After leading Argyle to its first state tournament appearance, the player voted District 10-3A’s most valuable player was no surprise.
A four-year starter, setter Blair O’Brien broke the school record for assists in a match multiple times down the stretch and finished the season with 1,453 assists while compiling 424 digs to earn the district MVP nod.
O’Brien also found her way into the National Federation of State High School Associations record book, as her 4,916 career assists put her fourth all-time and first in Texas history. Her 63 assists in Argyle’s state semifinal loss put her in a tie for ninth place nationally for assists in a match.
Argyle coach Clark Oberle will be searching for a new setter for the first time in a while, as O’Brien has manned the position for nearly a third of the time the program has been in existence.
“Blair has been a phenomenal and instrumental part of this program for four years,” Oberle said. “She has done what no player in our history has done before and possibly ever will again. She has done it with humility, hard work, class and determination.
“Blair is a one-of-a-kind athlete, and I’ve been blessed to be her coach for the last four years. Every athlete should look to Blair as an example of how to do things the right way.”
O’Brien did a little bit of everything for the Lady Eagles over the years and ended her career with a thrilling Class 3A semifinal loss to Abilene Wylie after the Lady Eagles fought back from a two-set deficit to narrowly lose in five sets.
O’Brien was joined by a few teammates and her head coach in the district superlatives. Freshman Eighmy Dobbins was named Newcomer of the Year, Katy Keenan earned Defensive Player of the Year honors and Laine Lowry was named Libero of the Year. Oberle was named the district’s top coach in his 13th season.
Argyle outside hitter Brooke Robertson was named to the all-district first team, along with Aubrey’s Kelsey Scribner.
In District 5-4A, second-place Guyer landed two players on the superlatives list as Emily Gorr was named the Most Valuable Libero and sophomore Mikayla Yates was named Newcomer of the Year.
Guyer setter Madison Walford was named to the 5-4A first team, where she was joined by Lake Dallas’ Megan Dando and Denton’s Kendall Wagner.
In District 9-3A, Krum raked in two superlatives as Ariana Buchanon was named Libero of the Year and Machala Noack was named Server of the Year. Kim Robinson was voted to the first team along with Sanger’s Madyson Hillis and Morgan Turkoly.
Pilot Point had a standout year after moving down to Class 2A, and the Lady Cats took three superlatives on the All-District 5-2A team, led by MVP A.J. Campbell.
Campbell racked up 330 kills, 61 aces, 80 blocks and 202 digs, leading Pilot Point in all four categories. She was joined by her teammate Marissa Morriss, who was named Defensive Player of the Year, and head coach Becky Phillips, who was named Coach of the Year.
Pilot Point’s Feliciana Reed and Kirby Smith were named to the first team.
In District 5-5A, which includes state champion Coppell and powerhouses Flower Mound and Hebron, the Ryan Lady Raiders struggled in their first season in Class 5A, but Hailey Foster was named to the district’s second team.
ADAM BOEDEKER can be reached at 940-566-6872. His e-mail address is aboedeker@dentonrc.com.
District 5-5A
MVP — Jordan Anderson, Flower Mound
Hitter of the Year — Erica Bohannon, Coppell
Defender of the Year — Banner Rodgers, Hebron
Newcomer of the Year — Lauren Cox, Flower Mound
Setter of the Year — Kylie Pickrell, Coppell
Blocker of the Year — Chiaka Ogbogu, Coppell
Coach of the Year — Julie Green, Coppell
First team
Micaela Spann, Hebron; Cassidy Pickrell, Coppell; Regan McGuire, Flower Mound Marcus; Erin Layne, Flower Mound; Briana Allmon, Flower Mound; Kendall Patterson, Hebron; Kristyn Nicholson, Lewisville; Alex Silver, Coppell; Portia Okafor, Lewisville; Mary-Kate Marshall, Coppell; Amberli Cluff, Flower Mound; Loren Williams, Hebron
Second team
Kelsee Vandiver, Flower Mound Marcus; Caitlin Gulyas, Lewisville; Molly Werts, Flower Mound; Kristyn Schott, Flower Mound; Marissa Salazar, Hebron; Lauren Kirch, Hebron; Micah Dinwiddie, Lewisville; Mattie Rainwater, Flower Mound Marcus; Kate Dicken, Coppell; Ashley Rich, Coppell; Hailey Foster, Ryan
