Soph Kortsen named league MVP, All-CCS
With a record of 36-6 overall, a perfect 12-0 mark in league and
trips to both Central Coast Section finals and state playoffs, it
was no wonder that the San Benito High girls volleyball team landed
five of its players on the All-Tri County Athletic League First
Team.
Included in that list was sophomore Emily Kortsen, who was named
the league’s Most Valuable Player for her outstanding efforts at
the opposite-side position.
This past season the 6-foot-1 Kortsen led the Balers with 388
kills and was one of the team’s leaders in digs, blocks and
aces.
Soph Kortsen named league MVP, All-CCS
With a record of 36-6 overall, a perfect 12-0 mark in league and trips to both Central Coast Section finals and state playoffs, it was no wonder that the San Benito High girls volleyball team landed five of its players on the All-Tri County Athletic League First Team.
Included in that list was sophomore Emily Kortsen, who was named the league’s Most Valuable Player for her outstanding efforts at the opposite-side position.
This past season the 6-foot-1 Kortsen led the Balers with 388 kills and was one of the team’s leaders in digs, blocks and aces.
“She is a real special talent,” said Baler Coach Dean Askanas. “She has the height and the skills to go a long way. She’ll be able to play wherever she wants, and is the caliber of player that can compete in a Pac-10 program.”
After being named the MVP of the TCAL, Kortsen was selected to the All-CCS team as well.
“She’s got some pretty good company there,” Askanas said. “This shows that she really is the real deal.”
Fortunately for Askanas, he’ll still have the standout athlete on his roster when the Balers reload next fall to try to win the school’s first-ever CCS title.
This year the Balers lost to Carlmont in the CCS championship game before advancing to the state tournament, where they were ousted from competition after losing to Brentwood’s Liberty Union High in the second round.
Although Kortsen will be back for two more years in a Baler uniform, Askanas will lose a few key seniors next year, including First Team players J. T Temperino and Ari Romero.
This year Temperino dominated play from the outside hitter slot, racking up 367 kills and a team-leading 357 digs. She also led the team in blocks with 46.
“She is a great team leader and another all-around player like Emily,” said Askanas of his 5-foot-10 athlete. “Her passing and her defense was excellent. She was a huge part of our success.”
Romero added to the successful equation this season was senior, who played the strategic defensive position of libero in the back row.
“Her leadership was great,” Askanas said. “She was the best captain that I ever coached. She really brought the team together.”
In addition to her leadership skills, Romero logged 25 assists and 319 digs.
When it came to setting up the big hitters for a kill shot, no one in perhaps all of CCS was as effective as junior Chelsea Fowles. This year Fowles compiled a mind-blowing 1,046 assists. In comparison, the second-place finisher on the team in that statistical department had 70.
And when she was given the “green light” to put the ball away Fowles could deliver – her 161 kills are proof of that.
Fowles also had 268 digs, 31 blocks and led the team in aces with 98.
“She’s a very aggressive player,” Askanas said. “She also has a real passion for the game and was a big part of our success.”
Another Romero also earned First Team honors for her accolades on the court. Sophomore Bri Romero did so for her abilities as an outside hitter and all-around abilities.
“She may be the best all-around athlete on the floor that we have,” Askanas said. “She’s probably got the strongest mind out there. Whenever we needed to make a big kill she was not afraid to take the swing at it.”
And more often than not, those swings paid off on the other end of the court as the opposition failed to pick up her driving shots. She ended the season with 281 kills, 317 digs, 36 aces and 25 assists.
In addition to the First Team list, the Balers placed two players on the Second Team – sophomore middle blocker Ali Sharp and junior middle blocker Morgan O’Laughlin.
O’Laughlin contributed 60 assists, 168 kills, 25 blocks and 40 aces. Sharp also did well statistically and wound up the season with 33 blocks, finishing only behind Temperino in that category.
Although he’ll be losing Romero and Temperino, the core of the Baler team will be coming back for the fall of 2006 season. And although that season is still some nine months away, Askanas still has his eye on the prize.
“All the work that we’re doing is to win CCS. That’s the goal and that’s what we’re going for,” said Askanas, who took over the program a year ago. “A lot of the girls are coming back and we’ve got some good freshman and JV players that were also very successful coming up. So I think we’ll be in good shape.”
