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Spartans volleyball third in 1A conference

Spartan Evelyn Acosta battles Viking Rheanon Koss at the net in an earlier season game.
Photo by Wendy Howell.

Spartan Evelyn Acosta battles Viking Rheanon Koss at the net in an earlier season game.

ASH FORK, Ariz. – The Ash Fork Lady Spartans are heading into the final stretch of the 2016-2017 season with a 12-1 region record and are ranked third in the 1A conference.

The Spartans are led by seniors Alondra Mendez, Lauren Hume, Michelle Modesitt and Brittney Nixon. Modesitt leads the Spartans with 157 kills followed closely by Karen Canela at 155. Canela leads the 1A Conference with a .329 hitting percentage. She is second in the conference with 288 digs.

The team is in their second season behind the coaching of Connie Stevens. Stevens led the team to the state playoffs in the 2015-2016 season with a 9-1 record and ranked 11th in the state.

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Lauren Hume digs the ball in an early season game with Williams.

Stevens grew up in Williams and is a second generation Williams High School graduate. Her father worked for El Paso Natural Gas and Stevens was star athlete at the high school. She went on to Northern Arizona University (NAU) on a volleyball and basketball scholarship, playing one year of volleyball for NAU and four years of basketball.

She studied physical education at NAU and came back to Williams and Ash Fork as a PE teacher. Stevens retired to be with her husband but recently returned to teaching as the Fit Kids coordinator at Williams Elementary-Middle School. She enjoys teaching fitness, but coaching is where her heart is.

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Evelyn Acosta gets ready to serve the ball during the Oct. 18 game with Williams.

“It’s what I love to do,” she said.

Stevens has coached volleyball, softball and basketball for boys and girls at Maine Consolidated School, Ash Fork schools and the Williams schools over the past 20 years.

When an opening for a volleyball coach came open in Ash Fork recently, Stevens jumped at the chance to get back into coaching.

“It’s not about Ash Fork beating Williams or Williams beating Ash Fork,” Stevens said. “It’s about working with kids and seeing good volleyball.”

Stevens has recently been coaching a club volleyball team for girls in Williams and Ash Fork. She has club players on both high school teams.

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The Lady Spartans celebrate their win at the 2016 Ash Fork tournament.

“I love to see my Williams girls do well,” Stevens said. “It makes me feel good.”

Stevens hopes to expand the club team to a 12 and under group and a 16 and under group. She believes the club program will benefit both Williams and Ash Fork high school programs.

“It hurts me sometimes when it comes to high school season,” she jokes. “But that’s ok because it’s all about the girls.”


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