By The Chronicle staff
Two years ago, Karsyn Freeman and the Adna Pirates were having success separately.
Freeman, then with Raymond, earned first-team All-P2BL honors as a sophomore while …
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Two years ago, Karsyn Freeman and the Adna Pirates were having success separately.
Freeman, then with Raymond, earned first-team All-P2BL honors as a sophomore while leading the Seagulls to a 17-6 season. The Pirates finished third in districts, and later went on to finish fifth at the state tournament.
In order to get to the district tournament third-place game, Adna defeated Freeman and the Seagulls.
“Watching them over the years and everything, I think that I definitely could have made a difference,” Freeman said.
When Freeman moved to Adna and had the chance to join the Pirates for the final two years of her high school career?
“I was very excited,” Freeman said with a wide smile.
Freeman has helped Adna become consistent state title contenders. Last season, the Pirates went undefeated through the regular season and districts before taking fifth again at state.
This fall, the Pirates again were perfect in the regular season, repeated as district champions, and made it all the way to the state title game before falling to Manson, which won its second straight title.
Freeman led the way with 565 kills, 347 digs, 107 aces, and 15 blocks. Her performance not only won her the C2BL MVP award — Adna’s second straight C2BL MVP (Kendall Humphrey, 2023) — but it also earned her a spot on the Washington State Volleyball Coaches Association (WSVCA) All-State First-Team.
Over the last two years, Freeman has become a key part of Adna’s senior core, a group that had four All-State and All-Area honorees. Adna coach Wendie Dotson, who’s led the Pirates for four decades, said this senior group was “the best group” she’s had.
“I’m very proud,” Freeman said. “We’ve put in so much work. We told each other that we’re gonna come back and do everything we can.”
“The chemistry that we have out of sports, just the whole friend group, it’s helped a lot,” she added. “Just being around them at all the state tournaments and everything has been a lot of fun. I love everything that we do together.”
This senior group isn’t done. Many of them also play basketball, where Freeman earned league MVP honors last winter while leading the Pirates to a fifth-place finish. So far this season, the Pirates are off to a 5-1 start.
Freeman, who is also a back-to-back discus champion in track, is looking to play either track or basketball at the next level. Her exact path is to be determined, but what she does know is that she’ll look back on her volleyball career fondly.
“I’m gonna miss it,” Freeman said. “That’s for sure.”
The Chronicle’s 2024 All-Area Volleyball Team
HITTERS
Kendall Humphrey, Adna
Another part of Adna’s senior class, Humphrey followed up an MVP campaign with 364 kills, 285 digs, 65 blocks, and 48 aces to earn a spot on the WSVCA All-State Second-Team.
Danika Hallom, Adna
Hallom was another one of the Pirates’ jack of all trades, as the senior tallied 328 digs, 320 kills, 54 aces, 51 aces, and 24 blocks to earn a WSVCA Honorable Mention.
Emalie Jacoby, Onalaska
Jacoby followed up a stellar freshman campaign with an equally impressive sophomore season, logging 469 digs, 409 kills, and 65 aces while serving 93 percent from the line to lead the Loggers to within a game of the state tournament.
Karli Phelps, Pe Ell
Phelps recorded 130 digs, 107 kills, 59 aces, and 42 assists to help lead the Trojans to the 1B State Tournament for the first time since 2012.
Allyson Ooms, Rainier
Ooms helped the Mountaineers earn a second-straight top-five finish at state, finishing the season with 282 digs, 231 kills, 28 aces, and 19 blocks.
SETTERS
Gaby Guard, Adna
Adna’s other first-team All-state honoree, Guard racked up 1,095 assists, 277 digs, 48 aces, and 30 blocks to earn first-team All-C2BL honors.
Erin Cournyer, Mossyrock
The Mossyrock senior logged 708 assists, 215 digs, 130 kills, and 42 aces while serving 96 percent from the line to earn first-team All-C2BL honors, and she was also named as a WSVCA Honorable Mention.
McKenna Smith, Centralia
Centralia’s lone first-team all-league player, Smith led the Tigers with 285 assists, 228 digs, 123 kills, 54 aces, and 33 blocks.
Brookelynn King, Pe Ell
King logged 195 assists and 93 aces en route to being named the 1B Columbia Valley Co-MVP.
Kate Burkhardt, Tenino
Burkhardt helped the Beavers reach the district tournament, tallying 251 assists, 235 digs, 52 aces, and 24 blocks.
LIBEROS
Taylor Schwartz, Mossyrock
Another WSVCA All-State Honorable Mention, Schwartz tallied 536 digs as Mossyrock’s libero, helping the Vikings get to the 2B State Tournament.
Emily Kang, Napavine
One of the best defenders in the area, Kang recorded over 1,000 total digs (632 serve-receive digs and 414 digs) while also serving at a 96.9 percent clip.
Lalie Betschart, Tumwater
Betschart tallied over 700 total digs (387 serve-receive digs, 344 digs), to help the T-Birds return to the state tournament and earn a spot on the WSVCA’s All-State Second-Team.