Huntsman does it all for Bonanza
Bonanza girls volleyball coach Dan Savage has had several players go on to play college ball in his four seasons at the school.
There was 6-foot middle blocker Bree Hammel, who’s now a first-team all-conference performer at UNLV.
There was 6-3 Sophie Cram, a former Gatorade Player of the Year candidate and current freshman at Brigham Young.
And there was also Lauren Karn and Jessica Wilcox — who both went to the College of Eastern Utah — and Vasati Fiatoa (Metro State).
But none of those players has come close to making a larger impact on the Bengals program than current four-year starter and three-time captain Hayley Huntsman.
“You only get a few of these players in a coaching career,” Savage said. “And as I start to wind my career down, it’s a good thing to have her out there. I appreciate it a ton because it definitely takes a weight off me. It’s having an extension on the court.”
Huntsman, a 5-9 setter, is a big reason Bonanza has been one of the top local teams the past four years and has stayed competitive this season in a tough Northwest League.
The Bengals (19-8, 4-2) were expected to have a massive dropoff this season after losing Cram and Claire Goodsell, two first-team all-league outside hitters.
But Huntsman made sure that didn’t happen.
“People would always say, ‘Your season is going to go downhill. You’re going to have a really bad senior year.’ And I was kind of bumming about that,” she said. “I love my team, and we’ve improved so much. We’re conquering things I didn’t think we were going to conquer. I wouldn’t trade them for anything.”
Huntsman has made the transition easier for everyone by altering her game to suit the team. Primarily a passer the past few years, she has become one of Southern Nevada’s top hitters and accounts for a large chunk of the Bengals’ offense.
She rarely will leave the floor during matches and is a constant threat to make plays from any position.
“She is by far, far and away, the best all-around volleyball player in this city. Hands down,” Savage said. “I’m not just saying that. You can look at the numbers. Is she the best hitter in the city? No. Is she the best setter? Debatable. Is she the best digger? No. Best blocker? Best server? She’s top five in almost every category. So does that make her the best player? In my book, it does.”
Huntsman, who holds the NIAA record for career aces, is also the school’s career leader in assists.
This season, she leads the team in every statistical category (assists, kills, aces, blocks and digs) and has posted a .488 hitting percentage. But far more important than any stat is her ability to get the best out of her teammates.
“There’s no one girl that can fill her spot. It would take two to three subs,” Savage said. “I liken it to basketball. It’s like having your center bring the ball up the court and pass it off and then get it back on the wing and shoot a 3-pointer. She can do everything on the volleyball court. If she could pass to herself, set to herself and hit, we’d probably be undefeated.”
Huntsman doesn’t like to take the recognition, though. She said none of her individual success would be possible without her teammates.
Huntsman, who is receiving interest from Holy Cross, Idaho State, San Francisco, Southern Utah and UNLV, credits her former teammates for making her a better player, including Hammel and Cram.
“It was an honor (to play with them),” Huntsman said. They were so kind to me, even when I was little and I was learning. They pushed me to do my best and improve. It helped me a lot, too. To be able to play with those high-level players, it was a compliment to me that they would want to play with me.”
— Contact reporter Ashton Ferguson at aferguson@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0430. Follow him on Twitter: @af_ferguson.