The 2024 Savannah Area volleyball season saw over 100 players receive recognition, with 44 earning All-Region First Team honors, 30 on the Second Team, and 27 named Honorable Mentions. Form their respective organizations, Georgia High School Association (GHSA), Georgia Independent Athletic Association (GIAA), and Georgia Association of Parochial and Private Schools (GAPPS), with standout performances in every classification and area or region. Seven players were named Players of the Year, four coaches took home Coach of the Year, and four athletes achieved All-State status.
In GHSA Class 6A, Richmond Hill's Talia Johnson stood out, earning both Player of the Year and Co-Offensive Player of the Year honors. Her coach, Kaitlin Fulton (Bean), was named Coach of the Year, marking another excellent season. Talia also was named to the Georgia Volleyball Coaches Association (GVCA) Class AAAAAA All-state team.
Class 5A rewarded Effingham County and South Effingham for their outstanding seasons. Bella Teston of Effingham County claimed Offensive Player of the Year in Region 1-North, with Bella Scroggs earning Co-Region Defensive Player of the Year. South Effingham's Clara Vorel and Iracena Manlove took home Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year awards for Region 1-South.
In Class 4A, New Hampstead's ShaKhia Williams and Gianna Brown earned First Team honors.
Class 3A was led by Calvary's Kinsey Prado, who was named Offensive Player of the Year, and Islands' Maya Swenson, who was Defensive Player of the Year. Brooke Cameron of Calvary took Coach of the Year.
In Class 2A, Savannah Arts Academy received the Player of the Year honors for Torrin Higginbotham, while Coach Lauren Lord was recognized as Coach of the Year. Five players from Savannah Arts Academy were named to the All-Region First Team. Higginbotham was also named to the GVCA Class AA All-State team.
Class 1A named Maggie Kyriakides of Savannah Christian Player of the Year, and she also was named to the GVCA Class A All-State team. Raider head coach Julie Jones took home Coach of the Year honors.
In the GIAA and GAPPS associations, local players also were recognized. St. Andrew's School saw Sydney Booth achieve GIAA All-State honors and earned First Team honors with four other teammates. The Habersham School had four players named to the GAPPS First Team.
This Year's awards highlighted the depth of talent and dedication across the Savannah Area volleyball programs, setting a high standard for the sport's future. Below is the list compiled from emails sent to the prep Sports Report by the Savannah area coaches.
GHSA Class 6A
Player of the Year Talia Johnson - Richmond Hill
Co-Offensive Player of the Year Talia Johnson - Richmond Hill
Coach of the Year Kaitlin Fulton (Bean) - Richmond Hill
All-State Talia Johnson - Richmond Hill
First Team
Samantha Johnson - Richmond Hill
Berlyn Basler - Richmond Hill
Talia Johnson - Richmond Hill
Lily Ritzema - Richmond Hill
Grace Duffie - Richmond Hill
Second Team
Kailah King - Richmond Hill
GHSA Class 5A
Region 1- North
Offensive Player of the Year Bella Teston - Effingham County
Co-Region Defensive Player of the Year Bella Scroggs - Effingham County
First Team All-Region
Bentley Braswell - Effingham County
Kimber Michaelis - Effingham County
Jordyn Powell - Effingham County
Second Team All-Region
Bella Giaquinto - Effingham County
Honorable Mention
Emily Perkins - Effingham County
GHSA Class 5A
Region 1- South
Region 1-5A Player of the Year
Clara Vorel - South Effingham
Region 1-5A Defensive Player of the Year
Iracena Manlove - South Effingham
First Team All-Region
Clara Vorel - South Effingham
Riley Stringer - South Effingham
Iracena Manlove - South Effingham
Second Team All-Region
Leah Magana - South Effingham
Morgan Stringer - South Effingham
Honorable Mention
Anna Kate Taylor - South Effingham
GHSA Class 4A
First Team ShaKhia Williams - New Hampstead
Gianna Brown - New Hampstead
Second Team Jade Bird - New Hampstead
Krystian Reeves - New Hampstead
Honorable Mention Kally Foard - New Hampstead
