While wins were difficult to come by for a lot of Aurora teams in girls volleyball during a challenging 2023 season, the talent was definitely present, as reflected on the Aurora Sentinel’s 2023 All-Aurora Girls Volleyball Team.
Chosen by the Sentinel in conjunction with balloting of city coaches, the All-Aurora Team brings together several of the players from a group that earned a total of 34 all-league honors (first and second team and honorable mention) from the four leagues (Centennial, City, Colorado and Continental) that included city teams.
Here’s a position-by-position look at the All-Aurora first teamers:
SETTER
Lucy Tricco, soph., Regis Jesuit: The setter position around Aurora saw a good deal of turnover due to graduation and injury, but Tricco was one of the returners around the area and took a big step forward in her game. She finished with nearly three times the number of assists as in her freshman season — with a great deal more sets played for coach Kait Kozak’s team — as she racked up a total of 606 that ranked her sixth in the Continental League and 16th in all of 5A. On top of that, the 5-foot-10 Tricco tied for her team lead in blocks with 53 and led her team in service aces with 31, ranking in the top 10 among all Aurora players in those categories as well.
HITTERS/MIDDLES
Rachel Briar, sr., Grandview: In the flow of play, the Wolves didn’t utilize the capabilities of their middles as much as head coach Rob Graham would have liked, but they certainly had a weapon in Briar, an All-Centennial League first team selection as well as Colorado High School Activities Association All-State honorable mention pick. Listed at 5-foot-10, Briar wasn’t the tallest of middles, but she piled up a whopping 89 blocks — nearly one for ever set she played — which led Aurora as well as the Centennial League and put her 15th in Class 5A. Briar was Grandview’s most efficient offensive player by hitting percentage (.281) and her 175 total kills for the season averaged out to 1.8 per set.
Kassie Cooley, jr., Cherokee Trail: The Cougars were a well-rounded team, but good things seemed to always happen when they went to Cooley, an All-Centennial League first team performer for a second straight season. The 6-foot-1 middle/outside hitter racked up a team-high 209 kills — the fifth-highest total among Aurora players — and averaged 2.3 per set played, while she was one of the top local players in terms of hitting percentage at .247. Cooley’s 82 blocks were just seven off the pace set in the Centennial League by Grandview’s Rachel Briar and were second-most among local players.
Emerson Deferme, sr., Grandview: The best all-around player in Aurora and in all of Colorado in head coach Rob Graham’s opinion was Deferme, who was a force in her fourth season as a starting varsity player. The Centennial League Player of the Year, Colorado High School Activities Association Class 5A All-State First Team pick and Colorado Coaches of Girls’ Sports (CCGA) All-State selection notched 412 kills for the season, the fourth-highest amount in 5A and 164 more than the next Aurora player. Deferme’s signature performance came at the 5A state tournament, when she was officially credited with 65 kills in a two-match span, racking up 40 in a five-set win over Pueblo West and 25 more in a loss to eventual state champion Valor Christian, against which the Wolves won the first set and challenged the rest of the way in a four-set loss. Deferme also piled up 64 service aces (a Centennial League best and second-most among Aurora players) and also averaged more than two digs per set played as well. She has signed with Nova Southeastern University in Florida.
Peyton Kreutzer, sr., Regis Jesuit: The Raiders’ offense definitely revolved around two players that finished with more than 200 kills for the season and chief among them was Kreutzer, who earned the program’s lone spot on the All-Continental League first team. With 32 fewer attacks than junior teammate Sophia Capra (an all-league second teamer), Kreutzer led the team with five more kills with a total of 245 that ranked her second among Aurora players and worked out to an average of 3.1 per set, while she hit a solid .273 for the season. Kreutzer also averaged a shade under two digs per set as well.
