Sophie Hoekstra
Severna Park, hitter, senior
If you watched the top-ranked Falcons play, you likely had no trouble picking Hoekstra out of the crowd. She was the clear leader of the area's best team.
Leadership comes naturally to Hoekstra, who was class president at Severna Park last year and this year.
"We don't elect captains, but we didn't have to with Sophie," Falcons coach Tim Dunbar said. "She was a natural leader from day one, and was always the calming influence when things would go wrong. She led by example, on and off the court."
Hoekstra made The Baltimore Sun's All-Metro team all three years she played on varsity. She was a second-teamer in 2012 and made the first team last season.
This year, Hoekstra posted her best season, leading the Falcons to the Class 4A state title. Befitting her reputation as a great all-around player, she recorded 246 kills, 33 blocks and 137 digs. She also contributed 39 aces.
In the Falcons' biggest match of the season, against Montgomery County's Sherwood in the state semifinals, she had 16 kills, eight digs, three blocks and three aces. Her three-year varsity statistics include 485 kills, 77 blocks, 363 digs and 114 aces.
Hoekstra will attend Bryant on scholarship next season and will play volleyball.