Share
Tanna Aljoe didn't want to hear what she was being told. After suffering the first injury of her volleyball career, she was going to miss at least the first two months of her senior season.
The Grapevine setter was blocking at the net during the championship match of the Grapevine Invitational when her right foot landed on an opposing player's foot under the net. She rolled her ankle and tore a ligament. It was an inauspicious beginning to Aljoe's senior season, which culminated with her garnering the District 6-5A MVP award, Star-Telegram Super Team Player of the Year honors and an upset over the No.1 team in the state.
FIRST TEAM
Tanna Aljoe, Grapevine, Sr., setter: The Star-Telegram Player of the Year and two-time District 6-5A MVP finished with 644 assists, 199 digs and 32 kills.
Briana Sharratt, Aledo, Jr., outside hitter: Dominant player at the net who led the Bearcats to the District 5-4A championship. She finished with 434 kills and 99 blocks.
Caitlin Nolan, Southlake Carroll, Sr., libero: The Iowa State commit is considered one of the best liberos in the state by many coaches with 558 digs and 72 aces.
Kaitlyn Granger, Arlington, Jr., outside hitter: Granger led the Colts to a perfect District 4-5A championship. She finished with 438 kills, 42 blocks and 41 aces.
Abby Van Houten, Trophy Club Nelson, Jr., setter: Van Houten led Nelson to the playoffs for the first time in school history with a monster season of 1184 assists, 152 kills, 195 digs, 78 aces and 58 blocks.
Paige Panfil, North Crowley, Sr., outside hitter: Panfil won District 4-5A Player of the Year by finishing with 561 kills and 466 digs.
SECOND TEAM
Ivy Baresh, Arlington Martin, Sr., outside hitter: The Texas A&M Corpus Christi commit is a two-time first team All-District 4-5A performer. She finished with 531 kills, 243 digs, 154 blocks and 63 aces.
Bailey Springer, All Saints, Sr., outside hitter: The Columbia University commit was an All-SPC selection for the Division I runner-up Saints. The outside hitter had 488 kills, 320 digs and 38 blocks.
Kimmy Gardiner, Colleyville Heritage, Jr., outside hitter: Gardiner led the Lady Panthers to a District 6-5A title, finishing with 391 kills and 321 digs.
Holly Milam, Burleson, Soph., middle hitter: Milam led the Elks to the playoffs and was awarded District 7-4A Hitter of the Year. She had 572 kills, 325 digs, 195 blocks, 73 aces.
Lili Campon, Fort Worth Christian, Sr., middle hitter: One of three Lady Cardinals to make all-state for the TAPPS 4A state champs. The middle hitter finished with 330 kills, 84 digs, 62 blocks and 38 assists.
Sarah Yeager, FW Arlington Heights, Jr., outside hitter: Yeager led the Yellow Jackets to the playoffs with 332 kills, 121 blocks and 56 aces.
"I was in shock and very upset because I didn't want to let my team down for so long," Aljoe said. "The injury messed things up and I was panicking. After awhile I looked at it as a time to take a break and realize what I really love doing is playing volleyball."
With a scholarship to San Diego State already in hand and her legacy as a top local volleyball player already etched in stone, she could have packed it in, made a tidy return possibly in the second round of district play and moved on to college. Instead, Aljoe exhausted every avenue of rehabilitation and recovery to return after missing just a month.
"She made sure she was very aggressive and disciplined in her rehab," Grapevine coach Diane Wilson said. "She would wake up early or stay up late and go down to the weight room for exercises in her training and rehab. She was able to come back and really show what a difference-maker she is."
Aljoe wore a cast for eight days but started massages and therapy every day soon after. She also learned a lot by sitting back and watching -- something she had never done before as a player always on the court. Aljoe was able to better see what her teammates' strengths and weaknesses were and how to get them the ball in more advantageous spots on the floor.
Yet she yearned to return to the court and did so despite being, by her estimation, at only 80 percent.
"I had to concentrate a lot more," Aljoe said. "I had to forget about it or else it would have just bothered me the whole time. So I moved on from it, I forgot about it and dealt with it after the games."
Statistically, 2011 was not Aljoe's best year because of the time missed. She finished with 644 assists, 199 digs and 32 kills, down from the previous season's stats of 1,129 assists and 68 kills. Still, she and the Lady Mustangs persevered, finishing second in District 6-5A with a 14-2 record to qualify for the playoffs.
All the injury struggles became secondary to Aljoe when Grapevine beat No. 1 Southlake Carroll in the playoffs before falling to Flower Mound Marcus in the next round.
Aljoe leaves as a four-year letterwinner, two-year captain, two-time District 6-5A MVP, two-time Star-Telegram super team member and 2011 Texas Girls Coaches Association Academic All-State performer.
"It's just been an honor to have her in the program and to get to work with someone of that caliber," Wilson said. "You don't always get to do that and she's always just been real coachable. Sometimes you get the rock stars and maybe they're not coachable. She's been a joy to coach. I'm not sad, I just want to see her go on and reach the goals that she's set for herself."
Jarret Johnson, 817-390-7760
We welcome your comments on this story, but please be civil. Do not use profanity, hate speech, threats, personal abuse, images, internet links or any device to draw undue attention. Comments deemed inappropriate will be removed and repeated abusers will be banned. NOTE: If you log in using your Twitter account, your comments will be signed using the name on your Twitter profile, NOT your Twitter user name. Read our full comment policy.
Live scores from a full slate of games, plus news and videos from our high school experts. Right on your phone.
Texas' best recruits include Aledo's record-setting running back and two former Cowboys' sons.
Story | List | Area top 40
