-14 overall with a 0-9 record in the RVC. The Rockets did experience some optimism for next season, winning a set against Colo-Nesco in the first round of the Class 1A, Region 5 Tournament on Oct. 16 in Colo.