PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Colleen Russell enjoyed the process almost as much as the games. The workouts leading up to the season, the practices during the season and of course the games, it all made for a dominant senior season at North Hunterdon, one in which she was named the Hunterdon County Democrat girls volleyball Player of the Year.
During the her senior year, Russell was instrumental in North Hunterdon winning a county and sectional championship. And she enjoyed the journey, from the very beginning.
“Working in the summer, that was my favorite part, always being at North,” Russell said.
And from the summer to the fall, the excitement continued.
“Home games were always the best feeling because we always had such a great student section and it was so much fun,” she said.
Russell was in the center of the fun. Playing middle, there weren’t many in the state who could match the force she could slam a ball over the net.
“She was a beast at the net, she puts it straight down,” said veteran North Hunterdon coach Kirk Hissner. “When you talked to players on opposing teams, they were always mentioning her name in the middle spot and how hard she hit it.”
There was no secret to Russell’s hard-hitting. It began with those summer workouts.
“I worked toward the end of my career on a faster tempo ball and this season that really clicked,” she said. “I was able to rip it so easily and it came naturally.”
What also came naturally was winning.
She became introduced to the sport in the fourth grade, attending a North Hunterdon volleyball camp. Her older sisters Emily and Shannon played the sport and Shannon was a captain for North Hunterdon’s state Group 4 championship team in 2018.
“Shannon was a huge inspiration and motivator, and I loved watching them that 2018 season and it is what got me so amped,” Russell said.
As a sophomore, Russell was a varsity performer but by her junior year she really took off, helping lead the Lions to the Group 3 state championship.
“That was awesome, a great season and so exciting,” Russell said. “We never had to worry about winning or losing, everybody always played their best and put so much time and effort.”
This past season North Hunterdon made a statement before the state tournament by winning the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex Tournament, defeating previously unbeaten Sparta, 2-1 in the final. The final set was won in a marathon, 33-31.
It was certainly a game with wild swings, with North Hunterdon dropping the first set 13-25 before winning the next two sets, 29-27 and 33-31.
“During that final set I said win or lose that was the most fun game I ever played in,” said Russell, who contributed team highs in kills (10) and blocks (4) in the match.
After that, North Hunterdon won the North Section 2, Group 3 championship, beating Millburn, 2-0, in the final.
“We had a pretty good winning streak going and it was so much fun,” she said about winning the sectional title.
The seven-game win streak and season would end with a state semifinal 2-0 loss to eventual Group 3 state champion Tenafly.
North Hunterdon, which played its usual difficult schedule, finished the year 18-10 and ranked No. 18 in the final NJ.com Top 20.
For the season, Russell had 161 kills and 46 blocks, both team highs. She also added 64 digs, 221 service points and 22 aces.
Besides all the statistics, she brought leadership as one of the team’s three captains, somebody who knew when turn up the intensity, but also how to make things fun her teammates.
“She had a good mix, adding goofiness and also knowing when to be serious so she was well balanced with trying to keep things light at times when they were getting stressed,” Hissner said.
Russell says she will miss volleyball tremendously, especially since she won’t be competing in college. She plans to attend an art school and says she won’t have the time to devote her attention to sports.
What she does have are memories that will never be forgotten.
“That last bus ride home was so sad,” she said. “I loved every minute of it and it was so much fun.”
And she contributed greatly to the winning and the fun, one hard hit at a time.
ALL-AREA TEAM
Abby Bivona, Delaware Valley, So.
A two-year starter, Bivona’s strength was her all-around skill. “She was the one who brought the good energy,” Delaware Valley coach Erin Fleming said. “She is never upset with herself or her teammates and is a very smart player.”
During Delaware Valley’s 2-1 win over Point Pleasant Beach in the South Jersey, Group 1 championship, she had a game-high 18 digs, while also adding nine kills. For the season she had 176 kills, 172 digs, 31 blocks, 15 assists and 27 aces.
Madison Cobb, Delaware Valley, Sr.
A middle blocker, Cobb didn’t start playing the sport until high school but became a three-year varsity performer. “She was a great captain and the girls really looked up to her,” Delaware Valley coach Erin Fleming said. “Madison does everything well, but is really a good hitter.”
In Delaware Valley’s 2-1 win over Point Pleasant Beach in the South Jersey, Group 1 championship, Cobb had a game-high 17 kills. This season Cobb led the team in kills (184), blocks (33) and aces (27). She also had 134 digs and 15 assists.
Lindsey Lorenz, Hunterdon Central, Sr.
Lorenz helped Hunterdon Central (21-7) win the Skyland Conference Delaware Division title with a 13-1 mark and advance to the Central Jersey Group 4 championship before losing to Old Bridge. A setter, she led the team with 493 assists and also contributed 23 aces, 55 kills, 23 blocks and 115 digs.
“As a setter she bridged the defense and offense, was good from the service line and one of our top blockers,” coach Kevin Jones said.
Known for her passing ability, she had 1,225 career assists.
Emma Murry, North Hunterdon, Sr.
An outside hitter, Murry was an indefatigable player, rarely ever coming off the court.
“Emma played the back row attack and held everything together,” coach Kirk Hissner said. “She was a tremendous leader and player.”
In North Hunterdon’s North 2, Group 3 championship win over Millburn, she tied for the team lead with seven kills. Murry tied her season high of 15 digs in North Hunterdon’s 2-0 win over Sparta in the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex County Tournament championship.
This season she recorded 157 kills, which was second on the team, eight blocks, 170 digs, 195 service points and 21 aces.
Colleen Russell, North Hunterdon, Sr.
The Hunterdon County Democrat Player of the Year, Russell had a team-high 46 blocks as a middle. She also contributed 161 kills, 64 digs, 221 service points and 22 aces for the North 2, Group 3 champions. Russell also had six games where she recorded four or more blocks.
She had 10 kills, four blocks and four digs in North Hunterdon’s 2-0 win over Sparta in the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex County Tournament championship.
Sam Wilton, North Hunterdon, Sr.
A libero, Wilton had a team-high 309 digs and was second in both service points (222) and aces (29).
“Sam was our libero in the back row bringing the ball up for hits, serves received and she held that back row together,” coach Kirk Hissner said. “When the other team had a dominant hitter, she would bring the ball back up.”
A two-year starter, Wilton had a season-high 16 service points in a 2-0 North 2, Group 3 quarterfinal win over Chatham. She had seven digs and eight service points in the Lions’ sectional championship win over Millburn. She ended her career with 677 digs, 443 service points and 70 aces.
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