The Intermountain League's leader in assists a year ago, Bayfield senior setter Courtney Bayles was recently named First Team All-IML, capping off a campaign in which no team from the loop advanced to the Class 3A State Championships for the first time in many years.
"We played some really tough teams that were ranked top-five," she'd said earlier in the season. "So we took that and I think we've been learning a lot. We lost a lot of defensive players last year, and I think that our younger girls have stepped up and played like none other."
Joining Bayles (556 assists, 28 aces, 98 digs, 58 total blocks) as a First Team pick was senior outside hitter Kylee McCoy (171 kills, 147 digs, 38 aces, 61 total blocks), along with Centauri senior middles Ember Canty and Caroline Van Berkum, Pagosa Springs senior outside hitter Faith Ahlhardt (named Player-of-the-Year) and Alamosa senior libero Lexi Ortega.
CHS' Candace Shaw was an easy choice as Coach-of-the-Year after guiding the Falcons to a 10-0 league mark and 23-2 overall record after losses to Colorado Springs St. Mary's and Kersey Platte Valley in the 3A-Region VI Tournament. Shaw is a Bayfield alumna.
Senior middle Ashley Mottin (120 kills, 80 total blocks, 55 digs) also represented Bayfield on the Second Team, joining CHS senior setter Sheree Rodriguez and sophomore libero Kaitlyn Quinlan, Montezuma-Cortez senior outside hitter Tyra Pinnecoose, and PSHS seniors Keena Murphy (middle) and Morgan Lewis (setter).
Finally, BHS senior outside hitter Sydney Gabbard (202 digs, 96 kills, 23 aces) was named Honorable Mention All-IML along with M-CHS freshman libero Amber Wood, Monte Vista seniors Kaitlynn Porter (libero) and Leslie Lopez (outside hitter), Centauri senior setter Alexis Dingfelder, AHS junior outside hitter Sylvie Caton and AHS sophomore setter Jordan Mobbley.
Runners-up to Centauri in the league standings with an 8-2 mark, Bayfield finished 14-11 overall in 2017. BHS was eliminated from State contention in 3A-Region II.
