The Register’s All-County first team for 2015.
FIRST TEAM
Allison Kantor, Trabuco Hills, Sr., OH/Opp
The Register’s player of the year. Read about Kantor.
Natalia Bruening, Corona del Mar, Sr., MB
Bruening gave the Sea Kings an advantage by attacking out of the middle. She is headed to UC Santa Barbara for basketball, but earned first-team all-Pacific Coast League honors for volleyball. “What sets her a part is her complete skill set in the middle,” Coach Steve Astor said. “She is not simply an offensive middle or a defensive middle; she excels at both. Her read-blocking ability put a lot of pressure on our opponents in every match.” She finished with 197 kills and 62 blocks.
Shannon Geraty, Saddleback Valley Christian, Sr., MB
Geraty helped the Warriors win a third consecutive CIF-SS title. She recorded 259 kills, 100 total blocks and 69 digs. She punctated the CIF final with eight kills in the fifth set. “Shannon had a lot of pressure on her this season,” SVC coach Carmen Stratton said. “We had fewer attacking options than years past, and she was a large part of our offense. Many teams knew that about us, so she also had to deal with a double block on her for the majority of the postseason. She improved immensely this year and became a dominant force for us in the middle.” She was the CIF-SS Division 3A player of the year.
Rachell Hall, Huntington Beach, Sr., Setter
Hall was the key to the Oilers success. The senior setter averaged 10.4 assists and 4.6 digs per set as the Oilers claimed the Sunset League title and advanced to the CIF-SS Division 1AA semifinals. She’s a three-year starter and two-time Sunset League MVP. “She was the definition of a true leader,” Coach Craig Pazanti said. “She had an innnate abiilty to make all the players around her better, and a calming influence on her team that was unmatched, especially in the most intense situations.”
Jessie Harris, Corona del Mar, Sr., S/Opp/OH
Harris’ versatility was unmatched around the county. She split time as setter, outside and opposite hitter, and she excelled at all three. She finished with 310 kills, 373 assists, 271 digs and 29 aces. Harris earned her second consecutive Pacific Coast League MVP award. “Her knowledge of the game combined with her incredible body control allows her to do anything she wants on the court,” Coach Steve Astor said. “I believe Jessie is one of the most underrated players in the country, and gets wrongfully overlooked because she’s not 6 feet or taller. She changed each match in more ways than any player with her remarkable versatility.”
Jane Horner, Santa Margarita, Sr., Libero
Horner is a three-year varsity member for the Eagles. Her leadership helped the Eagles win the Trinity League title and become of the top teams in the county. Horner, who is headed to the University of Virginia, had 461 digs and nine aces. “Her ball control and court knowledge make her one of the best in Orange County,” Coach Katy Daly said. “She kept our back row very consistent and came up big in a number of matches this season.”
Meghan McClure, Santa Margarita, Jr., OH
McClure was one of the top offensive threats in the county. She received the Trinity League MVP award. McClure was second team All-County last season. “She led this team physically throughout the season,” Coach Katy Daly said. “She continues to grow as a player and knows the game very well.” McClure finished with 439 kills, 342 digs and nine aces.
Kathryn Plummer, Aliso Niguel, Sr., Opp
Plummer was recently selected California Player of the Year by Gatorade. She was first-team All-County last season. She holds the career record at Aliso Niguel for blocks (308) and assists (1,693). Her 226 digs this season set a new single-season record for the Wolverines. Plummer (Stanford) finished with 368 kills and 368 assists as she split time at setter and opposite hitter. “She became a true leader this year in all aspects, and she continually raised the level of play of her entire team,” Coach DP Butler said. “She truly helped mentor the newer players to adapt to a more competitive game.”
Shannon Scully, Mater Dei, Jr., OH
Scully was one of the top all-around performers. She stepped into a leadership role for the Monarchs and helped lead the way to the program’s first CIF-SS title since 2003. She finished with 320 kills, 382 digs, 43 blocks and 35 aces. “She was incredibly clutch for us, not just offensively, but defensively too,” Coach Dan O’Dell said. “Her calm demeanor on the court always created a sense of stability … that her teammates could thrive off of.” Scully earned first-team all-Trinity League honors this season.
2015 All-County girls volleyball:
Girls volleyball player of the year: Allison Kantor, Trabuco Hills
Girls volleyball coach of the year: Craig Moothart, Trabuco Hills
All-Country girls volleyball: Second, third, fourth teams
Contact the writer: dcalhoun@ocregister.com
