Coaches announce 2023 YAIAA boys' volleyball all-stars and player of the year
When the rest of his Northeastern teammates are in orange jerseys, Gavin Meador is wearing black.
As the libero, he has to follow a specific set of rules about his play, and like a goalie in some field sports, he has to be quickly identified by his position.
He can only play in the back row. He can only attack when a portion of the ball is below the top of the net. He cannot participate in a block. He can't set a teammate with his finger pass if he is between the net and the front attack line.
What Meador, and other liberos can do, is dig and pass the ball. The Northeastern senior, who stands 5-8, does his job so well, that he was named the YAIAA Player of the Year by league coaches.
It's not often that a libero is selected as the top player. That honor usually falls to a hitter or setter. But Meador stood out this year with nearly 400 digs for a Bobcat team that finished second in the league tournament and tied Central York for the top spot in the division.
As the saying goes, "Do one thing, and do it well."
Lax stars: YAIAA boys' lacrosse coaches name 2023 league all-stars and players of the year
Here are the YAIAA all-stars:
First team
Jayden Bethel, Dallastown, jr., outside hitter
Mason Boyer, Central York, sr., outside hitter
John Forjan, York Catholic, sr., setter
Tyler Good, Red Lion, so., outside hitter
Gavin Meador, Northeastern, sr., libero
Luis Montalvo, York Suburban, sr., setter
Hugh Rogers, Northeastern, so., outside hitter
Second team
Donovan Burris, Central York, sr., right side
Luke Forjan, York Catholic, sr., outside hitter
Trevor Ketrick, Central York, jr., outside hitter
Zach Kilpatrick, Northeastern, sr., right side
Ethan Schick, Northeastern, sr., middle hitter
Lance Shaffer, Central York, so., setter
Brady Walker, York Catholic, sr., right side
Doing the right thing: Here's why this championship meant more to him
Third team
Jackson Bryant, York Suburban, sr., middle hitter
Kevin Bryant, York Suburban, sr., middle hitter
Christian Bucks, Central York, jr., outside hitter
Luke Furmen, Dallastown, sr., outside hitter
Ryan Kinney, Northeastern, sr., middle hitter
Matt Miller, Red Lion, sr., middle hitter
Ryan Roberts, Central York, jr., libero
Honorable mention
Landon Day, Dover, sr., outside hitter
Nathan Efiom-Ekaha, York Suburban, jr., outside hitter
Tyler Finch, Northeastern, sr., setter
Koltrin Forry, Northeastern, so., outside hitter
Justin Fry, Red Lion, jr., libero
Noah Haines, New Oxford, sr., setter/outside hitter
Aaron Hildebrand, Eastern York, fr., outside hitter
Evan Schmidt, Dallastown, sr., setter
Camden Sterner, Spring Grove, sr., libero
This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: YAIAA boys' volleyball: Coaches name all-stars, player of year