10 surprise standout players for Seacoast high school volleyball. Who's on the list?
Every team, in any sport, has players come out of nowhere, get an opportunity to play and take advantage of that unexpected playing time.
With nearly two-thirds of the Seacoast high school volleyball season done, some rising players are making a name for themselves, not only on their own, but also across their respective divisions.
Here are 10 players, across seven Seacoast high schools, who were highlighted by their coaches as being their surprise players of the 2023 season.
Quinn Arico, Portsmouth Christian Academy, junior, setter
Yes, Arico is a junior, but she's in her first year with the Eagles, transferring to the Dover school from Old Lyme, Connecticut.
It hasn't taken long for Arico to make an impact with the Eagles, leading the team in kills and assists, and is second in aces.
Portsmouth Christian Academy head coach Kevin Carreiro pinpoints a 3-1 loss at Moultonborough as Arico's highlight game of the season. Arico had 13 kills, five aces, and 10 assists in the Division IV setback.
"(Arico) has made an immediate impact on and off the court," Carreiro said. "She's a large part of our success this season."
Paige Demers, Somersworth High School, freshman, middle hitter
Demers is starting middle hitter for undefeated Somersworth, the lone unbeaten team in Division IV.
Demers ranks second on the Hilltoppers in kills and blocks through the first 12 games of the season.
"(Demers) has an extremely high volleyball IQ," Somersworth head coach Steve Hodsdon said. "She's constantly making the correct reads when blocking or reading blocks."
Hodson has a clear goal for Demers for the remainder of the season.
"The expectation for (Demers) is that she continues to build on her strong start to her career and remain the steady force at the net," Hodsdon said.
Brynn Folger, Marshwood High School, sophomore, setter
Folger is in her second season with the Marshwood varsity, and head coach Robert Childs calls his starting setter a "smart, funny, and charismatic" player.
"She's a sponge, she lives for volleyball and invests everything she has into it," Childs said. "She has accepted (setting) role and has accepted responsibility for all of her teammates successes and failures. It is a lot to ask a 15-year-old kid, but she wants it."
Despite being only a sophomore, Childs hold Fowler to a the highest accountability, including that of his captains.
"Every game is a season highlight on how to accept tough coaching for the growth of her and her teammates," Childs said. "She is strong, she is focused and determined to be the best version of herself not for her personally but so her teammates can excel and reach their potential."
Childs says Folger is built differently than most.
"No matter if it is volleyball in college or a career, she is going to find success in anything she does," Childs said.
Kylie Folger, Marshwood High School, sophomore, defensive specialist
Folger was given a choice at the end of Marshwood's three-day tryout - start at the junior varsity level, or be a role player at varsity unless her improvement was drastic.
"We had a candid conversation with Kylie that because of her attitude and effort she has earned the opportunity to make the choice but would have to own it fully," Marshwood head coach Robert Childs said. "Kylie chose to be a varsity player because she desired fair and tough coaching to improve. Not only did Kylie own that decision, she has been a model for the program in effort, attitude and off-the-court work ethic."
There was a match this season where Folger chased a ball off the court, and crashed along the bleaches, just one example of her hustle and determination to do what she can to help her team win each point.
"She is team first, individual second," Childs said. "Those characteristics have guided her to bea better player and a varsity starter in very little time. She puts her body on the line every single play and is one of the first girls to provide passion and empathy for her teammates in the truest form."
Heidi Geyer, Portsmouth Christian Academy, junior, opposite hitter
Portsmouth Christian Academy head coach Kevin Carriero has been pleased with the effort he has received from Geyer this season, no more than her effort in a 3-1 win over Concord Christian Academy.
In the win, Geyer, playing in her second season on varsity, had nine kills, four aces and seven digs.
"Heidi has emerged as a proven leader," Carriero said. "She is by far the most vocal player on the court for us. She has the second most kills on the team, and provides versatility in our offensive attack from the right side."
Madison Hartman, Spaulding High School, junior, setter
Spaulding head volleyball coach Stephanie Nesbitt views a recent 3-2 loss to Nashua North as Hartman's highlight game of the season with 22 assists.
"She is an asset to our offense and I see our hitters getting a lot more kills with her setting," Nesbitt said.
Grace Kelly, Dover High School, freshman, outside hitter
It was the fourth game of the season, and Kelly, a freshman, entered Dover's home match against Nashua North, and made an immediate impact with her teammates and coaches in a 3-2 win for the Green Wave.
"She really stunned our team with her aggressive play," Dover head coach Whitney Carrier said. "She was one of three hitters to hit in the positive that game. I think in the second set she got a pass from Tory Vitko, and she put the ball deep in the back corner for a kill and every one went wild."
That effort has continued throughout the first 10 matches, nine wins on the season.
"(Kelly) has come into some games and given our team the energy boost that it needs to overcome some adversity," Carrier said. "She plays with an aggressive nature that is not typical for most freshmen. I expect Grace to continue to build her confidence on the court and contribute those same game-changing plays to our offense and defense."
Nevaeh Kephalas, Exeter High School, senior, setter
Head coach Katie Simmons may be surprised with Exeter's 4-7 record so far this season in Division I, but one thing Simmons is not surprised with is the performance of Kephalas, a senior setter for the Blue Hawks.
"We aren't surprised by her performance this year," Simmons said. "We're surprised in the huge hole we have when she isn't on the court. She's always plays with her entire heart and soul and leaves it all out there and it doesn't go unnoticed by her teammates and coaches."
The one thing at Simmons is surprised with Kephalas' play is her unwillingness to let a ball drop.
"She has made some huge saves on plays that we were all ready to give up on," Simmons said. "She is learning to connect with our hitters and is doing everything she can to make her teammates jobs easier. We know she is an integral part of our team and is a perfect example of heart and effort."
Leah Lynskey, Oyster River High School, sophomore, right-side hitter
Not only is Lynskey is thriving in her first season playing at the varsity level, she is playing a difficult position.
Oyster River head coach Cassandra Doore has been surprised with Lynskey's power through the first 10 matches, all wins for the first-place Bobcats.
"She worked extremely hard over her club season and the summer to improve and it really shows," Doore said. "She is versatile and brings a great energy to the gym, especially to practices. Hopefully for the second half of the season and into the playoffs we can continue to grow her skills and time on the court."
Alexis Sanders, Spaulding High School, sophomore, libero
Consistency has been the theme for Sanders this season, coming up a season-high 13 digs in three matches this season.
Sanders started the season as an outside hitter, but head coach Stephanie Nesbitt switched things up.
"I needed her defense so she changed to the Libero position," Nebitt said. "This has helped our defense and decreased our drop balls tremendously. She will be key to our defense for the remainder of the season."
The following coaches chose not to highlight any of their players for this piece: Portsmouth's Wayne Siejkowski, Winnacunnet's Casey Davies, St. Thomas Aquinas' Kristie Holtz, and York's Suzanne Bradley.
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: High school volleyball: 10 surprise standout NH, ME, Seacoast players
