EATON TWP. — Forty-one senior volleyball players took part in the annual Lorain County All-Star matches Wednesday night at Midview High school. Before friends and family, the players took the floor for the final time in their school colors and thrilled those in attendance with an evening of friendly, yet competitive volleyball.

The forty-one girls were split into four teams with Team 1 facing off against Team 2 to kick off the evening.

See photos and bios of all 41 all-stars.

Although Team 2 ended up with Miss Volleyball winner Zoe Zwegat of Elyria Catholic and runner-up Kyleigh Whitsel of Brookside on its side, it was Team 1 that swept the match, 25-21, 25-19 and 25-17.

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It was Game 2 of the match that provided the evening’s best volley back-and-forth, courtesy of Midview’s Mary Brown. With her team trailing 14-13, Brown dove toward a spiked ball and saved her team from losing a point as the ball bounced off her hand, which was flat on the ground. From there, the two teams conducted a spirited volley that saw a combined 15 touches before Team 1 received the point on a hitting error.

Team 1 rode the momentum to outscore Team 2, 10-5, to win the game.

“That was a lot of fun,” Brown said of the point after the lengthy volley. “They almost got the kill, but once the ball got back up, both teams got into it. I’m glad we got the point and went on to win.”

In the third and final game, Brown served a pair of aces as Team 1 completed the sweep to close out the first half of the evening. Playing on her home floor, it also served as a sentimental closure for Brown’s career as a Middie.

“This was nice to finish here tonight on my floor,” Brown said. “I’ve enjoyed playing volleyball here and to have the opportunity tonight to go out on my home floor is great.”

Afterward, Whitsel paid tribute to those who had helped her.

“I wouldn’t be here tonight without a lot of people,” she said. “My teammates helped get me here and my parents, too. They have been taking me to volleyball for years, so tonight is for them as much as for me.”

Following the presentation of the Miss Volleyball award and the induction of former Keystone coach Dave Cross into the Lorain County Volleyball Coaches Hall of Fame, Teams 3 and 4 got into the action.

Team 4 came out on top by the scores of 24-26, 25-22 and 25-13. The third and final game of the three-game match proved to be a Firelands affair as teammates Teresa Davis and Kayla Williams teamed up to lead the way. The duo combined for seven kills to help their team jump to an 11-2 lead and eventual win. Williams finished with five kills, including a block, to pace her team.

“I was really happy to be here,” Williams said. “This is a great group of players. I have played with some of these girls on the Junior Olympic team, so we know each other.”

Davis was happy to be a part of the night’s festivities as well.

“This was such a good time,” she said. “Our team was awesome and I’m sad that it is over now. I wish we could keep playing. This is a great group of players.”

Long time area volleyball coach Marty Yonkof of Vermilion, who has been to every All-Star game since its inception, put the evening in perspective.

“This night is about the kids,” Yonkof said. “As a coach you tell them to go out there, play and have fun. The people are here to see these players play volleyball, not to see us coach.

“Every one of these players has earned the right to be here. This night is for them from beginning to end.”

Contact Hans Schneider at 329-7135 or ctsports@chroniclet.com.

All-District 3 volleyball

Twenty-six area girls have been named to the District 3 Volleyball Coaches Association’s all-star teams.

A highlight of the selections was Zoe Zwegat of Elyria Catholic being named the District 3 representative to the state all-star match at Wooster High on Sunday.

District 3 covers the counties of Lorain, Medina, Portage and Summit.

Here is a list of area girls on the all-star teams:

DIVISION I

FIRST TEAM

Amherst: Deme Morales, Kaylee Koller; Elyria: Kristen Boros, Brigette Jones.

HONORABLE MENTION

Midview: Arrianna Cumberledge; Amherst: Morgan Madera; Admiral King: Diedre Noble; Elyria: Jazmyn Corlew.

DIVISION II

FIRST TEAM

Brookside: Kyleigh Whitsel.

SECOND TEAM

Avon: Sara Ladegaard; Keystone: Casidy Gregory; Clearview: Kelsey Fortney; Vermilion: Katie Karres.

HONORABLE MENTION

Firelands: Morgan Mastellone; Avon: Allison Leighty; Brookside: Kayla Lee; Clearview: Jasmine Comstock; Vermilion: Julia Clark.

DIVISION III

FIRST TEAM

Elyria Catholic: Zoe Zwegat; Wellington: Megan Auble, Melissa Rennie; Columbia: Emily Nagle, Courtney Traut.

SECOND TEAM

Elyria Catholic: Anna McNeeley, Catherine O’Shaughnessy; Columbia: Brooke Wenzel.

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