Laura Watson has had a storied high school career, to say the least.

In her four-year high school career, she has been a key player on two Tri-County Conference title softball teams at Holcomb, helped the volleyball team win a district title as a junior, and has been named the area's top volleyball player by this newspaper the last two years.

Now, Watson can add one more honor to her resume~ as she is the Daily Dunklin Democrat Female Athlete of the Year.

Like many standout athletes, Watson is quick to deflect credit for her success away from herself and give it to those around her.

"I'm just pretty lucky to be in a class of good athletic girls," said Watson. "That played a big part in our winning seasons."

However, Holcomb volleyball coach Gentry Vancil is generous in praise of Watson.

"She's probably the best athlete that I've coached and I've coached eight years," Vancil said. "When she is out there, she gives you all that she has She always gave everything she had every time she stepped on the floor. She never held back. ... She had that desire that she always wanted to win. She wanted to be good."

Holcomb softball coach Seth McBroom echoed Vancil's sentiments.

"She not only led by example but she led vocally as well," said McBroom. "She was a big reason my job was so easy."

Watson could make it look easy, that's for sure.

In the Class 1, District 1 volleyball championship game in the fall, Watson racked up seven of her 13 kills in the third set alone as Holcomb took top seed and host Gideon to the wire in what is arguably one of the best volleyball games in the history of Bootheel volleyball.

Despite coming up short at the end, Watson still considers the game her most memorable moment on the court.

"It was just a very intense, back-and-forth game that we should have won but... (still) it was the best game I've ever played in," said Watson.

Watson racked up over 300 kills each of the last two years on the court, an ability that in part comes from a passion for the game and intense practice.

"I just love volleyball," Watson, who started playing in third grade, said. "I've played it every day since I was little. My mom used to be a volleyball coach and I would practice with her."

Indeed, Watson credits her parents and Vancil for much of her success.

"My parents have always been really supportive," said Watson. "Coach Gentry really taught me a lot."

Meanwhile, Watson came into her own as a softball player this year. A starter since her sophomore year, Watson shifted from playing mainly as the team's pitcher to seeing more time at first base, a move that paid dividends.

Watson hit around .350 as a senior and was one of the team leaders in RBIs and stolen bases as the Lady Hornets finished a surprising 11-3 and as conference champions in McBroom's first year as coach.

"He taught us a lot," said Watson. "He started from the beginning and taught us everything that we need to know for the game. He really prepared us."

She did still pitch some, being the winning pitcher in three of Holcomb's 11 victories this spring.

"She did just about everything for us in softball," McBroom said. "She was kind of a do everything person."

McBroom also said that Watson was a 'good example."

"I just really appreciate her and the way she carried herself as a player this year," McBroom said. "She was a good example."

Like with volleyball, Watson's most memorable game on the diamond came her senior year, when Holcomb turned a 9-1 deficit into a victory in the finals of the conference tournament.

"We were down by eight and came back and won 21-13," said Watson. "It was pretty much a miracle because we didn't think we could do it. But that was the way our season was -- we'd always be down and then come back."

One other person Watson credits for her success is long-time teammate and classmate Tiffani Weaver, who will be joining Watson at Arkansas State University this fall. Both have decided to concentrate on academics at ASU, with Watson majoring in physical therapy.

"Me and Tiffani have always played together in volleyball and softball," said Watson. "If it wasn't for her, I couldn't have been the player I was because she was there to back me up."