CONWAY -- About all that changed at the Arkansas High School Coaches Association All-Star volleyball game Wednesday night was that the Most Valuable Player didn't come from Jonesboro this year.
The East All-Stars defeated the West All-Stars 25-16, 15-25, 25-15, 25-15, 15-11 at the Farris Center behind the strong play of Alden Weeks of Nettleton, Caroline Moye of Jonesboro and Hunter Eshnaur of Russellville.
It was the second consecutive All-Star victory for the East, which has won nine of the past 10 games, and its fourth in the past five years. The final score was 4-1.
Eshnaur, who will stay at home and play volleyball for Arkansas Tech, was the game's MVP after three of the past four MVPs had come from Jonesboro schools.
Weeks, who is headed to Arkansas State, was named the outstanding player for the East and Benton's Taylor Lindberg, who will attend UALR, was named the West's top player.
"It was awesome,'' Eshnaur said. "Our team just went out there and played our hardest. We played amazing. At first we were a little scared. Then it all came together. We just played awesome.
"I was not expecting the MVP. Honestly, we have so many good players on this team, and I just did not think I was going to get it."
Eshnaur finished with 11 kills, 2 aces and 2 blocks. Weeks had 10 kills, while Moye had 12 kills and 5 aces. Madison Sandborn of Brookland added nine kills.
Former Siloam Springs standout Taylor Gay played for the East All-Stars, recording three digs in four games.
The East set the tone in the opener, building an 8-1 lead en route to the Game 1 victory.
The West's big moment came in Game 2, when it built off a 4-0 start for its lone victory.
"We had a marvelous group of young ladies, incredibly terrific talent, confident,'' said East coach Craig Cummings of Jonesboro. "I knew we could play well, but I also know the West has some marvelous players. You just don't know how the match is going to unfold. It was a great showcase.
"We were able to serve tough enough to prevent the West from getting the balls to their attackers, and we passed the ball enough that we could get the ball to Alden Weeks, Audra Nailling (of Paragould) and all our hitters. Really, that was the difference in the match."
Anna LeDuc of Bentonville led the West scorers with nine, while Lindberg had seven and her Benton teammate Braxton Chumley had six.
Sports on 06/28/2015