Rockwell garners league MVP honors

SANDPOINT — Senior outside hitter Megan Rockwell was named Most Valuable Player, leading a trio of Bulldogs on the 4A Inland Empire League volleyball team, as voted on by the league’s coaches.

Joining Rockwell on the all-league team are senior libero Maddie Russo, and junior outside hitter Hannah Neumann.

Rockwell led the Bulldogs with 34 blocks on the season, and led the team in hitting percentage while ripping 156 kills. At state she posted 18 kills and four blocks, hitting a robust .394 with only three hitting errors in three matches. She was the lone Bulldog named to the 4A all-state tournament team.

Russo anchored the Bulldogs’ back line defensively, leading the team with 224 digs and 32 service aces.

“I’m very proud of both these two senior captains, they both were steady and constant for their final year,” said Bulldogs head coach Karen Alsager of Rockwell and Russo. “They were perfect captains for our program and both will be missed.”

Neumann led the Bulldogs with 189 kills, and was second on the team with 196 digs, excelling from both the front and back rows. She led the Bulldogs with 20 kills at state, and also tallied 19 digs in the last match.

“Hannah has continued to emerge as an offense and defensive weapon,” said Alsager. “She was one of the only players that stayed on the court all the time due to her great ball control and competitiveness. It is exciting to think of what she can accomplish for her senior season.”

n 4A All-IEL Volleyball team

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER — Megan Rockwell, sr., Sandpoint.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR — Erin Ogden, sr., Lakeland.

COACH OF THE YEAR — Michelle Charles, Moscow.

SANDPOINT — Hannah Neumann, jr., Maddie Russo, sr. MOSCOW — Kim Lawrence, sr., Foster Neal, sr., Kendra Murray, sr. LAKELAND — Kaidan Kelsey, so.