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'My goal is to live like Bre': Mapleton volleyball team honors late Bre McKean

larry stine
·4 min read

NANKIN — Athletics are an important part in many young people's lives and for the Mapleton and Plymouth volleyball teams, their Firelands Conference match on Saturday was also a way to pay their respects to a friend and teammate on her home court one final time.

Plymouth came away with a 3-1 win over Mapleton as the Mounties held a special Senior Recognition Day to honor their upperclassmen — Emilee Dennison, Jillian Grundy, Eastyn Rohr, Rhyannon Schrader and Breanne McKean.

McKean passed away a couple of weeks ago on Homecoming Night, and the Lady Mounties resumed play this week in her honor.

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In pregame ceremonies, both teams’ senior members were honored with flowers and gifts being exchanged between both. New London’s seniors were also on hand to present the Mapleton seniors with flower arrangements, and one chair on the Mountie bench was draped with McKean’s No. 21 jersey on it.

A 38 second moment of silence was also observed, 17 seconds for the years she graced everyone’s lives, and 21 seconds for her jersey number.

“It was definitely hard to come out, but we played for Bre, and I know us seniors gave it our all for the last time we’re going to be on this court, we tried to have lost of energy, have fun and just remember all the good times we had and just make one last round it,” said Rohr, who recently went over 1,000 digs for her career. “It was a crazy journey, sometimes easy, sometimes not so easy, a lot of body aches but my team helped me achieve that.”

Mapleton seniors, Emilee Dennison, Jillian Grundy, Eastyn Rohr and Rhyannon Schrader share in an emotional senior recognition ceremony which honored late teammate Bre McKean before the start of volleyball action.
Mapleton seniors, Emilee Dennison, Jillian Grundy, Eastyn Rohr and Rhyannon Schrader share in an emotional senior recognition ceremony which honored late teammate Bre McKean before the start of volleyball action.

Emilee Dennison was one of McKean’s closest friends.

“Today was special because a lot of people probably wouldn’t be doing what we’re doing but with Bre, we knew she was coming back from her ACL surgery, and how bad she wanted to get on the court, that was our motivation,” Dennison said. “Everything we do is just for Bre. We had to change the mindset of instead of us, for her, so I think that helped motivate us.”

Grundy said she was very happy to be able to play a final home game.

“I enjoyed my four years here, I wouldn’t trade them for anything, and my goal is to live like Bre,” she said, referring to the words written on the team’s warmup shirts. “I love my senior friends, they are part of the reason why I enjoyed volleyball so much, they’re such a fun group to be around, and I love our energy on and off the court.”

Schrader said the day was emotional for not only the seniors but the entire team.

“Going out there it definitely felt like we were missing Bre a lot, and I’m just glad I had everyone to have my back, even though I didn’t have the best game, but I knew they had my back,” Schrader said. “For the seniors, it was a new memory every day for sure, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

Mapleton coach Wendy Dennison said she was proud of how her team wanted to get back on the court and finish the season to honor their teammate.

Mapleton seniors Emilee Dennison, Jillian Grundy, Eastyn Rohr and Rhyannon Schrader share in an emotional senior recognition ceremony that honored late teammate Bre McKean before the start of volleyball action.
Mapleton seniors Emilee Dennison, Jillian Grundy, Eastyn Rohr and Rhyannon Schrader share in an emotional senior recognition ceremony that honored late teammate Bre McKean before the start of volleyball action.

“We knew it was going to be a tough game coming back for one more home game to honor Bre, and I’m proud of my team for getting back on the court,” she said. “They decided a week-and-a-half ago they’d get back on the court to honor their teammate so we felt whether we won or lost we would still consider it a win because we were able to get back on the court as a team and finish the season to honor her because she would want us to.”

“We weren’t sure how Mapleton was going to come out and play, and my girls knew Bre pretty well, so they were really emotional, but I knew they were going to come out fighting and play hard for her,” said Plymouth coach Hannah Adams. “I told my girls you’ve got to do the same thing. Even though it was an emotional day we can’t give up a possible win for us."

The Vikings won the first set 25-22 before the Mounties tied it at 1-1 with a 25-20 second set victory. Plymouth then won the final two sets, 26-24, and 25-16.

“Saturdays haven’t been our thing this year. We’ve had two Saturday games and they have definitely not been as competitive as today, so we still didn’t have the energy I would like us to have but I’m glad we came out and ended with one conference win.”

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Mapleton volleyball mourns and celebrates late teammate Bre McKean