Qctimes

ILLINOIS PREP GIRLS VOLLEYBALL: Rock Island seniors have one last hurrah

R.Green3 months ago

Monday night was the One Shining Moment for 21 of the Quad Cities’ best girls’ volleyball seniors at the Iowa vs. Illinois All-Star Game.

“This is a great opportunity for the players that worked really hard on and off the court and just to be able to be recognized as some of the top athletes on the Illinois and Iowa sides is huge,” said first-year Rock Island coach Alaxandria Battin said.

Battin’s Rocks (15-19, 9-5 in Western Big 6) were represented by seniors Addie Bomelyn and libero Amanda Mumma.

“I am very happy that they were chosen to play,” Battin said. “Addie Bomelyn was a huge outside hitter for us. She had over 200 kills for the season. And then, Amanda Mumma – she’s a great libero. She covers the defense all over the back row, and she hustled to every ball. To see those two be able to represent Rock Island is awesome.”

The two senior teammates appreciated being able to play together one last time.

“It means a lot to me to play in this game,” Bomelyn said. “It’s kind of a way for me to follow in my friends’ footsteps and it’s a big honor.”

“It’s very exciting because I know that I will have a lot of support that has helped me get to where I am to be able to play in this game,” Mumma said. “It’s very exciting to have this competition and be able to play for my school one last time.”

Bomelyn reached a milestone earlier this season, eclipsing 500 kills in four seasons under two head coaches in her time at Rock Island.

“Reaching that goal was a really big honor,” Bomelyn said. “I have played varsity since my freshman year. So it was a goal I had set in the beginning, but reaching that goal was really nice.”

Coach Battlin loved Mumma’s defensive tenacity in the one season she coached her libero.

“Amanda is a player who is just very determined and is super loud on the court, yet very focused,” Battin said. “She reads the ball really well.”

The senior Rock Island duo are good friends and have been participating in volleyball matches since they were kids.

“We grew up playing together in elementary school as part of the Rock Island Destroyers,” Bomelyn said. “We have been playing together since third grade.”

Mumma appreciates the competitive nature of Bomelyn, and how they are a yin and yang for each other.

“She definitely pushes me for her being on offense and me being on defense,” Mumma said. “We are able to work on that with each other. She has always been that confident leader. She has worked hard, and I am proud to see her play at the next level.”

Bomelyn will be attending the University of Illinois-Springfield in the fall of 2024.

“I actually have two friends that committed there and that they attend right now,” Bomelyn said. “I really liked the campus and the coach and the volleyball team gave off a really good vibe. It just felt like a good fit for me.”

Mumma is currently undecided about her collegiate future, but is weighing her options among several junior college schools.

“I have talked to Heartland and Illinois Central College — I have been looking at them mainly. I have also talked to Black Hawk College,” she said. “I am going to try to go to JUCO and maybe even a four-year college, and then I will hit the transfer portal so I can keep going and get to the highest level I can be.”

Coach Battin acknowledged that Monday night’s All-Star game is a fantastic event to display the best volleyball players in the region.

“The All Star game is just a great opportunity in the Quad Cities to showcase both (Iowa and Illinois) athletes, because not everybody gets to play (each other),” Battin said. “Not a lot of Iowa schools play Illinois schools. To showcase some of our top athletes in the Quad Cities and get them together and have then play against each other, I think it’s a really fun opportunity.”

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