Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
A sea of cheerfully content faces tell all for the Varsity Lady Longhorns after completing the 2016 season. From left to right: Alana Kelsch, Jenna Greenwood, Hailey Paxton, Sheridan Magninie (23), Jannel Fiehtner (12), Raelynn Hinton, Hanna Biesecker, Justine Heeg, Shauntae Daily (10), Hanna Klosterman, Kaitlyn Wurdeman, Madison Wynne (1) and Kiersten Anderson (cheerleader) that also played on the team.
Kaitlyn Wurdeman receives and returns a dig from the opposing team during Sub-Districts in Sidney on Oct. 31, while Justine Heeg (15) and Jannel Fiehtner (12) stand ready with their support.
Kate Reader (11) spikes the ball well over the heads of the opposing team in recent Sub-District play.
Hannah Biesecker takes and sucessfully returns a dig during a Sub-Districts set last week.
Senior Raelyn Hinton scores at kill against the Sidney Lady Raiders in Sub-Districts.
The Lady Longhorns 2016 varsity season ended with 11 wins and 21 losses. It may have been a disappointing season in comparison to the previous year's record of 17-10 but they did prove that they could work together as a team despite changing from a 6-2 format to 5-1 mid-season.
Junior Hannah Biesecker led the Lady Horns in all around stats both offensively and defensively. This season she served up 45 aces, only 10 less than her older sister who served 55 the previous year as a senior, and is now playing college ball in Beatrice.
Seniors Raelynn Hinton and Jannel Fiehtner served up 35 and 27 aces respectively, followed by juniors Justine Heeg and Alex Reader each hitting 17 aces apiece. Sophomore Kate Reader stepped up with 8 aces followed by seniors Shauntae Daily and Hanna Klosterman each with 6.
The leader by far in kills was Biesecker, earning herself recognition for the 324 she took for the year. Hinton followed with an impressive 233 to her credit. Fiehtner and Kate Reader followed with 32 each with senior Caitlin Wurdeman right behind them with 31 kills. Daily earned herself 24 kills while juniors Alex Reader and Heeg followed with 10 and 6 respectively.
Point leader for the year was again Biesecker marking up 167 followed by Hinton with 155, Fiehtner with 107, Heeg with 104, Klosterman - 69, Alex Reader - 65, Kate Reader -41 and Daily with 21.
Defensively, Hinton led in serve receives, taking 310 for the year. Biesecker followed close behind with 307 serve receives. Fiehtner took 176, followed by Daily with 154, Alex Reader with 118, Heeg -87 and Kate Reader - 80.
Biesecker went to the net for 32 overall blocks followed by Wurdeman with 17 blocks. Hinton blocked 16 followed by Kate Reader with 12, Daily-10, Feihtner - 9 and Alex Reader - 3.
Heeg was overall in assists with a whopping 363 to her credit. Klosterman followed with 77 followed by sophomore Maddie Wynne with 50 and Fiehtner with 25 assists.
While Biesecker was overall in stats for the team, the seniors played a substantial game throughout the season. Hinton was solid all year, playing a dependable game. Fiehtner really brought her game up in the second half of the season and Wurdeman played well when she was on the front line.
