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The action was hot and heavy on the gridiron, on the volleyball courts and even the cross country courses in October.
Area schools provided several worthy of consideration for the Register’s Athlete of the Month designation.
The nominees on the girls side are Iola High School’s Alana Mader and Humboldt High School’s Shelby Shaughnessy for their volleyball exploits and the entire Crest High School cross country team.
For the boys, Iola’s Ben Kerr, Humboldt’s Kyler Isbell and Marmaton Valley’s Dreden Ellis have been nominated.
Girls
A quartet of Lady Lancer speedsters led to Crest High School’s best-ever state cross country finish in Wamego, taking second overall. Josie Walter and Peyton Schmidt each finished in the top-10 individually. Not far behind were sisters Kaylee and Aubrey Allen.
Crest, which took third as a team at state in 2022, likely isn’t going to dip much next season. Walter Schmidt and Aubrey Allen are just sophomores.
In Iola, Mader’s work helped propel the Mustangs to one of their best seasons in a decade.
Mader racked up 340 kills, 3 per set, and attacked at a 34% success rate. She had 122 blocks, 71 solo, 222 digs and 30 service aces. In so doing, Mader earned All-Pioneer League First Team honors.
Likewise, Shaughnessy’s volleyball prowess continued to grow in her junior season for the Lady Cubs.
Shaughnessy delivered a whopping 401 kills, more than 10 a match, while hitting at a 37% clip. She also served up 59 aces, 59 blocks and 339 digs on the season.
Boys
Iola High’s senior-laden football team wound up in a three-way tie for first in their Class 3A district, thanks in so small part to Ben Kerr, a team leader on both sides of the ball.
He wound up second on the team with 497 yards rushing, averaging 6.7 yards a pop, and was the team’s catalyst down the stretch, eclipsing the 100-yard rushing barrier in each of Iola’s final three games of the season. Kerr also led the Mustang defense with 59 tackles.
