By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Senior Layla Collins, who led Washburn Rural to the league championship and a Class 6A state tournament berth, was voted the Centennial League 2024 volleyball player of the year as city schools garnered six of eight first-team spots.
Washburn Rural senior Layla Collins was voted the Centennial League volleyball player of the year by league coaches. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Collins is joined on the first team by senior teammate Kate Hinck while Topeka High senior Jo'Mhara Benning also earned first-team all-league honors.
Hayden, which placed third in the Class 4A state tournament, put a league high three players on the first team -- senior Reagan McGivern and freshmen Hailey Schmidtlein and Blakely Walter.
Hayden freshman Blakely Walter was named the newcomer of the year by Centennial League volleyball coaches. [File photo/TSN]
Walter was also voted the Centennial League newcomer of the year while Washburn Rural's Kevin Bordewick and Hayden's Corrinne McGreevy were named the league co-coaches of the year.
Rounding out the first team were Manhattan's Bailey Busch and Emporia's Jade Xu.
City schools also dominated the all-league second team, with Topeka High's Campbell Dawson, Washburn Rural's Kasyn Horyna, Stella Kelly and Dayne Shriver and Hayden's Ella Foster earning second-team spots.
ALL-CENTENNIAL LEAGUE VOLLEYBALL
First team
Jo'Mhara Benning, Topeka High; Bailey Busch, Manhattan; Layla Collins, Washburn Rural; Kate Hinck, Washburn Rural; Reagan McGivern, Hayden; Hailey Schmidtlein, Hayden; Blakely Walter, Hayden; Jade Xu, Emporia.
Second team
Campbell Dawson, Topeka High; Caitlyn Woods, Manhattan; Karsyn Horyna, Washburn Rural; Stella Kelly, Washburn Rural; Ella Foster, Hayden; Dayne Shriver, Washburn Rural; Sadie Rethman, Emporia; Janie Hilgers, Manhattan.
Honorable mention
Emporia -- Harley Smith, Molly Williams. Hayden -- Reese Huscher, Bella Reid. Junction City -- Ameera Ashraf, Brianna Jackson, Izzy Jimenez, Rilynn Hotard. Manhattan --Isabelle Peabody, Anistyn Gaskill. Topeka High -- Stephanie Carlos-Oliveros.
Player of the Year -- Layla Collins, Washburn Rural.
Newcomer of the Year -- Blakely Walter, Hayden.
Co-Coaches of the Year -- Corinne McGreevy and Kevin Bordewick.
