HITTERS

Lexie Broytman, Southington, Sr.

Katie Byrnes, Southington, Sr.

Jessica Frankowski, Farmington, Sr.

Krystie Luczynski, Berlin, Sr.

Stephanie Oliver, Coventry, Jr.

Lauren Ostafin, Avon, Sr.

Kyley Reed, Rocky Hill, So.

Mariah Roussel, Newington, Sr.

Tessa Smolinski, RHAM-Hebron, Sr.

Kelsey Welling, RHAM, Sr.

SETTERS

Dianne Gan, Conard- West Hartford, Sr.

Grace Kucharski, Avon, Jr.

Aleesha Quintana, Coventry, Jr.

LIBERO

Brittany Curtis, Coventry, Jr.

Mallory Grasso, RHAM, Sr.

HONORABLE MENTION

Hitters: Haily Beem, East Hampton, Jr.; Amber Bepko, Mercy, Jr.; Sarah Beres, Ellington, Sr.; Michelle Carilli, Coventry, Sr.; Kelly Draghe, Coventry, Sr.; Kelly Myers, Coventry, Jr.; Megan O’Brien, Haddam- Killingworth, Jr.; Liz Pacyna, Bristol Eastern, Sr.; Jocelyn Taylor, RHAM, Jr.; Paige Trusty, Coginchaug-Durham, Sr.

Setters: Meghan Feeney, Northwest Catholic-West Hartford, Sr.; Ellie Linden, RHAM, Sr.; Eleni Vossoughi, Hale-Ray, Jr.

Libero: Ashley Chasse, East Hampton, So.; Chelsey Weise, Mercy- Middletown, Sr.

Kelsey Welling now holds the new career high number of kills (739), followed by Shelly O’Keefe (692) and Tessa Smolinki (676).

Tessa Smolinski holds the new hitting record of 1303/1462, followed by Shelley O’Keefe 1294/1568 and Kelsey Welling 1120/1419.

Tessa Smolinski and Kelsey Welling took over spots 1 and 2 for career aces, with 212 and 175 respectively, followed by Abby Rosen’s 158.

Kelsey and Tessa also lead in points scored with 1204 and 906, followed by Shelley O’Keefe with 860.

Mallory Grosso holds the new RHAM record for serve receive with 674/778.

Kelsey Welling tops solo blocks with 272.

Tessa Smolinski and Mallory Grosso hold the RHAM career record for digs, with 765 and 665 respectively.

Ellie Linden now holds the RHAM record for setter assists with 1594.

The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the court, distinguishes Smolinski as Connecticut’s best high school volleyball player. Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Volleyball Player of the Year award, to be announced in late December, Smolinski joins an elite alumni association of past state volleyball award winners, including USA Volleyball Olympians Kim Glass (2001-02, Horseshoe HS , Penn.), Kim Willoughby (1998-99 & 1999-00, Assumption HS, La.) and Ogonna Nnamani (1999-00, University HS, Ill.).

The 5-foot-9 senior outside hitter recorded 239 kills and 205 digs this past season, leading the Sachems (26-0) to a third consecutive Class M state championship. A 2009 Senior All-Star Volleyball Game selection, Smolinski also tallied 83 service aces during her senior campaign. A returning Class M First Team All-State selection as named by the Connecticut High School Coaches Association, she amassed 13 kills, 12 digs and three service aces in a state final-sweep of Barlow, capturing Class M state championship game Most Valuable Player honors for the second straight season. Smolinski compiled 293 kills, 248 digs and 68 service aces as a junior.

Smolinski has maintained a 4.63 GPA in the classroom and ranks No. 5 in her class. The selection leader as a flutist in her school’s wind ensemble and a participant in the Mathematical Olympiads competition, she has volunteered on behalf of countless community-service initiatives, including the Special Olympics, Unified Sports, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the Dig Pink Breast Cancer Awareness Rally and the American Red Cross. Also a panelist at the Connecticut Youth Entrepreneur Seminar and a speaker at the Conference for Teaching Entrepreneurship, she established Pre-wrap.com in order to sell pre-wrap and athletic tape worldwide.

“She is spectacular,” said Laura Arena, head coach of Farmington High, which faced RHAM during the 2009 regular season. “She’s 5-foot-9 and plays as big as 6-foot-2 if not bigger and better. That says a lot. She’s a key reason RHAM became the program it is. Without her, I’m not sure they’re as successful. She’s a well-rounded player. She sees the whole court. I’m impressed with her strategy, finesse and power. She’s a strong server and a crafty defensive player. She’s a leader. And she does it all with so much class.”

Smolinski remains undecided upon a collegiate destination.

