Leah Hall was first-team in the Sandusky Bay Conference River Division for softball, second-team for basketball and led Gibsonburg volleyball in kills as a sophomore last season.
One of this year's stories in the Michael K. Bosi athlete of the year series, Hall must wait to build on her success. She tore her ACL at basketball camp the first week in June, with surgery set for July 23.
She was chasing the ball from behind on defense in transition, and her knee gave out when she started to slow to concede the fast-break bucket.
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Hall, team volleyball MVP, led the Golden Bears in serves received and was second in aces and digs despite not playing in the back row to start the season.
"Volleyball is my favorite," she said. "It makes me want to work harder. I put in the work during the summer; I was going to everything I could (open gym), I play club and I worked out on my own."
She started volleyball in the fourth grade. She plays club volleyball in the spring and has dreams of extending her career beyond high school.
She led the conference in offensive rebounds and was honorable mention Northwest District for basketball. The offense was deadly enough with one shot as Gibsonburg took a conference crown and advanced to a regional semifinal.
"When we beat Danbury the first time," Hall said of the team highlight. "Both teams were undefeated; you never know what will happen. The best part is how close a team gets when it's doing good; it should be close regardless, but when you're winning you get close."
Hall closed the book on a district final victory over Toledo Christian.
"I'm not a very good foul shooter; I made both shots at the end of the game," she said.
She had nine home runs and seven doubles with an .811 slugging percentage to earn second-team all-district for softball. She batted .432 and drove in 26 runs.
"When we beat New Riegel the second time," she said. "They were on a roll, and we came out and beat them with a walk-off."
She hit her first home run against Hopewell-Loudon.
"Last year (freshman), I didn't have a good hitting season," she said. "That was me at the beginning of the season, I didn't know what I was capable of. That home run gave me a lot of confidence in myself."
She exceeded her own expectations in the big picture last year.
"I go in there trying my best and putting my all in," she said. "I'm proud of myself; my freshman year, I struggled. I grew up a little. I understand better, and something clicked."
She started softball in Mini Mitts and basketball in kindergarten in Gibsonburg. She's not accustomed to not being active, let alone for at least nine months.
"The biggest challenge is going to be always watching," she said. "I won't play for nine months. That's difficult; it's my life. I've always played some sport somewhere, so watching from the sideline with be the most difficult part."
She grew up as an athlete last season. She'll return as a senior — or as soon as she can — with a new outlook.
"I might pick up a new perspective. You see a lot more off the court and the field," she said. "I want to have a positive outlook and body language. I'm going to do everything the doctors tell me and not rush; I don't want to reinjure myself.
"My friends and family are really important to me. They push me to be the best person I can be, and they look forward to the good things."
Such as kills, home runs, rebounds and wins, following rehab.
mhorn@gannett.com
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