Danville leads all-area team

The 2010 All-Area volleyball team had a strong Danville and Hartselle presence after both teams spent most of the season near the top of the state rankings on their way to Elite Eight berths.
Hartselle’s Olivia Golden was named the area’s top player after recording 612 kills and 566 digs this season.
Golden, who helped lead the Lady Tigers to the Elite Eight tournament this year, also had 61 aces and 38 blocks.
Golden was one of the few returning starters on the court for the Lady Tigers.
Hartselle’s Tanya Lybarger was chosen as the coach of the year after leading the Lady Tigers back to the state tournament for the fifth straight season with a roster filled with young players.
And for Lybarger, the main task was to replace 2009 player of the year Alex Holmes and power hitter Cory Livingston.
The Lady Tigers struggled early in the season with the young lineup before hitting full stride where they won 32 of 44 matches.
The Lady Tigers lost to Faith Academy in the first round of the Elite Eight.
Hartselle had two players join Golden with first-team all-area honors this season: senior Chelsea Bennich (820 digs) and junior Katelyn Hill (383 kills, 120 blocks).
Also earning first-team honors from Danville – the 2010 county champions – were Ashley Nance (429 Kills, 89 blocks, 53 digs), Lacey Evans (497 digs, 63 aces), Lindsay Simmons (707 kills, 75 Aces, 86 blocks, 201 digs) and Kaitlin Wallace (1,216 Assists, 84 Aces).
Brewer’s Hannah Crawford (194 digs, 63 kills, 36 aces) and Priceville’s Darian Tucker (38 aces, 315 kills, 82 blocks, 221 digs.
Hartselle’s Savanne Howard was named to the second team along with Priceville’s Jordan Crow, Molly Thompson and Katie Barker; Danville’s Tara Wimberley and Morgan Doherty; Brewer’s Caitlin Rush and Riley Northway; and Falkville’s Hilary Eason.