LISBON — Ava Czarnecki is without doubt one of the state leaders in kills per set.
Indisputably, she’s No. 1 in kills per inch.
Modest in stature at 5 toes, 6 1/2 inches, the senior from Lisbon Excessive College greater than makes up for it together with her vertical explosiveness.
“Whenever you’re my peak, you’ve acquired to get on prime of the ball,” Czarnecki mentioned.
She does it with a vertical leap that was registered final week at 26 1/2 inches.
“Once I focus on what can occur in case you have a ardour for one thing, Ava is the instance,” Lions Coach Lance Kamaus mentioned.
It’s not as if Czarnecki was an instantaneous star.
“In eighth grade, we had 14 ladies out, and he or she was middle-of-the-road,” Kamaus mentioned.
As a freshman, Czarnecki performed on the contemporary/soph group because the setter.
She earned a spot within the varsity rotation as a sophomore, taking part in entrance row solely. She was a six-rotation participant as a junior, however didn’t serve.
Now, Kamaus mentioned, Czarnecki “doesn’t come off the ground except she wants a relaxation and we’re up seven or eight factors.”
Heading into the week, she is fourth statewide (all courses) in kills per set (5.49) and second in kill effectivity (.476).
Want one other testomony to her productiveness? She is third within the state in complete kills, twenty eighth in swings.
Czarnecki performed offseason membership ball with the Iowa Rockets, and that has helped develop and improve her recreation.
“I couldn’t serve nicely or play back-row nicely, however the Rockets helped with all that, making me a greater total participant,” she mentioned.
“I’ve grown a lot.”
After the Lions (22-5 total, 5-0 Tri-Rivers East Division) swept Bellevue Marquette final Thursday, Kamaus pulled up a 90-second montage of what he referred to as a “greatest-hits tape” of Czarnecki’s most deadly assaults this season.
You noticed the ball go down — typically on to the ground, a couple of times off a defender’s head — however noticed one thing else new.
Emotion.
“Earlier than this yr, after a kill, she would possibly give somewhat little bit of a high-five,” Kamaus mentioned. “Now, she’ll pump her fists and stomp on the bottom.
“At (the Crestwood event Sept. 9), she demolished the ball. She had each shot within the e book. Exhausting down the road, onerous down the road, cross court docket, brief cross.”
Czarnecki has crossed the 1,000-kill plateau in simply three seasons as a varsity participant. The Lions can clinch the outright divisional title Thursday, once they host North Cedar.
As we speak could possibly be the day
The Iowa Ladies Excessive College Athletic Union will launch postseason pairings this week, maybe as early as this afternoon.
Regionals start Oct. 16 for the smaller two courses, Oct. 17 for the bigger three. Regional finals are Oct. 24-25.
The state event is Oct. 30-Nov. 2 at Xtream Area in Coralville.
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