Sydney Stoneback named Sky-Em Player of the Year

Senior Sydney Stoneback's amazing athletic digs all season long earned her top honors as she was selected the Sky-Em's Player of the Year and a first-team pick. Stoneback is a four-year varsity player for the Outlaws and played at libero the past two years.

Stoneback is a team captain, the back-court leader, and she logged an amazing 151 digs in league and finished the season with 372 digs overall. She is also a full-time server who can change up her serve to effectively throw off the opponents' ability to pass the ball well.

Coach Diane Bremer said, "I still remember the look on Sydney's face when I told her as a freshman that she had made the varsity team. This year she really took her game to a new level. I have seen her play with an even greater intensity and focus this year. She brought a huge amount of leadership to the court. One of her best attributes is her mental focus. She is a tough competitor and always ready for every play. I am so pleased to see Syd receive this award."

Also earning first-team honors was senior Lizzy Carhart. Carhart is a third-year varsity player who played middle and has the ability to crush a ball straight down to the eight- to 12-foot mark on the opponent's side. Lizzy put up 60 huge blocks for the Outlaws this season and logged 151 kills before she injured her knee.

Of Carhart, Bremer said, "Lizzy has really improved each year of her high school career. She is a team captain and the kind of player that does a good job of holding teammates accountable, and she pushes for excellence. Lizzy is the vocal team leader that brings the full expectation of Outlaws tradition and perseverance to our squad. She is the player that makes a very serious effort to bring along younger players and encourage them. Lizzy is a friend and advocate for every member of the team. It was very disappointing to lose her on-court presence due to the knee injury, but as expected, she continued to fulfill her duties as team captain and encourage this team from the sidelines."

Sophomore Bailey Bremer is a second-year varsity player and was named second-team all-league. Bremer led the Outlaws' offense this year with 163 kills in league play and 200 kills overall.

"Bailey is very much a student of the game of volleyball," said Bremer. "She spends a lot of her down-time watching videos and familiarizing herself with the game. Bailey does a good job of controlling her body at the net, giving her the ability to play tight sets or overpasses effectively. She is passionate about the game and will often be the player running up and down the team bench "high fiving' and firing up the team."

Rounding out the all-league selections is junior Shannon Fouts, who was named second-team all-league. Sisters' top setter logged 231 assists in league play and by the end of the season pushed that number to 600.

"In her first year as a varsity setter, Shannon has done a great job," said Bremer. "She is so self-motivated to be the best that she can be. Shannon runs a 5-1 offense for us and doesn't step off the court, which in itself required a lot of mental focus. Shannon is very effective from the service line and has a high serving percentage, especially since she is jump-serving every attempt. Defensively, she is a huge asset to us as well. Shannon is a very coachable player and a delight to work with. She is humble and the kind of player that wants to see everyone around her succeed. I can't say enough about the effort she has put in this year."

Bremer told The Nugget she was proud of every member on her team.

"While there are just a few selections for first and second team, the abilities on this team run deep and the stats reflect that our team defense and offense are nicely balanced," stated Bremer. "The success of this team really does hinge on the efforts of all 14 players and the hard work and effort they put in every day in practice and in competition."