The Forest Lake 16-1 Junior Olympic volleyball team earned a second place finish in the annual Presidents Day Festival hosted by North Country Region USA Volleyball which was held on Feb. 14-15. The festival draws hundreds of teams from all over the Midwest. Two rounds of four team pool play lead to each eight team bracket single elimination playoff. The beginning rounds of pool play were a struggle for the Lakes 16s team due to high-level competition and a slow start. Through perseverance and determination the team turned things around midway through the second round of pool play with a match win in three games against Tri-City Juniors.
The next match was a hard fought loss to a very solid Mankato Jrs team. It took match wins against a higher seeded Granite City team and the Panthers to make it to the championship round of the bracket.
The final match against Impact 16s was a real battle. With the team running on empty, and nearing 8:00 p.m. Sunday night, the final whistle blew. The third game was a 14-16 loss. Special Mention team honors for the tournament go to Libero Angie McKinnon and setter Maddie Kohs.
The balance of the team roster includes middle hitters Kelly Bohnen, Desiree Nelson, outside hitters Kayla Haines, Jessica Jensen, Alexis Morris, Ashley Paul, Courtney Trenti, Tasha Truskolaski, and coaches Terry Johnson and Katie Larson.
The second place finish in the Sturgeon Bracket placed them near the middle of the pack overall in the tournament. The team has bumps, bruises, and a medal to show for their efforts and is looking forward to the next big regional tournament at the University of Northern Iowa in March. The team is sponsored by Todd Kohs Realty.
Top of Page
