McMahen a big factor in Center Grove volleyball success

<p>Center Grove senior Rylie McMahen aims to eventually have her personality reach audiences that extend well beyond high school volleyball matches.</p><p>McMahen can’t recall ever being intimidated by any sort of public speaking, which has the Trojans’ libero hoping to one day lend her voice and expertise to televised volleyball, basketball or baseball coverage.</p><p>“I think it would be super, super cool,” said McMahen, who will play volleyball and major in mass communications with a focus on becoming a sports reporter at Winthrop University, a Division I school in Rock Hill, South Carolina.</p><p>“I’ve always grown up being taught to be positive and to have a smile on my face. I’m very outgoing. My coaches know that and my teammates know that. It’s just kind of expected.”</p>[sc:text-divider text-divider-title="Story continues below gallery" ]<p>McMahen, a two-year starter, is one of the leaders for an 18-10 Center Grove team that plays Greenwood in the second match of the Class 4A Franklin Central Sectional on Thursday.</p><p>Senior Grace Boggess and junior Katie Egenolf pace the Trojans offense, combining to account for 70 percent of the kills. Defensively, McMahen sets the tone, having absorbed the spikes of some of the state’s elite hitters this season.</p><p>She was credited with 30 digs in a five-set marathon victory over Trinity Lutheran, 19 in a loss at Bloomington South and 18 in a win at North Central.</p><p>As a junior, McMahen demonstrated her versatility after senior setter Madison Hammill and her backup, Jenna Otto, were sidelined due to an appendectomy and sprained ankle, respectively.</p><p>“Last year Rylie was a defensive specialist, but both of our setters were out and Ashley (Eck), our libero, had to step in and set. Rylie then filled in at libero,” third-year Center Grove coach Chris Due said. “Rylie filled that position the rest of the season and has played it this season.</p><p>“This year she was our only returning back-row player, so she had to step in and be that anchor. She’s done a phenomenal job. Rylie is always very positive, and always trying to lift up her teammates. She just loves volleyball, and it really shows in the way she plays.”</p><p>McMahen was recruited by Winthrop coach Chuck Rey, the Big South Conference coach of the year the past two seasons, to play either libero or defensive specialist. The Eagles are 58-33 over the past three seasons, which means McMahen will go from one winning tradition to another.</p><p>A few months ago, the uncertainty over whether fall sports would be played due to the COVID-19 pandemic set McMahen and her teammates up for a most unusual 2020 season.</p><p>The senior is grateful and wants to help the Trojans march as deep into the postseason as possible.</p><p>“I think we’ve faced a lot more challenges than we did last year. It’s definitely been different, so I’ve seen my role as being a leader and being vocal,” McMahen said. “I just know that I have to go out and ball out every point of every game because that’s what my teammates deserve.”</p>[sc:pullout-title pullout-title="If you go" ][sc:pullout-text-begin]<p><p><strong>Class 4A Franklin Central Sectional</strong></p><p><strong>Thursday</strong></p><p>Franklin vs. Shelbyville, 6 p.m.</p><p>Greenwood vs. Center Grove, 7:30 p.m.</p><p><strong>Saturday</strong></p><p>Franklin-Shelbyville winner vs. Whiteland, 11 a.m.</p><p>Greenwood-Center Grove winner vs. Franklin Central, 12:15 p.m.</p><p>Championship, 7 p.m.</p><p><p><strong>Class 3A Cardinal Ritter Sectional</strong></p><p><strong>Thursday</strong></p><p>Speedway vs. Indianapolis Washington, 5:30 p.m.</p><p><strong>Friday</strong></p><p>Beech Grove vs. Indian Creek, 5:30 p.m.</p><p><strong>Saturday</strong></p><p>Ritter vs. Friday’s winner, 11 a.m.</p><p>Herron vs. Thursday’s winner, noon</p><p>Championship, 7 p.m.</p><p><p><strong>Class A Edinburgh Sectional</strong></p><p><strong>Thursday</strong></p><p>Southwestern vs. Waldron, 6 p.m.