The defending state champion Tumwater volleyball team is off to another hot start at 9-0 in full length games and 3-0 in the 2A Evergreen Conference and Maddy Pilon’s all around presence on the floor for the T-Birds has earned her the trust of her coach and teammates and now the OlySports.com and TAGS Awards & Specialties Premier Player Award.

Pilon racked up 23 assists in the state championship game against North Kitsap as a sophomore and has continued her phenomenal play this season. She has 108 assists through the first three 2A EvCo matches over the past two weeks including 36 assists in a three set sweep of Black Hills on Tuesday night.

“They rely on me to lead them, to be a playmaker,” said the now junior Pilon. “My job is to put up a good ball, to better them.”

But it’s not just setting the ball for Pilon. She also is often second on the team in multiple other categories only behind the one player whose job it is to rack up those stats, as was the case this past weekend at the Capitol City Invitational where she was second on the team in blocks, second in digs and second in service aces and joined teammate Kennedy Croft on the all-tournament team.

“She’s an all around great player,” praises Tumwater head coach Tana Otton. “Sometimes in a setter, you don’t get that. But she’s a phenomenal blocker, she’s a great defensive player, she’s a great server.”

The setter on a volleyball team isn’t often in the limelight and sometimes goes unnoticed, but that doesn’t faze Pilon, who does the work to set up Croft and her other teammates for the kill.

“It’s fun to give others the credit and not have it all about me.”

Sorry Maddy, but the Premier Player Award this week is all about you, and it is well deserved.

Pilon and the T-Birds take a week off from league play before resuming their quest for the 2A EvCo title, a return to the state tournament and another state title. They have already proven themselves capable by knocking off the two top teams in the 4A SPSL and historic powerhouses, Curtis and Emerald Ridge, and came up just short of tournament wins at the Kent Classic and the Capitol City Invite.

And tonight (Thursday, October 15th), they get another test when they face another undefeated team in Columbia River at 7:00 PM at Tumwater High School.

Previous Premier Player Award Winners:
Scott Gunther – Olympia High School
Maddy Midstokke – Capital High School
Kobe Key – River Ridge High School

*** About the OlySports.com and TAGS Awards & Specialties Premier Player award: The Premier Player award will be handed out every week (the male and female award will alternate weeks) to a Thurston County high school athlete. Brandon Sparks of OlySports.com will choose each award and all inquires can be directed to him at olysportsblog@gmail.com. Coaches can also email Brandon with nominations. The award winner will be chosen every Monday and awarded on Wednesday or Thursday throughout the school year.