ARVADA | Seven of Aurora’s best senior volleyball players — who all played in the Nov. 7-8 Class 5A state tournament — got to play one final prep match Sunday.
Stars from 5A state champion Grandview, plus state qualifiers Cherokee Trail, Eaglecrest and Regis Jesuit were selected to play in the annual Colorado Coaches of Girls’ Sports (CCGS) 5A All-State Match played at Arvada West High School.
From the state champion Wolves, outside hitter Haley McLaren played on the 5A Blue Team, opposite Grandview teammate Katie Patrick, a middle blocker who suited up for the Red Team. The Blue Team prevailed with wins in two of three tightly-played sets to 25 points.
The 6-foot-3 McLaren, who finished second in all of 5A with 486 kills (and a 42.2 kill percentage), signed her national athletic letter of intent with the University of Oregon on Wednesday, the same day Patrick — among 5A’s leaders in blocks and kills among middles — signed with the Naval Academy.
Joining Patrick on the Red Team was the duo of middle blocker Jillian Desmond and outside hitter Santaisha Sturges, who helped lead Regis Jesuit to the 5A semifinals before a three-set loss to Grandview. Sturges, who led 5A in kills with 17 more than McLaren (503 overall), just signed with Metro State, while Desmond was also one of the strongest middles statistically in blocks and kills in 2014.
Eaglecrest star setter and University of Illinois signee Jordyn Poulter — whose team went into the state tournament with the No. 1 seed, but lost a tiebreaker to upstart eventual finalist Chatfield with a semifinal spot at stake — played on the Red Team, opposite Raptors teammate and standout middle blocker Kalee Maricle.
Setter Sidney Wicks, who helped Cherokee Trail make state for a third straight season, suited up for the Blue Team.
The Blue Team was coached by Mary Millman, who coached in Aurora at Gateway High School in 2013 before moving over to Mountain Vista.
Courtney Oakes is Sports Editor of the Aurora Sentinel. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Aurora Prep Sentinel
2014 CCGS ALL-STATE VOLLEYBALL ROSTERS – CLASS 5A
RED TEAM
JILLIAN DESMOND (REGIS JESUIT); Simone Gibeau (Ralston Valley); Amelia Metzler (Cherry Creek); Melanie Patenaude (Cherry Creek); KATIE PATRICK (GRANDVIEW); JORDYN POULTER (EAGLECREST); Shea Reilly (Cherry Creek); SANTAISHA STURGES (REGIS JESUIT); Ali Williams-Daugherty (Ralston Valley); Coaches: Deb Erickson, Brooke Rillos and Johnny Weber (Ralston Valley)
BLUE TEAM
Amanda Cushen (Rampart); Anne-Liese Golletz (Chatfield); KALEE MARICLE (EAGLECREST); HALEY MCLAREN (GRANDVIEW); Natalie Pesseck (Chaparral); August Raskie (Rampart); Abigail Reid (Denver East); Shayli Siegfried (Highlands Ranch); SIDNEY WICKS (CHEROKEE TRAIL); Coaches: Mary Millman (Mountain Vista) and Val Elliott (Douglas County)