Ava Francis (8) of Jonathan Alder sends the ball over the net during Saturday’s Division II regional championship game against Parma Heights Holy Name. Francis has earned first-team All-Ohio honors for the 2019 season. (Journal-Tribune photo by Sam Dillon)
The 2019 high school volleyball season will go down in the books as very successful for the Lady Pioneers of Jonathan Alder.
They earned a berth into the regional championship match for the first time since the 2015 campaign.
That year, JA finished as Division II state runners-up.
JA’s season came to an end on Saturday during the regional championship contest with a 3-1 loss to defending state champion Parma Heights Holy Name.
Along with the team accolades, a pair of Lady Pioneers have earned individual honors.
Junior Ava Francis, who earlier was named player of the year in the Central Buckeye Conference’s Kenton Trail Division, was today honored with first team All-Ohio status.
Classmate Emma Shepherd was named to the state’s honorable mention list.
“In the terms of All-Ohio honors, Ava and Emma are as deserving as they come,” said Jonathan Alder head coach Joe Ross.
“Those honors are another special part of our season made possible by the strength of our entire team.”
Full-season stats were not available for either player.
Going into the Parma Heights Holy Name match, Francis, who has already verbally committed to play volleyball at the University of Arizona, tallied 345 kills with a .459 efficiency rate. She also had 252 digs.
Shepherd went into the regional finals with 232 kills, 256 digs and 85 ace serves.
Lady Pioneer junior Emma Shepherd serves the ball against Parma Heights Holy Name. Shepherd has earned Division II All-Ohio honorable mention status for the 2019 season. (Journal-Tribune photo by Sam Dillon)