Gracie Starnes Selected for All-Area Volleyball Team
Seven local high school volleyball players have been selected for the All-Aiken Standard team after a season loaded with key performances, championships and deep playoff runs.
Aiken High’s Natalie Bland, the reigning Aiken Standard Player of the Year and a Class AAAA All-State selection, is back on the all-area team after helping the Hornets to a Class AAAA Lower State championship and state title appearance. She had 309 kills on a .288 hitting percentage, and she led the Hornets with 308 digs.
She’s joined on the all-area team by fellow All-State Hornet Brianna Mahoney. Mahoney, the Region 5-AAAA Player of the Year, had a team-high 355 kills on .388 hitting to go with a team-best 70 aces and 279 digs.
Silver Bluff also has two all-area honorees after winning its second consecutive Region 5-AA title. Jayla Valentine was named Region 5-AA Player of the Year with 81 kills and 26 solo blocks, and Mya Cribbs joined her on the Class AA All-State team as the duo helped lead the Bulldogs into the second round of the state playoffs.
South Aiken’s Grace Burns earned both All-State and North-South honors this season as the T-Breds finished second in Region 5-AAAA and reached the second round of the state playoffs. She had 181 kills, 38 aces and 178 digs.
Ridge Spring-Monetta’s Mikenzie Kinard continues a strong tradition of Trojans to earn all-area and All-State honors, and she helped RS-M to a second-place finish in Region 3-A and a trip to the second round of the state playoffs.
Wagener-Salley’s Gracie Starnes, the reigning Aiken Standard Female Athlete of the Year, is back on the all-area volleyball team after leading the War Eagles to a fifth consecutive Region 3-A title and the Class A Upper State championship match. She had 126 kills on .265 hitting and served up 64 aces while earning region Player of the Year honors.
The Player of the Year award winner will be announced at the end of the school year.