Girls volleyball: All-County team

Even with all the statistical categories volleyball offers, indispensability is its own island.

That’s quite all right with Sophia Sabol, who’ll be playing beach volleyball at the collegiate level in the not-so-distant future.

Center Grove’s 5-foot-7 do-a-bit-of-everything senior proved vital in her team’s 27-6 season, ranking among the top four in no fewer than five different categories for a star-studded collection of athletes.

Included are Sabol’s 355 digs and 474 serve receives (both second), along with her 292 kills and 24 service aces (both third).

Or, as Sabol categorizes them, the dirty work.

Sabol, a six-rotation mainstay for a squad that picked up the 35th sectional championship in its history this fall, is the Daily Journal’s Player of the Year in girls volleyball.

“I’ve never been the player who is going to get the big kill. I’m kind of all over the place,” Sabol said. “Getting some kills, getting some digs. And after the game, I’m like, ‘Did we win?’ That’s just always been my mindset.”

In March, Sabol, a 3,7 student, verbally committed to play beach volleyball at Houston Christian University, where she plans to major in business and marketing. She signed her national letter of intent last month with the Huskies, a Division I squad whose 2023 schedule included two matches against NCAA semifinalist TCU.

Sabol — who moonlighted as a competitive powerlifter during the spring of her sophomore year and won a high school national championship in her weight class — strongly prefers playing on sand.

“In beach, you have to have to do everything, which is kind of what I did indoors,” she said. “I’m not tall, and at Center Grove we’ve got three or four girls on my team over 6 foot.

“I knew the only way I was going to be able to get on the court was to show my versatility. We could have played three games in a week, and I might have had one where my hitting would be good, but my defense wouldn’t be.”

Of course, there were matches in which Sabol hit on all cylinders no matter what aspect of the game — such as the county tournament championship against Franklin, when she hammered home a career-high 22 kills and pulled up 14 digs in the Trojans’ four-set triumph.

She finished her Center Grove career with 554 kills and 873 digs.

“Sophie is such a special kid. One of those important ones who, when she’s on the court, adds a different level of intensity for us,” Trojans coach Jennifer Hawk said. “She leads by her example, and by her passion.

“It’s been fun to watch her grow. I just feel that Sophie became more polished as far as her skills go. As a sophomore, she was trying to figure it out, and last season, she saw an opening (to be a starter) and ran with it.”

ALL-COUNTY TEAM

The 2023 All-County team for girls volleyball:

Reese Dunkle, Center Grove junior: Six-foot-3 middle hitter named All-District and second team Class 4A All-State … Second on team with 307 kills while adding 117 blocks, 68 digs and 42 service aces … Verbally committed to Northwestern.

Scarlett Kimbrell, Franklin senior: All-Mid-State Conference … Led her team with 322 kills and finished her prep career with 1,061 … had 301 digs this season and 782 over last four seasons … Committed to play at Florida Tech.

Rose Mahin, Franklin sophomore: The 5-10 outside hitter was second on the Grizzly Cubs in kills with 308 and led the team with 52 service aces … Fourth on team in digs with 251.

Sophie Sabol, Center Grove senior: County Player of the Year after completing season with 292 kills and 353 digs and 44 blocks … Had 873 career digs … Will play beach volleyball at Houston Christian.

Kennedi Morrison, Whiteland senior: Outside hitter led Warriors with 255 kills … All-Mid-State Conference … Also finished with 215 digs and 36 service aces.

Kennedy Urban, Franklin senior: Setter was named All-Mid-State Conference … Finished season with 975 assists and 304 digs … All-District pick posted career totals of 2,196 assists and 914 digs.

Sheridan Young, Center Grove senior: Libero/defensive specialist led Trojans with 480 digs while adding 20 service aces and 97 assists … All-District … Committed to play at Spring Arbor in Michigan.

Ellen Zapp, Center Grove junior: Outside hitter paced Trojans with 408 kills while adding 60 digs and 39 blocks … Has 770 career kills … An All-District selection.

Honorable mention

MacKenzie Bieker, Edinburgh; Brooklyn Bell, Greenwood; Grayson Burkett, Indian Creek; Maggie Doty, Franklin; Sophia Dyer, Whiteland; Kendall Eden, Indian Creek; Naomi Hillenburg, GCA; Mattie Key, Indian Creek; Faith Kresge, GCA; Ava Mardis, Center Grove; Katie Newett, Greenwood; Kate Pinnick, Franklin; Ashlyn Ricketts, Whiteland; Aubrey Runyon, Franklin; Anabelle Schembra, Center Grove; Zoey Sida, Edinburgh; Jessica Walsh, Edinburgh; Addison Whitecotten, Greenwood; Veronica Whitaker, Franklin; Faith Wiseman, Indian Creek; Addisyn Yoder, GCA; Brooklyn York, Franklin