The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. The selection process is administered by ESPN RISE and the Gatorade high school sports leadership team, which work with top sport-specific experts and a media advisory board of accomplished, veteran prep sports journalists to determine the state winners in each sport.

Smolinski joins recent Gatorade Connecticut Volleyball Players of the Year Erika Videtto (2008-09, Greenwich), Janice Ehorn (2007-08, Amity Regional), and Brittany Dickinson (2006-07, Frank Scott Bunnell) among the state’s list of former award winners.

To celebrate the award’s 25th anniversary, Gatorade wants you to vote for the All-Time Greatest Players of the Year at gatorade.com/POY25. To keep up to date on the latest happenings, become a fan of Gatorade Player of the Year on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. For more on the Gatorade Player of the Year program, including nomination information, a complete list of past winners, and the announcement of the Gatorade National Player of the Year, visit playeroftheyear.gatorade.com.

Captains Mallory Grosso, Ellie Linden, Tessa Smolinski and Kelsey Welling have been chosen for the CCC All-Conference team.

It’s also known for something else — winning championships. Those two qualities came together here Saturday as the undefeated Sachems wrapped up a 25-0 season by winning their third straight Class M title with a 3-0 win over Joel Barlow. Game scores were 25-11, 25-22, and 26-24.

RHAM trailed Barlow, 24-20 in the third game when it calmly spurted off the final six points to settle the issue in dramatic style. If ever there was a time to examine the championship DNA of the Sachems, the closing stages of the third game was the perfect time.

“It’s just a matter of getting the job done,” RHAM coach Tim Guernsey said. “We don’t try to think about it too much. We just play.”

The final five points were served by Breault, who was a perfect 23-for-23 during the match.

“When we fall behind, our goal is to never let the ball touch the ground,” Breault said. “When I was serving, I try not to think about it too much. Basically, I just tried to serve it as hard as I could.”

Also supplying some firepower was senior Tessa Smolinski, who was responsible for three of RHAM’s final five points including the game winner, when she blow-torched a rocket that landed in the right corner of the court. She was named the Most Valuable Player in the championship game by the Connecticut High School Coaches Association.

“Last year, I scored the last point, but it didn’t count because they said I was over the net,” Smolinski said. “This year when I saw the ball go in, I didn’t hear anyone cheering, and I said, ‘Uh, oh.’ But we got the call, and I was just so excited.”

Her shot was just the exclamation point of three incredible seasons compiled by RHAM’s senior class. Just consider these numbers: three straight titles, 53 consecutive wins, and RHAM lost only one game all season, going 75-1.

Even when RHAM trailed, 24-20, in the third game, there were no signs of panic. That’s because RHAM has faced the identical situation hundreds of times in practice.

“Coach has a simulated game and makes the score 24-20,” Smolinski said. “We have to score six points in a row to win. So we do it all the time in practice. Today, we did it in a match.”

Perhaps the biggest play down the stretch was made by Chelsea Fenton. Her dig with the score 24-23 led to a kill by Smolinski and kept the RHAM rally alive.

“I’m used to getting the ball hit hard at me every day in practice, so I don’t even think about it when the ball is hit hard at me,” Fenton said. “I knew we had it in us.”

The Sachems had it in them all day long. RHAM ran off 10 straight points in the first game, with all the serving done by Breault, to make an early statement.

The statement got louder for the No. 1 seed in Game 2 when kills by Kelsey Welling and Smolinski locked up the win.

Then came the amazing comeback in Game 3.

“We don’t do it on purpose, but when we make it exciting like that, it’s more memorable,” Guernsey said.

Here’s another reason why it was memorable — the senior class of Mallory Grasso (8 digs), Fenton (11 digs), Ellie Lindon (30 assists), Smolinski (12 digs, 13 kills), Breault (9 digs), Welling (4 blocks, 8 kills) and Alie Carlson (4 kills).

Throw in 11 blocks and four kills by junior Jocelyn Taylor, who covered the top of the net like barbed wire, and it’s easy to understand how RHAM pulled it off.

“Our seniors were part of last year’s championship, but it was Kelly Stratton’s banner,” said Guernsey, referring to last year’s senior leader. “This year, the seniors got their own banner. You can’t do anything unless you have a talented group. And this is a talented group.”

Steve Antal, coach of 11th-seeded Joel Barlow (18-5), agreed.

“They’re just such a disciplined group,” Antal said. “They cover the floor well and they all know their roles. And they have some powerful hitters from both sides. They know how to find the gaps.”

And win championships.

“The kids were phenomenal,” Guernsey said. “What you saw today is what we’re been doing all year.”

More accurately, for three years.

By Matt Buckler
Journal Inquirer