Honorable mention
Ryan — Domino Birze; Arissa Chappell; Kodi Pettigrew
District 5-4A
MVP — Haley Tippett, Trophy Club Byron Nelson
Most Valuable Libero — Emily Gorr, Guyer
Most Valuable Offensive Player — Taylor Caswell, Wichita Falls Rider
Most Valuable Defensive Player — Sarah Gray, Wichita Falls
Most Valuable Blocker — Sarah Eakin, Wichita Falls
Most Valuable Server — Brooke Smith, Azle
Most Valuable Setter — Abby Van Houten, Nelson
Newcomer of the Year — Mikayla Yates, Guyer
Coach of the Year — Libby Pacheco, Nelson
First team
Elisha Peters, Azle; Elizabeth Pennington, Byron Nelson; Krystal O’Connor, Byron Nelson; Eva Koster, Byron Nelson; Kendall Wagner, Denton; Chelsea Stevens, Brewer; Madison Walford, Guyer; Megan Dando, Lake Dallas; Kendall Chamberlin, Wichita Falls Rider; Michaela Ayers, Wichita Falls Rider; Morgan Lewis, Wichita Falls Rider; Meredith Buckley, Wichita Falls
Second team
Morgan Reese, Denton; Jake Akins, Denton; Jasmine Montemayor, Guyer; Lauren Pert, Wichita Falls; Bailey Bunce, Byron Nelson; Sarah Borcik, Byron Nelson; Gennifer Holberg, Denton; Sydney Reyes, Guyer; Madison Hillard, Wichita Falls Rider; Emily Kolar, Azle; Keeli Hatcher, Brewer; Keegan Gossett, Lake Dallas; Brianna Fisher, Wichita Falls
Honorable mention
Denton — Hannah Altman; Alex Dane; Kenzie Dozier
Guyer — Sylvia Nwiba; Emily Hill; Tabitha Spray
Lake Dallas — Chrisa Head; Macey Bauman; Amanda Edwards
District 9-3A
MVP — Cooper Martin, Decatur
Newcomer of the Year — Brittany Royal, Gainesville
Setter of the Year — Stormi Leonard, Decatur
Libero of the Year — Ariana Buchanon, Krum
Offensive Player of the Year — Caroline Lowery, Decatur
Defensive Player of the Year — Whytneigh Duffie, Gainesville; Makayla Mayfield, Decatur
Server of the Year — Machala Noack, Krum
Coach of the Year — Claire Rose, Decatur
First team
Darci Billmire, Decatur; Katie Isham, Decatur; Kim Robinson, Krum; Jordan Crawford, Krum; Mariah Clayton, Bridgeport; Sabrina Garza, Bridgeport; Ariannah Kemp, Gainesville; Kiarah Manuel, Gainesville; Madyson Hillis, Sanger; Morgan Turkoly, Sanger
Second team
Serena Estrada, Decatur; Justice Dominguez, Krum; Ashleye Adkins, Krum; Tiffany Hawkins, Bridgeport; Payton Tucker, Bridgeport; Sarah Gerken, Gainesville; MK Kearney, Sanger; Nicole Nordie, Sanger
Honorable mention:
Krum — Paige Williams; Rosa Rodriguez; Cheyanna Bullock
Sanger — Jaylen Pegues; Kayla Askey
District 10-3A
MVP — Blair O’Brien, Argyle
Offensive Player of the Year — Julia Richards, Frisco Lone Star
Defensive Player of the Year — Katy Keenan, Argyle
Newcomer of the Year — Eighmy Dobbins, Argyle
Setter of the Year — Sandie Lancaster, Celina
Libero of the Year — Laine Lowry, Argyle
Coach of the Year — Clark Oberle, Argyle
First team
Caitlin O’Hearn, Alexis Garner, Frisco Lone Star; KJ Stastny, Celina; Allison Mauch, Carrollton Ranchview; Maffie McCullough; Bailee Moore, Celina; Brooke Robertson, Argyle; Kelsey Scribner, Aubrey
Second team
Emily Adkins, Carrollton Ranchview; Bry Clark, Argyle; Paige Herrick, Frisco Lone Star; Annie Burns, Celina; Paige Bigi, Aubrey; Lauren Davis, Frisco Lone Star; Morgan Thompson, Argyle; Ashley Forbus, Frisco Lone Star
Honorable mention
Argyle — Alyssa Bruton; Lindsey Eckert
District 5-2A
MVP — A.J. Campbell, Pilot Point
Server of the Year — Kathleen Steinhoff, Caddo Mills
Setter of the Year — Alex Lally, Sunnyvale
Hitter of the Year — Abby Whitehead, Sunnyvale
Blocker of the Year — Delanee Clark, Sunnyvale
Defensive Player of the Year — Marissa Morriss, Pilot Point
Newcomer of the Year — Mikayla Watson, Gunter
Coach of the Year — Becky Phillips, Pilot Point
First team
Feliciana Reed, Pilot Point; Kirby Smith, Pilot Point; Whitney Matous, Sunnyvale; Kayla Simms, Sunnyvale; Casey Hicks, Gunter; Shana Wells, Caddo Mills; Taylor Eaves, Farmersville
Second team
Brittyn Rushing, Leonard; Sydney Sprowl, Van Alstyne; Kaley Lokey, Farmersville; Natalee Wright, Caddo Mills; Sierra Brooks, Pilot Point; Ashtyn Richey, Pilot Point
Honorable mention
Pilot Point — Cassie Reeves; Natalie Larson; Abby Switzer
