Sutton named team MVP, Most Inspirational at volleyball banquet

Fallbrook High School senior Tess Sutton was named as the Warriors’ girls volleyball Most Valuable Player at the post-season banquet Nov. 16 at United Methodist Church of Fallbrook, and the libero was also selected as the team’s Most Inspirational Player.

“I think it was well-deserved,” said Fallbrook coach Robin Reese. “When you think of Most Valuable Player you think of who you can’t live without, and she definitely was that person.”

Reese noted that libero isn’t the flashiest position on the court. “She gets down and dirty with it,” Reese said of Sutton.

The players voted on all of the awards except the Heather Schulte Award, but Reese concurred with the votes. Reese cited characteristics which merited Sutton’s selection as the Most Inspirational Player. “She really does work really hard and inspires her teammates,” Reese said. “She does the work to know how each player clicks and how to motivate them.”

The award for Most Improved Player went to junior middle blocker Amanda Williams. “She worked really hard and she improved a lot. She is getting to a point where she can use her size to her benefit,” Reese said.

Williams is 5’11”. “She’s a strong girl, very, very strong,” Reese said.

The Heather Schulte Award is named after one of Fallbrook’s former girls volleyball coaches and athletic directors. It is voted upon by the coaches and is awarded for outstanding character and sportsmanship. This year’s recipient was junior outside hitter Sarah Grantham. “If I need something done she’s already doing it,” Reese said. “She’s just a great kid all the way around and she’s a really good role model for the younger girls.”

The banquet also saw the presentation of awards for the junior varsity and novice teams. The junior varsity Most Valuable Player was sophomore libero Amberinna Dolan. Sophomore outside hitter Mandy Svedson was the JV’s Most Inspirational Player. Freshman middle blocker Jessica Topete took home the junior varsity’s Most Improved Player award.

The novice team’s Most Valuable Player was middle blocker Mary Kressin. Setter and defensive specialist Kayla Jones was the Most Inspirational Player for the novice squad. Defensive specialist Heidi Lona was given the novice Most Improved Player award.