Panthers honored for volleyball play

Panthers honored for volleyball play

Nov. 25, 2000

BY JIM THOMAS
Journal Sports Editor


Stefanie Allison	Casey Bauer

Emilie Lanier	Denise Newlin

The post-season honors are beginning to come in. Two Montezuma-Cortez High School varsity volleyball players were chosen All-Southwest League First Team while another was named All-SWL Second Team and another Honorable Mention.

Chosen First Team were junior outside hitter Casey Bauer and sophomore outside hitter Stefanie Allison. Named to the Second Team was senior opposite Denise Newlin and senior setter Emilie Lanier was tabbed Honorable Mention.

Joining Allison and Bauer on the First Team were junior Tori Sparks of Durango, junior Nikki Kiloff of Central of Grand Junction, junior Melissa Jessup of Grand Junction High, and senior Holly Kent of Montrose. In addition to Newlin on the Second Team were junior Sara Welch of Central, junior Erin Hutt of Montrose, sophomore Caralee Kulovitz of Durango, senior Pauls Swihart of Fruita-Monument and senior Sara Sisneros of Montrose. Other Honorable Mention honorees were senior Maddie Burford of Grand Junction High, junior Blair Murphy of Durango, junior Janel Sutton of Montrose, senior Leah Jappe of Grand Junction, and Maria Trigg of Fruita.

MCHS’s Lindy Mortensen was chosen Coach of the Year. Mortensen guided the girls to a sparkling 24-3 record including winning the Southwest League regular-season title (no games going more than two and being undefeated) and taking District and Regionals title en route to a berth in the Class 4A State Volleyball Tournament in Denver.

Bauer recorded a school record 12 kills in one game (against Rifle) and she had 30 kills during that same match. For the season, she finished with 322 kills for an average of 5.2 per effort. She had a 95 percent service. Bauer also averaged 3.5 digs per game.

"Casey is completely dedicated to volleyball," Mortensen remarked. "She never misses practice, works hard, and is an unselfish player. She has a true love and passion for the game. She attends all open gyms in the spring and plays volleyball all summer. She is a good student."

Allison also had a 12 record (vs. Montrose). She made 277 kills on the season for an average of 4.5 per game. She also averaged 4.7 digs and served 96 percent. She is an excellent student with a 4.0 grade point average.

"Stefanie is such a good athlete plus she has put in many hours of off-season time playing volleyball. She is a fierce competitor and a team player. Stefanie also has a love of volleyball and has been 100 percent committed," Mortensen noted.

Newlin made 60 kills for the season. She served 96 percent for the season. She was a passer on serve-receive at 97 percent efficiency.

"Denise was such a good leader," Mortensen commented. "She is always positive and very much liked and respected by her teammates. She is one of the best defensive players that we have had at Cortez. She was very instrumental in the success of our team. She had been dedicated her four years of high school."

Lanier had 654 assists for the season, averaging 10.7 per game. She served with a 94 percent rating for the season. She averaged 2.7 digs per game.

"Emilie has such nice hands. She has a good attitude and is also a good student," Mortensen said.