State title as good as it gets for Middleburg and star Connor Rahn

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Connor Rahn knew that it was a big deal. She just didn’t know how big what the Middleburg volleyball team had pulled off until some time had passed and she gained some perspective on the feat.

For the Broncos and all of Clay County, it was a very big deal, perhaps greater now that a few months have passed than it was last November. Rahn, a 6-2 outside hitter and All-News4JAX volleyball player of the year, said that it was an unforgettable season and embodied a career’s worth of work by players.

“I didn’t realize how big of a deal it was until everyone said that not many teams in Clay County got to experience what we did,” Rahn said. “It was just really cool.”

Area volleyball teams aren’t typically standing atop the podium with gold medals dangling from their necks.

The Broncos won the first Florida High School Athletic Association state volleyball championship by a Clay County team when they swept Barron Collier on Nov. 9. Rahn had 25 kills in a match that was never in question.

Other Clay County public schools girls teams had won championships in team ball sports before — Middleburg won a softball title in 2022, preceded by Clay (2001) and Oakleaf (2017) — but never in volleyball.

That it happened how it did was a bit of a storybook tale.

Iconic coach Carrie Prewitt started coaching at Middleburg in 1985 and built the Broncos into a perennial contender. Prewitt took Middleburg to the state semifinals for the first time in back-to-back trips in 1988-89. They played for championships in 2003-04 and went back to the final four several times. They, like so many other local teams, just never got over the hump.

Among area programs, Bishop Kenny and Ponte Vedra stand alone at the top. They have combined for six of the area’s 12 state championships.

Area FHSAA volleyball state champs

Prewitt retired as one of the winningest coaches in state history and Middleburg turned things over to former assistant Meredith Forkum. Rahn said that the transition was smooth between her junior and senior seasons because little changed in the crossover.

“I think we just had a really awesome culture and our school, like all the fans that came out, we had so many people that cared about us, and we’re always pushing us and that knew we could do great things,” Rahn said. “And our whole team loved each other never let anything get in the way of what we knew was the goal.”

The bigger reason for the success was a familiarity and trust among players. Rahn said that Middleburg players have largely grown up and competed with each other since elementary and middle school.

“We’ve played together for a long time and we don’t really have to talk about what’s going on, where we kind of just know each other going to do and that’s something really special to me that I don’t have on my club team.”

All-News4JAX volleyball first team

Position, Player, School, Class, Notable

S Emily Collings, Providence, Sr.

Jacksonville University signee was area’s top setter, dishing out 638 assists for the Stallions. Tied career high in aces (43) and had career-best in digs (239). Club player with Powers Volleyball.

OH Brooke Forkum, Middleburg, Jr.

Honorable mention All-News4JAX selection last year. Breakout season included 373 kills, 291 digs, 58 aces and 24 blocks as Broncos went 27-5 and won the Class 5A state title. Plays club with Jacksonville Skyline.

OH/DS Amaria King, Trinity Christian, Jr.

Three-time All-News4JAX selection and Marquette University commit has been heavily contributing since seventh grade. Career year as she posted career highs in kills (492), aces (47) and blocks (41). Kill percentage nearly 50% (48.4). Had 261 digs as Conquerors reached the Class 3A state semifinals. Should surpass 2,000 career kills early in her final season. Plays club with Jacksonville Skyline.

OH Connor Rahn, Middleburg, Sr.

All-News4JAX player of the year. Two-time All-News4JAX selection. Had 425 kills, 304 digs, 61 aces and 35 blocks as Broncos won their first state championship. Heavy hitter on the outside with good size (6-2). Signed with University of Tampa. Class 5A player of the year finished third in balloting for Miss Volleyball. Played club at OTVA Volleyball.

MB Haley Robinson, Ridgeview, Sr.

Two-time All-News4JAX selection. Ridiculous hitting (.696) and kill percentage (75.9) for the 6-2 player. Had 136 blocks and 27 aces for Panthers team that reached the regional final before losing to eventual state champ Middleburg. Had 866 career kills on 1,269 chances (.623). Signed with Wright State University. Plays club at OTVA.

OH Claudia Stockard, Bishop Kenny, Sr.

Led tradition-rich Crusaders with 269 kills. Added 331 digs, 38 blocks, 27 aces for 23-8 Kenny. Signed with University of Alabama-Birmingham. Club player at Jacksonville Skyline.

MB Chelsea Sutton, Ponte Vedra, Sr.

Best season of her career with 288 kills on 565 attempts and had a kill percentage of 51%. The 6-4 player was a wall at the net with 120 blocks for Class 6A regional finalist. Signed and enrolled early at the University of Tennessee. Played club at OTVA Volleyball.

L Mallory Swain, Bishop Kenny, Sr.

A defensive stalwart for the Crusaders. She had 543 digs — a number that led the area and ranked sixth in the state — and was third on the team with 366 receptions in the serve-receive game. Added 24 aces. Signed with Belmont Abbey College.

Second team

Position, Player, School, Class, Notable

OH Ashlyn Anderson, Bolles, Sr.

Three-sport player is headed to Kennesaw State to play volleyball in college. The 6-3 left-hander racked up 273 kills (37.8 kill percentage), 74 digs, 40 blocks for 15-14 regional semifinalist Bulldogs. Plays club with Jacksonville Skyline.

S/RS Olivia Callipo, Middleburg, Jr.