</p><p>Greenwood Christian vs. Edinburgh, 7 p.m.</p><p><strong>Saturday</strong></p><p>Southwestern-Waldron winner vs. Hauser, 11 a.m.</p><p>GCA-Edinburgh winner vs. Morristown, 12:30 p.m.</p><p>Championship, 7 p.m.</p>[sc:pullout-text-end][sc:pullout-title pullout-title="Scouting the sectionals" ][sc:pullout-text-begin]<p><p><strong>Class 4A Franklin Central Sectional</strong></p><p>Players to watch: Center Grove — Grace Boggess, Emily Eck, Katie Egenolf, Taryn Kennedy, Rylie McMahen, Jenna Otto; Franklin — Cami Kelsay, Haley Haldeman, Chloe Hoy, Scarlett Kimbrell, Lauren Sandrock, Megan Thompson; Franklin Central — Karissa Hite, Josie Newman, Carly Sobieralski; Greenwood — Jenna Armstrong, Mya Ayro, Brooklyn Bell, Anna Cruser, Melia Gorrell, Sienna Halfaker; Shelbyville — Macey Kuhn, Emily Parker, Malea Terrell, Jaidyn Tackett; Whiteland — Kaylee Denham, Chloe Eastburn, Lindsey Jones, Grace Meluskey, Kennedi Morrison, Allie Peters, Sarah Scott</p><p>IndianaPrepVolleyball.com Z-ratings: Center Grove 20.60 (24th in Class 4A), Franklin 18.96 (40th), Shelbyville 18.59 (43rd), Franklin Central 13.09 (69th), Greenwood 12.90 (72nd), Whiteland 8.16 (93rd)</p><p>What to expect: Center Grove is the favorite to pick up an eighth straight sectional title and the 32nd in program history, but there are teams capable of making it difficult. The opening match between Franklin and Shelbyville marks the second time these squads have met this season, with the Grizzly Cubs prevailing last month, 25-20, 25-18, 25-18. A repeat of the Johnson County tournament finale could pit Center Grove and Franklin against one another for the third time this season.</p><p><p><strong>Class 3A Cardinal Ritter Sectional</strong></p><p>Players to watch: Beech Grove — Elysia Hubbard, Tia O’Connor, Alexa Peak, Erika Sussman; Cardinal Ritter — Lauren Beaman, Riley Heim, Audrey Odier, Morgan Schabel, Kelsey Waggoner; Herron — Sydney Anderson, Stephanie Ish, Autumn Kersey, London Love; Indian Creek — Jessie Hart, Makena Hogue, Ava McClanahan, Emilee Scott, Hannah Smith, Faith Wiseman; Speedway — Maddie Barnes, Madi Golden, Brooke Hartman, Taylor Ridge, Audrey Zore</p><p>IndianaPrepVolleyball.com Z-ratings: Ritter 14.34 (39th in Class 3A), Speedway 11.89 (53rd), Indian Creek 10.48 (66th), Beech Grove 7.47 (85th), Herron 6.48 (90th), Indianapolis Washington 5.02 (93rd)</p><p>What to expect: The road to a sectional title is paved with challenges for Indian Creek, starting with Friday’s match against Beech Grove. Should the Braves advance, they would play Ritter in a semifinal on the Raiders’ home court. Indian Creek, runner-up in the Western Indiana Conference with an 8-2 mark, is a viable contender to advance to the regional for the first time in 23 years.</p><p><p><strong>Class A Edinburgh Sectional</strong></p><p>Players to watch: Edinburgh — Carly Cowan, Cracie Crawhorn, Jessica Walsh; Greenwood Christian — Hannah Farley, Naomi Hillenburg, Riley Ratliff, Izzy Reed, Olivia Shingleton, Mayah Schundelmier; Hauser — Kenze Bostic, Andie Clark, Charlie Clark, Hannah Johnson, Adrianna Musillami, Marnie Schwartzkopf; Morristown — Madison Espich, Beth Hodgin, Lilly Stoddard, Emma Theobald, Bella Thompson; Southwestern — Skylyn Lunsford, Kyla Robertson, Brooklyn Schneider, Trinity Tatlock; Waldron — Megan Bogemann, Nichole Garner, Madalyn Hudnall, Emily Tylree, Mackenzie Shaw, Kaylee Young</p><p>IndianaPrepVolleyball.com Z-ratings: Waldron 14.06 (15th in Class A), Hauser 13.67 (17th), GCA 13.56 (18th), Southwestern 11.22 (29th), Morristown 9.05 (41st), Edinburgh 6.84 (58th)</p><p>What to expect: A championship match with Greenwood Christian and Hauser on opposite sides of the net is a strong possibility. The teams met last month with the Jets winning a five-set thriller. Waldron is capable of emerging as a thorn in Hauser’s side should the former advance to the semifinal round. GCA has the most favorable draw among the favorites, but can’t afford to take any foe lightly if it wants to get to the title contest.</p>[sc:pullout-text-end]