The Chronicle’s 2021-22 All-Area Volleyball Team

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Elite outside hitters are the bane of every opposing team. The spot is usually reserved for a squad’s most athletic, powerful and accurate hitters. They can be a nightmare for opposing blockers and a decoy used to allow their teammates to smash home kills on unsuspecting defenses. And in The Chronicle’s coverage area this year, none were more successful than Mossyrock junior Payton Torrey.

At a lithe 5-foot-9, Torrey certainly doesn’t look like an imposing striker at first glance. Off the court, she’s quiet, reserved, respectful and quick to push any praise on herself back to her teammates. On the court, she’s a terror for opponents.

Torrey doesn’t have the biggest hops or the most thunderous swing. Instead she uses a high volleyball IQ, a tenacious competitiveness and a knack for hitting between blockers’ outstretched hands.

She led the Vikings to an undefeated league record (12-0) en route to their third-straight district championship. 

The Vikings then swept three consecutive opponents at the state tournament before falling in five sets to Oakesdale in the 1B state title match. Torrey racked up an absurd 84 kills on a .390 hitting percentage to go with 39 digs at the state tourney.

But the Vikings were far from just the Payton Torrey Show. They were loaded at every position, with Hailey Brooks and Paige Houghtelling also adept hitters, Jolee Hadaller an imposing blocker, Abbie Lovan a formidable libero and Caelynn Marshall and Erin Cournyer setting up all the hitters with excellent sets.

“We were always happy for each other’s success,” Torrey said. “We were never jealous of each other. We wanted the best for each other and worked hard and pushed each other in practices. We just came together. Volleyball is a game of mistakes, so we knew everyone’s going to make mistakes and we shook it off and focused on the next point.”

Torrey would go on to earn the 1B Columbia Valley League MVP after leading The Chronicle’s entire coverage area with a ludicrous 336 kills on the season. She added 367 digs, 57 aces, 53 blocks and hit .327 while serving 95%.

She would often start the offense with an accurate pass in serve-receive, and later would end the offensive attack with a kill. And on defense, she regularly led the team in digs.

“Payton is already a great player, and what is so exciting for her coach is that she had another year to further-develop her game,” Mossyrock coach Alex Nelson said. “She is a joy to coach and I look forward to another season as competitive seniors always take their game to a new level.”

Everything listed above is why Torrey is The Chronicle’s 2021 Volleyball MVP.

“It feels very rewarding,” Torrey said. “I’ve put a lot of time into volleyball. I don’t know how to explain it. It’s just awesome.”

All-Area Team

Hailey Brooks, Jr. — Mossyrock

A versatile hitter for the Vikings, Brooks recorded a team-high 100 aces for the season with an 88% serving percentage to go along with 145 kills, 153 digs, and a first-team 1B Columbia Valley League honor. 

Madison Fay, Sr. — Adna

The senior helped lead the Pirates to their first state berth in seven years, earning a first-team all league honor with 160 kills, 59 aces, and three stuff blocks over the course of the season. 



Dakota Hamilton, So. — Onalaska

The sophomore setter dished out 315 assists, dug up 106 digs, and tacked on 64 kills and 11 block kills for good measure for the Loggers while also earning a first-team all league selection. 

Morgan Hamilton, Jr. — Onalaska

On the receiving end of a lot of sister Dakotah’s passes, Morgan recorded 228 kills, dug up 534 balls over the course of the season and served 93% from the service line to earn a first-team all league honor. 

Paige Houghtelling, Jr. — Mossyrock

The 1B Columbia Valley first-team all-league middle and outside hitter was a dominant force both inside and out for the Vikings. Houghtelling led Mossyrock with a .338 hitting percentage and accumulated 283 kills, 181 digs, and 28 aces over 24 games. 

Kendall Humphrey, Fr. — Adna

The Pirate freshman earned second-team all league honors to help pace Adna to a state berth and a fourth-place finish at districts, hitting for 168 kills, serving up 64 aces, and earning 33 stuff blocks. 

Keira O’Neill, So. — Napavine

The sophomore middle recorded 207 kills, 66 block kills, and dug up 51 digs to earn second-team all league honors and help the Tigers to a top half finish in the Central 2B. 

Morgan Rogerson, Jr. — W.F. West

The Bearcat junior finished in the top-four of most statistical categories on the team in a well-rounded season, with 86 kills, 30 aces on a 89% serving clip, and a team-high 89 serve receive digs for a total of 198 digs. 

Evie Rooklidge, Sr. — Centralia

Rooklidge was one of the top servers in all of Lewis County, with a 99% serving clip for the second straight season at the libero spot for the Tigers. The senior also averaged two aces and 23 digs per game to earn a first-team all league honor by season's end. 

Roisin Stull, Jr. — Rochester

Stull did most of her damage from the middle, hitting for 42 kills, blocking 42 attempts, and serving up 30 aces to go along with 100 digs for the season, earning honorable mention all league.