Star Times: The 2005 all-area volleyball team
Listed in the picture to the right (left to right): Liliola Halahuni, Kentwood; Naomi Iwata, Seattle Prep; Megan Amundson, Stanwood; Lindsey Denman, Inglemoor; Chelle Ticeson, Garfield; Vanessa Perry, Issaquah; Coach Todd Parsons, Issaquah; Whitney Nichols, Snohomish.
Liliola Halahuni, Kentwood, S, 5-9, Sr.
Halahuni ran the show for the Conquerors the past two years as one of the state's premier setters. She averaged nearly 10 assists per game and was voted MVP in the South Puget Sound League North Division. She led her team to seventh place at the Class 4A state tournament, one step up from the eighth-place performance of 2004. Halahuni also was a steady server, with a 93 percent success rate, and played solid defense.
Naomi Iwata, Seattle Prep, L, 5-0, Sr.
As the only four-year letterwinner on a young roster, Iwata brought the experience of Class 3A state championships in 2002 and 2003 to a young, rebuilding program. As the Panthers' defensive leader, Iwata had 380 digs and was selected first-team All-Metro League Mountain Division. As the team's emotional leader, she helped engineer a turnaround from a 4-6 start to a 17-9 season that ended one match short of the state tournament. "It was huge to have a senior like Naomi who's been there and knows what it takes to succeed," Seattle Prep coach Gaylene Page said.
Megan Amundson, Stanwood, OH, 5-11, Jr.
One of the area's top juniors, Amundson is getting recruiting attention from several NCAA Division I schools. Amundson averaged 13 kills per match and totaled 50 assists to help the Spartans to a Class 4A state-tournament berth. Early in the season, she recorded a rare triple-double in a win over Shorecrest with 14 kills, 14 digs and 11 aces. "As good as she was for us this year, she'll be something special next season," Stanwood coach Erik Titus said.
Lindsey Denman, Inglemoor, OH, 6-0, Sr.
The Vikings' big hitter and KingCo 4A MVP helped Inglemoor of Kenmore to an undefeated regular season, conference championship and an eighth-place finish at state. Inglemoor finished 30-3. Denman, who is drawing recruiting interest from several Northwest colleges, had 314 kills and 233 digs this season. Her coach, Stephanie Lathrop, said her team learned how to close out games this year, and Denman's enthusiasm and powerful hitting were keys to that.
Chelle Ticeson, Garfield, MB, 6-0, Sr.
Ticeson was a first-team All-KingCo 4A middle blocker who led the Bulldogs from Seattle to a 24-14 record. Her coaches praised her versatility and leadership in guiding Garfield through three consecutive loser-out games in the Sea-King District playoffs to reach state, where it finished ninth, best in school history. Ticeson was one of KingCo 4A's all-around statistical leaders, finishing with 276 kills, 114 blocks, 43 aces and 290 digs. Ticeson wants to attend Western Washington University and possibly become a special-education teacher.
Vanessa Perry, Issaquah, S, 5-8, Sr.
Perry led Issaquah to an undefeated regular season, a KingCo 3A championship and third place at the Class 3A state tournament, the highest finish in school history. The Eagles recorded their second consecutive 28-4 season. Perry, a four-year starter, had 103 aces and 764 assists this season, giving her a school-record 2,530 career assists. Perry, the KingCo 3A MVP and Star Times setter last year as a junior, is drawing recruiting interest from several NCAA Division I schools.
Todd Parsons, Issaquah coach
Parsons, a 27-year-old Kent-Meridian graduate, came to Issaquah to be the athletic trainer. Though he had never played competitive volleyball, he was asked to become junior-varsity coach He later took over the .500 varsity team and improved it to 20-12 in his first year, 28-4 last season and 28-4 this season. Parsons capped this year with a third-place finish at state, the highest in school history.
Whitney Nichols, Snohomish, S/H, 5-8, Sr.
Nichols breaks the mold of the traditional setter, frequently using her athleticism to pile up double-digit totals in kills. The senior averaged 20 assists and nearly 10 kills per match, and never had fewer than 15 assists this season. "Her value to this team is hard to measure," said first-year Snohomish coach Kris Jones. "She's the best high-school setter I've seen." Nichols saved one of her best matches for last, collecting 26 assists and 11 kills in a win over Kentwood that gave the Panthers fourth at the Class 4A state tournament, the best finish in school history.