Gladbrook-Reinbeck’s Kennedy Brant (14) swings over Meskwaki defender Kiance Roberts-Keahna (18) during their Class 1A Region 5 first-round volleyball match on Oct. 21 in Reinbeck. SUN COURIER FILE PHOTO

REINBECK – The future of Gladbrook-Reinbeck volleyball is in great hands.

G-R junior middle hitter Kennedy Brant was named to the all-NICL West Division first team for the second year in a row as the Rebels look to rise again in the competition-rich conference.

Brant ranked in the top six in a number of statistical categories and is one of three all-conference selections for the Rebels who will return next season. Junior right-side hitter Elly Sieh earned first-team honors for the first time, while sophomore setter Kailey Larsen was a repeat second-team selection.

Grundy Center, which finished second to South Hardin in league play before falling to the Tigers in the Class 2A regional finals, had two first-time first-teamers in senior middle hitter Kayden Muller and sophomore middle hitter Ryanne Brubaker. Senior right-side hitter Paige Venenga was a second-team selection as well for the Spartans.

East Marshall, though winless in NICL West play, had a second-team pick in senior libero Bailey Grant.

Brant, a 6-foot middle, led the division in kills (59), ranked second in hitting efficiency (.287), second in blocks (11), and tied for sixth in digs (34). This marks her second-straight first-team selection after gaining honorable mention as a freshman.

Sieh finished fourth in the conference in kills (38) and was among the top servers, going 71-for-81 with nine aces. Larsen led the league in assists (141) and was third in digs (50).

Brubaker, a 6-foot-7 middle, emerged more and more as the season went on. She led the division in blocks (15) and finished third in the league in kills (53). Muller and Venenga tied for third in blocks (9), ranked eighth (27) and ninth (26) respectively in kills, and Muller was eighth in digs (33). Muller led the league with 10 service aces and Venenga tied for fifth with nine.

Grant, East Marshall’s libero, finished fifth in the division with 41 digs during league play. She was a 92-percent server, earning her promotion from honorable mention last fall.

Gaining honorable mention this season were East Marshall senior outside hitter/defensive specialist Cora Talbert, Gladbrook-Reinbeck senior libero Dylan Mathern and Grundy Center sophomore outside hitter Raelyn Steinmeyer.

Talbert ranked 17th in kills (15) and was one of the league’s most efficient servers, going 26-for-27 (96.3 percent) with four aces. Mathern was second in digs (58), while Steinmeyer was fourth in digs (44) while serving 66-for-68 (97.1) with eight aces.

South Hardin senior outside hitter Ava Salvo and AGWSR senior setter Trevyn Smith shared the conference’s Outstanding Player honor, while South Hardin’s John and Suzy Teske were honored as Coaches of the Year.

Smith was a three-time first-team selection, while Salvo was a repeat honoree this year.

North Iowa Cedar League West Division

All-Conference Volleyball Teams

Co-Outstanding Player — Ava Salvo, sr., South Hardin and Trevyn Smith, sr., AGWSR

Coaches of the Year — John and Suzy Teske, South Hardin

FIRST TEAM

Trevyn Smith, sr., S, AGWSR

Ava Salvo, sr., OH, South Hardin

Kayden Muller, sr., MH, Grundy Center

Ryanne Brubaker, so., MH, Grundy Center

Kennedy Brant, jr., MH, Gladbrook-Reinbeck

Ava Paige, sr., S, South Hardin

Elly Sieh, jr., RS, Gladbrook-Reinbeck

SECOND TEAM

Brylea Metzgar, jr., MH, AGWSR

Abby Teske, sr., L, South Hardin

Paige Venenga, sr., RS, Grundy Center

Alli Sheldahl, sr., MH, South Hardin

Kailey Larsen, so., S, Gladbrook-Reinbeck

Elise Olson, jr., OH, AGWSR

Bailey Grant, sr., L, E. Marshall

HONORABLE MENTION

Emma Minteer, so., OH/RS, South Hardin

Raelyn Steinmeyer, so., OH, Grundy Center

Tori Metzgar, sr., OH, AGWSR

Dylan Mathern sr., L, Gladbrook-Reinbeck

Cora Talbert, sr., OH/DS, E. Marshall

Final Conference Standings

South Hardin 4-0

Grundy Center 3-1

AGWSR 2-2

Gladbrook-Reinbeck 1-3

East Marshall 0-4