High school volleyball: Joseph’s Meyers earns league honors

Published 9:24 am Monday, November 21, 2022

WALLOWA COUNTY — Aimee Meyers has provided a level of consistently strong play the last two years for the Joseph volleyball team.

Coaches in the Old Oregon League noticed, and for the second year in a row, she was named OOL player of the year, this time being given the honor as the top player in Joseph’s side of the expanded league. Echo’s Nevaeh Thew won the honor on the other half of the OOL.

“I’m just super-thankful. It’s a very cool experience to be able to have gotten it two times,” Meyers said. “It won’t change (in) any way how hard I work or the time and effort I put in.”

Meyers brings all-around ability, and leadership, to the floor for the Eagles. As one would expect with a setter, the junior led the team in assists, but did much more than distribute the ball. Head coach Jill Hite said that Meyers led the team in assists and serving aces, was second in digs, and was “the third-best hitter on the team.”

“She is an all-around player who is a leader on and off the floor,” Hite said of Meyers.

Her leadership and confidence were the areas Meyers felt she was the most improved in over a year ago.

“My coaches, Jill and Hannah (Schmidtke) and Emma (Hite), they push confidence and leadership,” Meyers said. “In a good volleyball player that is a (key), and this year I have gained both of those skills. They give us the skills and how to do it, but it comes from us. The leadership and confidence really play a huge part in it.”

While Meyers was the league’s top player, she wasn’t the only Eagle recognized. Another junior, Cooper Nave, was selected to the OOL’s first-team.

Meyers said she saw Nave grow in the same areas this year as she did.

“We’ve been best friends since kindergarten. We’ve grown up playing on the same team. … I saw the leadership from her also. Over the years we’ve both struggled with that, and it came from our hearts this year.”

Nave was the team leader in kills and digs, and was second in blocks, showing her prowess on both offense and defense.

“Cooper has improved her offense this season by being court aware and learning how to mix up her shots,” Hite said. “She is a very strong offensive player.”

Three other players in Wallowa County — two from Enterprise and one from Wallowa — earned all-league honors.

The Outlaws saw two players, Maci Marr and Joana Tavares, receive honorable mention in the Blue Mountain Conference.

Tavares, a foreign exchange student, provided a key boost for Enterprise with 132 kills, 206 digs and 55 aces, all while serving 93%. Marr recorded 63 kills, 187 digs, 36 aces and served at a 90% clip.

“Maci and Joana were the leaders of our team,” head coach Lisa Farwell said. “I’m proud of their hard work, and they are very deserving of all-league honors.”

Down the road in Wallowa, Sophie Moeller made OOL second-team for the Cougars. Head coach Janea Hulse said the junior is a player with high expectations for herself who improves each time she steps on the court.

“She’s a ball of energy, and she brings that energy to the court, and her teammates work off that energy,” Hulse said. She doesn’t know how to fail. She’s competitive and has a heart of gold. She is your ultimate teammate.”