Prep Athlete of the Week: Addy McKarcher

With their backs against the wall in district tournament volleyball play late last month, the Lewiston Bengals kept their season going with hard-fought victories over Moscow and Lakeland of Rathdrum.

At the forefront of those efforts was senior outside hitter Addy McKarcher, who amassed 23 kills, seven digs and two blocks to power the Bengals past the Bears on Oct. 22, then followed up with a 33-kill, four-block day against the Hawks on Oct. 24. McKarcher’s heroics did not go unnoticed, for the Tribune readership proceeded to vote her Prep Athlete of the Week.

Coach Halle White called McKarcher “by far our most versatile offensive weapon,” as demonstrated by her efforts during the team’s district title round doubleheader against Lakeland of Rathdrum in which she “played both outside hitter and middle blocker during the course of the matches, all while being a six-rotation player.”

McKarcher called the victory against Lakeland, which avenged multiple defeats, her “peak performance throughout the season.” She was particularly motivated by her sense of kinship with the rest of her class, being part of a group of seven seniors who had been playing together since they were in fourth-grade club volleyball.

“Addy is an absolute joy to interact with,” White said. “She is receptive to coaching and has developed into an incredible captain that her teammates respect and want to follow.”

McKarcher also competes as a center for the Lewiston girls basketball team. She aspires to continue her volleyball career at the collegiate level while majoring in psychology.