Liana Edwards of Gorham sets the ball during a game this season. Edwards, a sophomore, stepped into a bigger role and helped the Rams repeat as Class A champs. Derek Davis/Portland Press Herald

Liana Edwards realized early in the season she would have to do more.

The 6-foot sophomore was one of several players taking on a bigger role for Gorham, which graduated 10 players from the 2023 team that captured the Class A volleyball championship.

“I had a lot of shoes to fill,” Edwards said. “We had two really good setters (who graduated). When I was a freshman, I knew that I had to (eventually) fill their spots.”

Edwards not only stepped up but quickly became a leader and a force. She excelled as both a setter and an outside hitter, leading the team in kills (97), assists (240) and blocks (30), and was third in aces (42). Edwards was a first-team Southwestern Maine Activities Association pick while helping the Rams to a 13-4 record. She saved one of her best performances for last, in the Class A final, when Gorham beat Biddeford 3-0 to win its second straight state title.

For her performance throughout the season and her role in leading Gorham to another state crown, Edwards is the Varsity Maine Volleyball Player of the Year. Sofie Asbjornsen of Falmouth, Maeve Donovan of Biddeford and Kellan Schwinn of Washington Academy were also considered.

Gorham Coach Emma Tirrell wasn’t completely sure what type of team she’d be getting this season, but she gained confidence over the summer that the returning players had put in the work to make another title run.

“Something that’s been my mantra is, ‘I don’t know what rebuilding is,'” Tirrell said. “I was really proud (of the season). I didn’t know that I could ever achieve that, in graduating 10 kids and then be competitive again. I had no idea what was going to happen. Then me and my (junior varsity) coach held an open gym in the summer and the kids were banging volleyballs. We were like, ‘OK, this season is going to be great.'”

Tirrell did know that part of the reloading process was Edwards, who earned a spot on the varsity as a freshman but was in the background on an experience-laden team.

“She was a varsity freshman kid, and I think in my eight years here, I’ve had five to six of them, so not that many,” Tirrell said. “We had a lot of big personalities last year, and I think it was hard for her to grow, with kids being, ‘This is our year for a state championship.’ But with Liana, you can’t teach height and she’s extremely athletic. Her mechanics are fantastic. And when you see her hit the ball, every coach is like, ‘OK, that might be the best mechanics in the state.’ Everybody sees that.

“She’s played club year-round, and I think that’s helped her get better. It was her time. I knew that she was going to be a big part of the program because she’s an amazing blocker and an amazing hitter. Her hands and her athleticism are built for volleyball. I think she’s dedicated enough to where she harnesses that really well. What coach doesn’t want a 6-foot-1 lefty setter? That’s every coach’s dream for high school.”

Gorham found its way and confidence throughout the season. The Rams won seven of their first eight games, their lone loss coming to Washington Academy, the eventual Class B champion. Edwards was also finding her confidence and strengths.

“(My confidence) depends on the day,” Edwards said. “During the games, it definitely goes up a lot. I want to prove to all of my family members and all my supporters that I deserve to be there on the court.”

As Edwards’ confidence grew, teammates noticed her personality growing as well.

“She really blossomed in our first couple games,” said senior Natalie Smith, a Varsity Maine All-State and SMAA first-team selection. “She would start getting so much energy on the court that after a big play, she would just scream. I loved that because it lifted everybody’s energy. … She would just do those simple things that would make everyone else (on the team) smile.”

Edwards added: “It’s a natural attitude that some people don’t see all the time.”

In the state final, aces by Edwards, Smith and Vanessa Walker helped the Rams win the first set, 25-22. Edwards played a huge role in the second set, when Gorham trailed Biddeford 6-1. She had four kills and an ace, leading the Rams to a 25-22 set victory and a 2-0 lead that eventually led to a sweep and the state title.

“There wasn’t a lot of nerves playing against them,” Edwards said. “I knew in the first set; I was shaking the entire time. But I think that was just the amount of people (in the gym). But based on how our team performs, I think I wasn’t nervous at all, and I was confident that we would play our best. … I’m really excited to see how we all gel again together (next year).”

Edwards began playing volleyball in middle school and started club volleyball at age 12. Though she has two years remaining in high school, she’s already looking forward to playing at the next level.

“I really want to play college volleyball,” Edwards said. “I can envision it and I’m really excited about it, too.”