I would like to personally apologize to St. Charles East freshman Meghan Niski (if she cares) for leaving her off the Honorable Mention list when the All-Area Volleyball team was published last week. That was purely a inadvertent omission -- probably one of a few -- on my part.
She definitely deserved recognition. In all honesty, she was among the final cuts for the 2nd Team and I just forgot to add her back to the Honorable Mention list.
For some reason that has really been bugging me and I felt I needed to say something.
Niski played a big part in the Saints' success this season, racking up 293 kills and 277 digs during the regular season. She continued to play a major role for the title-winning Saints all the way through the state tournament.
The Honorable Mention list should have read like this:
Bartlett -- Alyssa Cazzato (jr.), Jacki Gulczynski (jr.), Emily Hayes (sr.)
Burlington Central -- Taylor Scully (jr.), Meghan Zasada (sr.)
Elgin -- Ellen Holton (sr.), Abbey Houde (jr.), Lindsey Morrow (sr.)
Elgin Academy -- Alyssa Pena (so.), Angie Martinez (so.), Catelyn Ward (so.)
Genoa-Kingston -- Gretchen Sreise (so.), Lauren Strohmaier (sr.)
Hampshire -- Cassie Dumoulin (jr.), Chrissy Heine (jr.), Chessa Osiecki (so.)
Huntley -- Amy Dion (fr.), Ashley Smith (fr.), Allyson Stellmach (sr.)
Jacobs -- Amy Cavanaugh (sr.), Erica Liss (sr.)
Larkin -- Isadora Borrero (jr.), Jessica Harris (sr.), Liza Smithberger (sr.)
St. Charles East -- Maisey Mulvey (fr.), Meghan Niski (fr.), Haley Streich (sr.)
St. Charles North -- Kari Roberts (sr.), Annie Stoermer (sr.), Allie Van Dril (jr.)
St. Edward -- Margie Haggenjos (so.), Molly Kelly (sr.), Rachel Varley (sr.)
South Elgin -- Hayley Bradley, (jr.), Tara Bradley (sr.), Genevieve Johnson (sr.)
Streamwood -- Melissa Oehlerking (jr.), Leslie Ramos (sr.)
Westminster Christian -- Jessica Benson (jr.), Sarah Rodgers (jr.), Katie Webster (jr.)
Courier News Player of the Year: Stephanie Holthus (Burlington Central)
Courier News Coach of the Year: Jennie Kull (St. Charles East)
1st Team -- Kristen Haggenjos (St. Edward), Stephanie Holthus (Central), Laura Homann (St. Charles East), Caroline Niski (St. Charles East), Carly Sahagian (Bartlett), Molly Turk (Central), Amy Wehrs (Hampshire), Kara Wehrs (Hampshire).
2nd Team -- Amanda Carroll (Huntley), Karlie Geisler (St. Charles North), Betsy Holman (Streamwood), Lauren Pigatto (Jacobs), Jacqui Seidel (St. Charles East), Stephanie Thorson (Dundee-Crown), Katie Yohn (St. Edward).
Thank you! i appreciate it!!