Michaela Putnicki has earned many awards and accolades during her three years as a Lewis-Palmer volleyball player, but she experienced something she’ll never forget Saturday at the Denver Coliseum.

She and her Rangers teammates celebrated perhaps the greatest volleyball season in state history, earning the 4A championship with a dominant performance.

For Michaela, a senior, and her sister, Riley, a sophomore, sharing a title was special.

“It was an unreal moment, and it’s hard to describe what that meant,” Michaela said. “It feels great to be able to win a title with my whole team, especially my sister. We’re so close, and it was a very happy moment for us both.”

Led by Putnicki and her two fellow seniors, Elizabeth Reich and Lydia Bartalo – who also shared the title with her younger sister, Gianna – Lewis-Palmer took all the drama out of the 4A state bracket.

After defeating Windsor 3-1 in the first match of pool play, the Rangers crushed Berthoud, Pueblo West and Holy Family in straight sets for their third title in the past four years.

“It didn’t feel like a weight was taken off our shoulders, but there was certainly a sense of relief that all the hard work had paid off,” said Putnicki, who tallied 44 kills, 37 digs and seven blocks in those matches. “Everything came together at the end, and we didn’t really have any weak moments.”

Lewis-Palmer had no weak moments throughout the 2016 season. It lost just four sets during its 29-0 rampage through Colorado, and finished as one of the top teams in the nation, according to MaxPreps.

Rangers coach Susan Odenbaugh says a large part of the team’s success was based on the leadership of the three seniors.

“It’s special to see the older players uphold the school’s legacy, and pass it along to their sisters,” Odenbaugh said. “There were a lot of tears from Riley when we were hoisting the state championship trophy, because she was so happy for what her sister had accomplished.”

Putnicki is a team-first player who leads by example. She was selected as a 2016 Under Armour All-American, the only volleyball player from Colorado to earn that honor.

She was able to juggle being an elite volleyball player and earning high grades in the classroom.

“Doing school work and playing volleyball at the same time takes a lot of focus,” Putnicki said. “It means going home after practice and doing my homework while other kids get to watch TV.”

Putnicki leaves Lewis-Palmer with two state titles, and tons of memories. She’ll focus on playing for the University of Virginia next season.

“Michaela can pass from the back row, has a really effective serve, and we could run a back-row attack with her,” Odenbaugh said. “She’s going to take those skills to Virginia, and she’s going to be an impact player as a freshman.”

While Putnicki is excited for the next chapter, she also is confident L-P will continue to win in the coming years.

“We’re leaving the program in good hands,” she said. “The three seniors were a big part of this team, but all the sophomores and juniors will be able to replace those positions, and they’ll have a great chance to win another trophy next year.”

Lewis-Palmer’s Michaela Putnicki is the Peak Performer this week. Lewis-Palmer won the 4A state championship this past weekend. Monday, November 14, 2016. photo by Jerilee Bennett,The Gazette

Jerilee Bennett, The Gazette