Free State senior sheds label

Most middle hitters at the high school volleyball level carry the stereotype of being one-dimensional: They can block and slam kills, but don’t ask them to do much else.

Brooke Carter is not like most middle hitters.

Sure, the 5-foot-11 Free State High senior blocked well, tallying 199 on the year and a school-record 533 during her three-year career. Sure, she pounded home 169 kills, as well. But she also finished second on the team in digs, behind her team’s libero. And what about the time she served 23 consecutive points in a game against Shawnee Mission Northwest or when she unleashed two separate strings of 10 straight serves in a victory over Olathe South?

Free State volleyball coach Nancy Hopkins said it was all in a day’s work for Carter, named the Journal-World’s all-area volleyball player of the year.

“She is a middle blocker, but she is just such a well rounded player,” Hopkins said. “She’s a great blocker, but she also passes well, digs well and was not afraid to hit the floor. She just does everything. A lot of middle hitters, you don’t find that.”

Carter said her goal on the court was to shed the label of the middle blocker as just tall and lazy.

“I think the fact that I was put in the front row made me want to prove that I could also play back row,” Carter said. “I wanted to prove to others that middles aren’t the slow ones. I can hit and I can pass.

“I’ve even asked coach if I could set every once in a while, because it’s nice to be involved in every aspect.”

Carter likely will be taking her versatile game to the college ranks next season.

She said she has heard from a few Division I schools, but will wait a little longer before making a decision.

“I think it would be awesome to go play somewhere else,” Carter said, “and experience a different lifestyle, a different town.”

Journal-World all-area first team

Brooke Carter – Free State

Her 199 blocks this season led the Firebirds, and she set a school record for blocks in a career. She also tallied 169 kills for a 1.94 kills-per-game average, 32 service aces and a 2.216 pass rating.

Carter had 174 digs this season and was named first-team All-Sunflower League.

Taylor Manning – Free State

Manning paced the Firebirds with 263 kills, good for a 2.76 kills-per-game average.

The 6-foot-1 junior outside hitter also had 91 blocks, 119 digs, 30 aces and a 2.108 pass rating to go along with 30 service aces.

Manning was named first-team All-Sunflower League.

Emily Bracciano – Lawrence

The 5-foot-4 senior libero led the Lions in digs with 305 (season high was 16 against Seaman) and led the team with a 2.25 pass rating.

A two-year starter, she was named honorable mention All-Sunflower League.

Sami Franiuk – Tonganoxie

Franiuk was selected to the All-Kaw Valley League first team and was also selected to the Class 4A state all-tournament team for the Chieftains, who finished in third place at state.

The 5-foot-10 THS senior finished the 2007 season with 325 kills, 225 digs, 72 aces and 71 blocks.

Tracie Hileman – Tonganoxie

A three-year starter for the Chieftains, Hileman was selected to the All-Kaw Valley League first team as well as the Class 4A state all-tournament team.

The 5-foot-8 senior finished the year with 356 digs, 259 kills, 76 blocks and 46 aces.

Kara McFarland – Ottawa

The 6-foot junior earned First-Team All-Frontier League honors and led her team in four categories: hitting percentage (.305), blocks (50), block assists (83) and blocks per game (1.03).

She also had 200 kills, averaging 2.25 kills per game.

Tayler Tolefree – Lawrence

A junior middle hitter, Tolefree led her team in blocks. She registered 92 block kills and 217 blocks overall.

Tolefree recorded 179 kills for a .258 accuracy rating and 26 digs.

A two-year starter, Tolefree also made first-team All-Sunflower League.

Nikki Snider – Eudora

Snider was named to the Frontier All-League first team as well as the Tonganoxie All-Tournament team.

She had 475 kills, 321 digs, 61 blocks, 43 aces and a 94 percent serving percentage.

Melanie Chaussee – Free State

The Firebirds’ right-side hitter had 127 kills for an average of 1.36 per game. She also had 133 blocks and 17 digs despite playing limited points in the back row.

Chaussee also earned first-team All-Sunflower League honors.

Honorable Mention

Lindsey Murray, Lawrence High; Kelsey Allen and Alyx Glover, Free State; Hannah Herrstrom, Tonganoxie; Alex Bergan, Baldwin; Kristen Hendrickson, Ottawa; Bria Phipps, Seabury Academy; Mariah Webb, Eudora; Kristie Tiegreen, Adrienne Willems, and Becky Woods, Veritas Christian.