HUMBOLDT — Shelby Shaughnessy can’t help but catch herself soaking in the atmosphere.
As a senior for Humboldt High’s volleyball team, Shaughnessy already played for the last time at the Humboldt Community Fieldhouse way back in September.
On Tuesday, Shaughnessy was a vital component for the Lady Cubs, who swept Cherryvale and Eureka in her last ever regular season matches.
“I saw the JV team taking a picture, and thought, ‘Shoot, this is my last regular season game, too,” she laughed.
Shaughnessy hopes her last postseason run is an extended one. Humboldt opens the Class 3A Regional Tournament Monday, with a potential sub-state and then state tournament berth to follow.
For her part, Shaughnessy leads Humboldt in kills (3.7 per set), service aces (44), blocks (34), serve receives (290) and ranks second on the team in digs.
That prowess across the court has been recognized by Register readers as well, who voted Shaughnessy as the Register’s Female Athlete of the Month. Also up for consideration were Iola’s Reese Curry (volleyball), Crest’s Josie Walter (cross country) and Yates Center’s Cayten Cummings (volleyball). She will receive a free specialty pizza at Rookie’s in Iola for the honor.
Humboldt enters the postseason on a high note.
After struggling early in the season, Humboldt enters the playoffs having won 24 of its last 29 matches.
A large part of the early woes came while Humboldt was breaking in a pair of new setters.
“We knew it was gonna come along with some time,” Shaughnessy said. “Having two new setters was difficult to adjust to, because we’d had a pretty amazing setter the past three years.”
Shaughnessy had a large role in the team’s improved play. She is equally as dominant on the front or the back row, with the ability to slam home a ferocious kill, or making a diving save from an opponent’s shot.
“I love playing the back row as much as I love playing up front,” she said. “As long as I’m being involved and providing what I can.”
She is optimistic Humboldt has much more to write before the 2024 volleyball season concludes.
“We have a good shot at regionals,” she said. “We’re playing to our potential for the most part, as long as we don’t get lost in our heads, and as long as we keep working together as a team.”
