Storylines: Top returning players primed to push teams toward title contention

The 2024-25 6A Volleyball State Champion Madison Bobcats huddle during the state title game. | Kalama Hines, EastIdahoSports.com EASTERN IDAHO — Four eastern Idaho schools claimed volleyball state championships last year. Three others finished in either second or third place. All seven of those trophy-winning squads return enough talent to make another run at a banner, including a few of the state’s top individual performers from a year ago. Here are a few of the area’s top returning volleyball players. Abby Lusk, senior, Pocatello Fresh off a girls basketball state championship — the first in school history — senior Abby Lusk is among the top returning attackers in the state. Pocatello’s 6-foot-1, two-time All-State outside hitter, ranked fifth among all attackers across the state, with 492 kills (4.2 per set), in 2024. For comparison, the reigning Gatorade Idaho Player of the Year, Skyview’s Bellamie Beus finished the year with 595 kills (5.2). Lusk is not just an elite attacker though, she also contributes serving prowess — 36 aces last year — and effective passing — averaging 2.7 digs per set. She is coming off a season in which she finished among her team’s top performers in kills (No. 1), digs (318, No. 2), blocks (65, No. 3) receptions (602, No. 1) and assists (12, No. 3). Pocatello lost several key contributors, including Adrie Johnson, Jakobi Nebeker and Kenna Garza. But seniors Lusk and setter Josie Haymore could be enough to push the Thunder back into the state championship conversation. Joining Lusk as top returning attackers in 2025 is a pair of second-team All-State performers, Rigby’s Brinley Bybee and Bonneville’s Shayla Belnap. Bybee finished the 2024 season with 425 kills (4.1), good enough for sixth-best in the state. Belnap is coming off a season in which she was eighth among Idaho attackers with 421 kills (3.6). Tycee Gines, junior, Hillcrest The Hillcrest Knights had one of the best blocks in the state a year ago, and it was anchored by sophomore (junior-to be) Tycee Gines. Gines was the No. 2 blocker in the state, finishing the 2024 season with 118 blocks (1.2 per set), second only to Owyhee senior Riley Beck (132, 1.3). Hillcrest finished the 2024 season with a 17-21 record (4-6 in conference), in fifth place of the six-team 5A High Country Conference. But the Knights return most of their key contributors, including top attacker Alexa Weatherly, top server Mya Weatherly and top passer Ali Maddox. Centered around Gines, Hillcrest is poised to boast an elite block, which will include three of the 20 best roof-artists from a season ago — Gines, Jenna Jensen (89) and Mya Weatherly (79). Emmie Sharp, senior, Bear Lake Bears setter Emmie Sharp is coming off a season in which she was the state’s best setter. Her 1,164 assists were more than anyone else, with Bonneville’s Cambria Western (1,084) the only other player within 100 of Sharp’s mark. The Bear Lake star was the only setter in the state to average double-digit assists last season, finishing with 11.1 per set. Sharp and the Bears won the 4A state championship. And they did it with just three seniors, meaning the first-team All-State setter will have most of her favorite weapons back in 2025. Three of the four Bears who recorded at least 200 kills — senior Kortlyn Skinner, junior Halle Wells and Avery Hunter — will be back. While the departures of Brynlee Birch and Saydee Shaul, both All-State first-teamers, will leave vacancies in Bear Lake, there are enough weapons returning to make another run at the banner. Leah Thomas, junior, Idaho Falls The Tigers claimed the No. 3 seed in last year’s 5A state championship tournament, then knocked off the No. 2-seed Pocatello Thunder in the second round. Idaho Falls pushed eventual champion Twin Falls to a decisive fifth set, which the Bruins claimed by a tight 15-13 final, before finishing in third place. And while the Tigers lost five seniors, all of whom signed letters of intent to play college volleyball, there are some key players returning — most notably, Leah Thomas. Thomas led Idaho Falls in service aces, finishing 12th in the state with 69 (0.7) — scoring on her serve at a 16.1% clip. The junior was also second on the team in kills (296) and assists (89), and third on the team in receptions (360), digs (237) and blocks (39). Like Thomas, Addison Bowen was named to an All-State first-teamer last year. Bowen, a senior, will replace former 5A Player of the Year Grace Fuger as the Tigers’ primary libero. Idaho Falls lost a lot. But Thomas, Bowen and Giada Bertagnolli should be capable of filling the shoes of Averi Look, Fuger and Emma Volmer. BONUS: Madison Bobcats You thought this list could exist without a mention of Madison High School? The Bobcats have won three straight state championships, including the state’s first-ever 6A crown. But no individual player jumps off the page as a player to watch because of how balanced they are in all facets. Outside of reigning East Idaho Sports volleyball Player of the Year senior Nora Waddoups, no Bobcat finished tops among her teammates in more than one category — Waddoups led the Bobcats in aces, assists and hitting percentage. For that reason, it is impossible to select one player as the player to watch in Rexburg. Seniors Mia Walsh and Aspen Boice return following first-team All-State selections, while junior Jonnie Folsom and senior Torey Parker were All-State honorable mentions. Walsh led the Bobcats in kills, with 260, just one more than Folsom’s 259. But Folsom, who played in one fewer set, averaged more per set (2.4) than Walsh (2.3). Parker led the team in blocks. Her 107 were good enough for sixth-best in the state. Boice led the team in digs (473), and was second to Waddoups in aces (59). There is also senior Emma Pannell, and her 240 kills, and senior Brooke Wheeler, and her 53 aces. Long story short, reigning 6A Coach of the Year Keanu Pukahi, once again, has a litany of tools with which to build a champion. In a very similar situation, the Pirates of Butte County return all but two of their 2024 state champion squad. Juniors Cambree Lyon and Madi Gamett, along with seniors Kolee Simpson and Paige Williams, should have the Pirates right where they expect to be, where they usually are: in the thick of the title race. Grace Lutheran is coming off a 1A state championship, but lost a huge portion of its production with the graduation of its three seniors. Head coach Ashleigh Sayer-Frederick told EastIdahoSports.com that there are some talented young players whom she believes can push the Royals back into contention. Official schedules have yet to be published, but the 2025 volleyball season officially begins Aug. 22, with several local teams, led by some of the best players in the state, hunting more banners for the east.The post Storylines: Top returning players primed to push teams toward title contention appeared first on East Idaho News.
Source: eastidahonews.com