Led the area in assists (785) and ranked No. 20 in the state with that total. Had 36 aces and 201 digs for Class 5A 27-5 state champion Broncos. Has 1,097 assists in two seasons. Plays club with JJVA.

OH Rauly Eason, Fleming Island, Sr.

Had career-best season in kills (258), kill percentage (53.6), digs (75), aces (25) and total blocks (100). Had 714 career kills as a four-year starter for 19-7 Golden Eagles. Has signed with Harding University. Plays club with OTVA.

OH/RS Nadia Ewton, Fletcher, Sr.

Two-time all-Gateway selection had 758 kills in her career, with 340 coming in her final season. Had 77 aces, 68 blocks, 276 digs and was the top player in the serve-receive game. Plays club for JJVA.

OH Adriana Jeanpierre, Beachside, So.

Team-best 331 kills for second-year program. Excels on defense and serve-receive game, too. Had 231 digs, 56 aces for a program that is 37-12 in its first two seasons. Plays club for OTVA.

DS/L Aubri Martin, Clay, Sr.

She was the bright spot in a challenging season for the Blue Devils. Four-year player had 425 digs, 38 assists, both numbers that led the team. Finished career with 1,608 digs. Signed with Mercer University. Played club with OTVA.

S Ariel Ross, Trinity Christian, Jr.

Made the Conquerors go on offense. Dished out career-high 530 assists. Added 161 digs, 21 aces for 25-4 Trinity. Plays club with Jacksonville Skyline.

L Taylor Teaman, Trinity Christian, Sr.

Second-team selection last year. Led Conquerors with 399 digs en route to the Class 3A state semifinals and No. 1 ranking in the Super 6 most of the season. Has signed with University of West Florida. Plays club with Jacksonville Skyline.

Honorable mention

Position, Player, School, Class

OH Elina Adhikari, Harvest Community, So.

L Pria Adhikari, Harvest Community, So.

MB Kathryn Almond, Episcopal, Sr.

S Gracie Arnett, Bolles, Sr.

S Lizzy Austin, Bishop Kenny, Sr.

L DD Banton, St. Augustine, Jr.

RS Megan Barton, Baker County, Sr.

MB/RS Julianna Baskin, Providence, So.

S/DS Mariah Bostic-Jones, Ridgeview, Sr.

L Jada-Eve Claiborne, First Coast, Jr.

OH Katie Cole, Ridgeview, Jr.

OH Emma Cook, Yulee, Sr.

MB Hadley Dantzler, St. Johns Country Day, Jr.

DS Lilly DeLamielleure, Bartram Trail, Sr.

S Erica Duffy, Beachside, So.

S Mylie Fernandez, Columbia, So.

OH/DS Danielle Gammon, Stanton, Sr.

S Bella Gomez, St. Johns Country Day, Jr.

OH Grace Gottberg, Baldwin, Fr.

OH Avery Haney, Trinity Christian, Sr.

MB Natalie Harvey, Bishop Snyder, Jr.

OH Delaney Hayman, Wolfson, Sr.

OH Nova Hewlett, Nease, Fr.

RS/OH Savannah Jackson, Fleming Island, Jr.

S Abby Johnson, Bartram Trail, Jr.

S Faith Kennedy, Bishop Snyder, Jr.

OH Tamia Fripp, Oakleaf, Sr.

OH/RS Ava Grall, Ponte Vedra, Sr.

S Cat Haen, Bishop Kenny, Sr.

OH Avery Haney, Trinity Christian, Sr.

L Addison Hilton, Fletcher, Jr

OH Kyla Hollis, Mandarin, Fr.

S Lindsay Hopkins, Creekside, Jr.

OH Julia Howard, Christ’s Church, So.

OH Katie Issendorf, Fletcher, Jr.

S Sydney Kambach, Christ’s Church, Sr.

S Leah Kasper, Yulee, Sr.

OH Chloe Kaszubinski, Yulee, Sr.

DS Penelope Kavalieros, Bolles, Jr.

OH Laney Lipovetsky, Beachside, Sr.

L Sydney Little, Ridgeview, Sr.

OH Isabella Lopez, Providence, So.

L Rylan Miller, Matanzas, So.

MB Abby Minor, Bartram Trail, Sr.

RS Paola S. Avilés Morales, Mandarin, Sr.

OH Nadia Mortensen, Christ’s Church, Sr.

S Ryan Murphy, Ponte Vedra, Jr.

OH Kiali Olivier, Menendez, Sr.

L/DS Morgan Padgett, Middleburg, Jr.

S Keely Pou, Fletcher, So.

OH Lily Puritis, Flagler Palm Coast, Sr.

OH/S Camden Rahn, Middleburg, So.

L Lacey Reed, Episcopal, Fr.

S Hailey Revak, Orange Park, Sr.

S Jiyanna Rivera, Oakleaf, So.

OH/DS Samantha Rupert, Fleming Island, Sr.

MB Olivia Ryno, Bishop Kenny, Jr.

OH/DS Victoria Rushing, Fernandina Beach, Jr.

OH Ryanne Robinson, Orange Park, Jr.

MB Vivian Scuteri, Creekside, Jr.

RS/MB Jailyn Simmons, Union County, So.

OH Rachel Smith, Suwannee, Sr.

MB Lainie Stapleton, Beachside, Sr.

S Grace Taylor, Matanzas, Fr.

DS Avery Webb, Ponte Vedra, So.

S Hazel Williams, Fleming Island, So.

S Paige Wind, Mandarin, Jr.

OH/MB Sinei Wood, Columbia, So.