Three local high school volleyball players were named to the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League First Team, the coaches from the eight-team league announced on Tuesday.

St. Francis High senior setter Audrey Ryan and Aptos High’s duo of junior outside hitter Jillian Rodriguez and freshman libero Peyton Dueck made the cut for the league’s seven-player team, which also featured Santa Cruz High junior setter Kianna Lee, Harbor High sophomore middle blocker Kylie Clouse, San Lorenzo Valley High junior middle blocker Audrey Bingham and sophomore outside hitter Samantha Strah.

Ryan was one of the Sharks’ two senior captains and the four-year varsity starter was never better than this season. According to the stats kept on MaxPreps.com, her 455 assists were 24th best among players in the Central Coast Section and her eight assists per set were tied for 10th. She also paced the team in aces (73) and was third in digs (75).

With Ryan leading the way, St. Francis finished with a 19-11 overall record — the second most wins in a single season in program history — and tied for fourth in the SCCAL with Mt. Madonna.

The Sharks also qualified for the CCS playoffs for the third straight season and advanced to the section semifinals for the first time since 2009.

Rodriguez and Dueck, meanwhile, were two of several standouts for the Mariners, who this season finished with a 14-8 overall record, won their fifth straight SCCAL championship and advanced to a CCS Division III championship game for the second consecutive season.

Rodriguez paced the team in kills (235), aces (40) and was third in digs (166).

Her 3.4 kills per set were also tied for 29th in the CCS.

Dueck was a defensive stalwart in her first season with Aptos, leading the Mariners in digs (269) and ranking in the top 50 among players in the CCS in digs per set (3.9).

Soquel senior outside hitter Maggie Walters was named the league’s Most Valuable Player a year after earning Player of the Year honors.

Walters and the Knights finished second in the SCCAL standings but won the program’s second-ever CCS championship with a victory over Aptos for the D-III title.

Headed to UCLA to play beach volleyball, Walters ranked among the top 11 in the CCS in kills (364, 8th), digs (388, 11th) and digs per set (5.8) this season.

Harbor senior setter Pearl Biddle earned the league Most Outstanding Player honor after helping the Pirates to a share of the SCCAL title.

Harbor head coach Matt Schutz was also honored with the Coach of the Year award.

Mt. Madonna senior setter Indigo Kelly and sophomore outside hitter Paola Jacobs, Aptos senior middle blocker Braelynn Westjohn and St. Francis outside hitter Emma Ryan all made the SCCAL Second Team.

Kelly and Jacobs not only helped the Hawks finish tied for fourth in the SCCAL but also advance to CCS and California Interscholastic Federation Northern California championship games.

Six local players received honorable mention: sophomore Cameron Dueck (Aptos), senior Madelin Smith (Aptos), sophomore AnMei Dasbach-Prisk (Mt. Madonna), junior Mara Peruzzi (Mt. Madonna), senior Samantha Bellucci (St. Francis) and junior Kathleen Tripp (St. Francis).

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