LIBERO/DS
Brenna Kelly, sr., Grandview: Like teammate Emerson Deferme, Kelly played in her fourth season on the varsity, which is no small feat at a school such as Grandview. Just before regionals, Kelly — an All-Centennial League first teamer and Colorado Coaches of Girls’ Sports (CCGS) All-State selection — notched career dig No. 1,000, which was part of a senior season in which she racked up 330 to rank third among city players and give her an average of 3.1 per set played. Kelly recorded the most service aces of any Aurora libero or defensive specialist with 47 as well, while her presence on the floor in key situations was absolutely invaluable to the passing game for coach Rob Graham’s team. She has committed to the University of Central Missouri.
Alysse Marcoso, sr., Eaglecrest: For the past two seasons, coach Morgan Garrow’s Raptors have had one of the most reliable contributors from the libero position in Marcoso, who has earned All-Centennial League first team recognition in consecutive seasons. She racked up 515 digs — up significantly from 345 in the 2022 season — that led the league by 89 and also put her third among all players in Class 5A. Marcoso added 39 service aces to put herself in the top 10 in that category. The Colorado High School Activities Association All-State honorable mention performer has signed with the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs.
UTILITY
Maddie Kilmer, jr., Rangeview: Few players around Aurora contributed to their team in as much of an all-around way as Kilmer, who was recognized as an All-Class 5A City League first team performer. She finished second among league players with 65 service aces (landing nearly one per set played), came in third in the City League with 255 digs and ranked fourth in the league in both kills — her 164 put her four behind Anika Davison for the team lead for coach Deserae Powell’s Rangeview team — and assists (286) as she played multiple roles with great success.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter/X: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
2023 AURORA SENTINEL ALL-AURORA GIRLS VOLLEYBALL TEAM
FIRST TEAM
Setter: Lucy Tricco, soph., Regis Jesuit; Hitters/middles: Rachel Briar, sr., Grandview; Kassie Cooley, jr., Cherokee Trail; Emerson Deferme, sr., Grandview; Peyton Kreutzer, sr., Regis Jesuit; Libero/DS: Brenna Kelly, sr., Grandview; Alysse Marcoso, sr., Eaglecrest; Utility: Maddie Kilmer, jr., Rangeview
SECOND TEAM
Setter: Rina Maiava, jr., Overland; Hitters/middles: Sophia Capra, jr., Regis Jesuit; Elexys Erly, sr., Eaglecrest; Ella Nothiesen, soph., Cherokee Trail; Ayden West, sr., Vista PEAK Prep; Libero/DS: Jordana Ancheta, sr., Smoky Hill; Willow Snow, sr., Cherokee Trail; Utility: Anika Davison, jr., Rangeview
HONORABLE MENTION
Savannah Adams, jr., Grandview; Melinda Allred, soph., Vista PEAK Prep; Ashley Betancourt, sr., Aurora Central; Jada Bobb, jr., Eaglecrest; Keona Bui, sr., Grandview; Anajiah Dawson, sr., Gateway; Yasir Dickey, soph., Vista PEAK Prep; Ava Eltzroth, Vista PEAK Prep; Tarik Embaye, sr., Gateway; Jayci Fifita, jr., Vista PEAK Prep; Daniela Fossen, sr., Rangeview; Ashlie Gonzalez-Lima, sr., Hinkley; Mira Griffin, sr., Grandview; Lillian Grimble, jr., Smoky Hill; Desiree Hairston, sr., Hinkley; Madelyn Hannam, jr., Regis Jesuit; Ashley Harkness, jr., Grandview; Jessica Herrera, jr., Overland; Avery Krause, soph., Cherokee Trail; Leslye Mancera, sr., Eaglecrest; Vivian Mendoza, sr., Gateway; Katie Reed, jr., Eaglecrest; Anayah Rucker, soph., Eaglecrest; Amanni Tisdell, jr., Vista PEAK Prep; Ella Travis, sr., Vista PEAK Prep; Mayte Vaca Rios, sr., Hinkley; Mykah Waddles, sr., Hinkley; Viviana Warner, sr., Aurora Central; Megan Welly, sr., Smoky Hill