Promise Cooper - New Hampstead
GHSA Class 3A
Offensive Player of the Year Kinsey Prado – Calvary
Defensive Player of the Year Maya Swenson - Islands
Coach of the Year Brooke Cameron - Calvary
First Team
Kinsey Prado - Calvary
Alaina Moultrie - Calvary
Georgia McBride - Calvary
Alex Audette - Islands
Maya Swenson - Islands
Molly Brenton - Islands
Taylor Young - Jenkins
Emily Carter - Jenkins
Ellie Branch - Southeast Bulloch
Aubrey Williams - Southeast Bulloch
De'Ajanae Ollison - Liberty County
Nevaeh Chapman - Long County
Kamryn Poinsett - Windsor Forest
Abigeal Edouard-Lucile - Johnson
Sophia Paxton-Groves
Second Team
Merritt McGinty - Calvary
Emma McIntosh - Calvary
Lily Mehl - Calvary
Olivia Kiley - Islands
Mia Whitmore - Islands
Katie Swezey - Islands
Zoe Diogo - Jenkins
Aniah Douglas - Jenkins
Laina Erickson - Southeast Bulloch
Allie Crab - Southeast Bulloch
Leighvi Viera - Liberty County
Sophia Morningstar - Liberty County
Tonilyn Pipkin - Long County
Salavaoolemasina Tiapula-savea - Long County
Katelyn Cabellero - Windsor Forest
Da'Jah Brown - Windsor Forest
Jasmine Coleman - Johnson
Bryahnna Patton - Johnson
Mahia Olgesby - Groves
Amaya Whaley - Groves
Honorable Mention
Madelyn Theron - Islands
Anaya Dunning-Jenkins
Mackenzie Young - Liberty
Ella Gaddy - Liberty
Brie Sumner - Calvary
Anna Roach - Calvary
Bella Waters – Southeast Bulloch
Lexie Cowart - Southeast Bulloch
Lilly Currier - Southeast Bulloch
Maliah Canete – Long County
Trinity Mook – Long County
Annabell Bequette - Liberty
London Lee - Windsor Forest
Deshay Miles - Johnson
Ella Gaddy – Liberty County
Mackenzie Young – Liberty County
Paris Mobley - Groves
Jada Bodey - Groves
GHSA Class 2A
Player of the Year Torrin Higginbotham - Savannah Arts Academy
Coach of the Year Lauren Lord - Savannah Arts Academy
All-State Torrin Higginbotham - Savannah Arts Academy
First Team All-Region
Lillie Coffey - Savannah Arts Academy
Maggie Allen - Savannah Arts Academy
Sam Lehto - Savannah Arts Academy
Charlotte Browne - Savannah Arts Academy
Elle Ayala - Savannah Arts Academy
Second Team All-Region
Annie Torres - Savannah Arts Academy
Emma Lawson Snyder - Savannah Arts Academy
Lula Tolison - Savannah Arts Academy
Bella Manley - Savannah Arts Academy
GHSA Class 1A
Player of the Year Maggie Kyriakides - Savannah Christian
Coach of the Year Julie Jones - Savannah Christian
All-State Maggie Kyriakides - Savannah Christian
First Team
Kaylyn Gill - St. Vincent's Academy
Sophie Chu - St. Vincent's Academy
Ford DeWitt - St. Vincent's Academy
Olivia Aliotta - Savannah Country Day School
Harris Stone - Savannah Country Day School
Reese Raeburn - Bryan County
Remy Thompson - Savannah Christian
Reese Theriot - Savannah Christian
Carinne Cason - Savannah Christian
Mollie Poppell - Savannah Christian
Second Team
Anna Creel - St. Vincent's Academy
Megan Warren - St. Vincent's Academy
Addison Grayson - St. Vincent's Academy
Makayla Brewton - Toombs
Mims Semone - Savannah Country Day School
MD Sumner - Savannah Country Day School
Boots Buckler - Savannah Country Day School
Braelynn Shuman - Bryan County
Lainey Westbrook - Savannah Christian
Ella Brooking - Savannah Christian
Honorable Mention
Abbie Cline - St. Vincent's Academy
Phoebe Lynch - St. Vincent's Academy
Ayo Ajayi - Savannah Country Day School
Emmy Christensen - Bryan County
Katherine Ringham - Savannah Christian
Mary Elizabeth Edenfield - Savannah Christian
Jasmine Gaither - Woodville
Madison Frazier - Woodville
Mariyah Taylor - Savannah Classical
Sahriya Andrews - Savannah High
GIAA
All-State
Sydney Booth - St. Andrew's School
First Team
Addie Yates - St. Andrew's School
Katie Reiter - St. Andrew's School
Sydney Berkman - St. Andrew's School
Sydney Booth - St. Andrew's School
Kole Jesswein - St. Andrew's School
GAPPS
First Team
Maddie Viles - The Habersham School
Brownette Olson - The Habersham School
Abbey Zellner - The Habersham School
Myla Shippy - The Habersham School
Photo Credit: Courtesy Schools social media and website pages
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