Not every high school career culminates with an opportunity to win a state title, but Micaela Parker’s did.
The senior hitter-blocker, who first began playing volleyball in her freshman year, helped the Marysville-Pilchuck Tomahawks place second in last month’s Class 4A state tournament. For her efforts, Parker has been selected The Herald’s 2003 all-area volleyball player of the year.
"I don’t think, physically, you could ask for more," M-P coach Shelly Johnson said of Parker, who will play next year at the University of Montana. "Some of the things she is capable of doing make you shake your head.
"She has a lot of power. She’s not the biggest, but she makes up for it with her jump. She’s very strong. She’s capable of doing anything she wants to do, physically."
The change to rally scoring this season gave Parker more opportunities to do what she does best — hit.
"Rally scoring was great for her," Johnson said. "Her jump serve is very effective and with her being a power hitter, she got a lot of kills. She got us a lot of points."
Despite being a novice, Parker started for the M-P varsity as a freshman. She was the first freshman to letter in Johnson’s 18 years at M-P.
"I’d always played a bunch of sports," Parker said. "Volleyball was not my favorite until my freshman year. I had an awesome coach and an amazing time. I loved all the information."
Although she was raw, she was an obvious talent.
"She needed experience," Johnson said. "She didn’t have the confidence she has now, but she was definitely a contributor."
Opponents were often heard to say, "She’s a freshman?"
"She stood out even then," Johnson said.
After her freshman season, Parker joined the Washington Volleyball Academy.
"Playing club helped her defense," Johnson said. "She learned to use her offensive skills out of the back row."
Over the course of her club and high school careers, Parker learned she didn’t have to pound the ball every time.
"If she didn’t have the greatest set or the timing was off, she’d hit a chip shot or tip. She became a lot smarter," Johnson said.
After the Tomahawks placed seventh at state her junior season, Parker expected better results her senior year. But the season wasn’t without a few road bumps — like a Western Conference North loss to Snohomish that cost the Tomahawks the league championship.
"That was a setback," Parker said. "But in the long run, it made us stronger. It made us realize we had to be 110 percent mentally in the game. We learned from our mistakes."
And that paid off in the district and state tournaments.
"We expected to get to the championship game," said Parker, whose team lost to top-ranked Mead in the title contest, "and we got there. I was very thrilled how the season went. I knew we could get that far and we proved it, too."
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