By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Taylin Stallbaumer has been a winner in four different sports since she stepped on the Seaman campus four years ago, including Class 5A state team championships in volleyball and basketball as a senior.
And Stallbaumer picked up a couple more wins Saturday as she closed out her high school career in the Kansas Volleyball Association All-Star Match at Washburn's Lee Arena.
Former Seaman star Taylin Stallbaumer (middle) is congratulated by her Red teammates after a kill in the KVA All-Star Match. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Stallbaumer, who will play volleyball at Johnson County Community College this fall, helped the Red team take a 25-20, 25-20, 22-25, 25-14, 15-9 win over the Blue and was honored with the Joan Lundstrom Wells Award of Excellence at the conclusion of the match, one of the KVA's four individual awards.
"It means a lot because these girls here are really talented, really good,'' Stallbaumer said. "You've got girls going all over the country, so to be a part of that team and to be with all of them, that means a lot.''
Stallbaumer played in Saturday's all-star match less than two weeks after completing her high school soccer career in the Class 5A state quarterfinals.
"This past week I think I was at two practices,'' Stallbaumer said. "We were all a little rusty.''
The recent Seaman graduate had just three practices with her Red teammates but the team seemed to be a good fit from the outset, leading for the majority of the match en route to the 4-1 victory.
"I think it's really important when you're with a new team to get to know your teammates and I feel like we did a really good job of that,'' Stallbaumer said. "Going out to dinner, team practices, we had a lot of team bonding and I feel like we really just got to know each other.
"We care for one another and I feel like that showed on the court today.''
Taylin Stallbaumer receives a hug from her Seaman coach, Tatiana Dowling, during Saturday's pre-match introductions for the Kansas Volleyball Association All-Star Match. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Stallbaumer led the Red with 44 assists and also had 19 digs.
The strangest part of Saturday's match for Stallbaumer was seeing her Seaman coach, Tatiana Dowling, on the other bench, with Dowing serving as the head coach for the Blue.
"She's never been on the opposite side of the net as me,'' Stallbaumer said. "She's been my club coach, my school coach, so it was definitely different.''
Seaman was recognized Saturday for winning the school's first Class 5A state volleyball title last fall and was also named the KVA 5A program of the year for 2023-2024 while Dowling was recognized for reaching the 200-win career milestone.
Circle's Mia Fox was named the recipient of the Flo Hyman Scholarship while Manhattan's Tatum Tindall received the Judy Bellomo Most Inspirational Player award and Cheney's Alex Bittner received the Don Bechard Memorial Award.
Former Ottawa standout Emery Keebaugh, a Washburn University signee, also played for the Red in Saturday's match after winning her fourth straight state triple jump title in last week's track and field championships in Wichita.
Keebaugh registered eight kills and reistered 13 digs and three service aces.
KVA ALL-STAR MATCH SCORES
Saturday, June 1, 4:30 p.m. at Lee Arena
Red def. Blue, 25-20, 25-20, 22-25, 25-14, 15-9.
Joan Lundstrom Wells Award of Excellence -- Taylin Stallbaumer, Seaman.
Flo Hyman Scholarship -- Mia Fox, Circle.
Judy Bellomo Most Inspirational Player -- Tatum Tindall, Manhattan.
Don Bechard Memorial Award -- Alex Bittner, Cheney.
