When Carson Flake began her senior season with the Montgomery County volleyball team in August, she received some devastating news.

Her mother, Kelly, found out that her cancer has returned. She was cancer free for several months before she was recently told by doctors that her disease came back.

But none of that prevented Flake from coming back for another year with the MCHS volleyball team.

“My mom wants me to keep up with what I’m doing,” Flake said. “She doesn’t want me to change my ways because of what she has gone through.”

Flake was a valuable player for the Wildcats all season long thanks to her strong play in the back row. She led the team in digs with 176, surpassing last year’s total of 166.

“To me, defense is definitely the most important part of playing,” Flake said. “I’m a big defensive person in volleyball and basketball. I try to get as many digs and touches as I can and get them up so my teammates can play them.”

Flake finished in double digits in digs eight times, including a season-high 16 in the Wildcats’ five-game loss to New Haven on Sept. 8. Two days before, she finished with 15 to lead MCHS to a four-game win over Bowling Green.

Flake’s efforts helped the Wildcats  finished 12-14-2 and capture their fifth straight Eastern Missouri Conference title. MCHS' season ended on Oct. 25 with a three-game loss to Hermann in the Class 2, District 6 finals at Ballew & Snell Court, wrapping up Flake's high school volleyball career.

Flake said strong chemistry was the key to her team’s successful season.

“This year, we have gotten along better than we have in the past,” Flake said. “It’s been one of my favorite years.”

Flake joined the varsity at the end of her sophomore year. She got to play in the Wildcats’ regular season finale at Wright City in which MCHS won in four games to clinch an EMO championship. Flake joined her older sister, Taylor, in the starting lineup.

“I remember having a lot of nervousness because I didn’t come until the very end of the season, which counted the most,” Flake said. “I had a big spot to fill and there was a lot of pressure.”

The next year, Flake earned a full time varsity spot. Before the season began, she found out her mother was diagnosed with stage 3 uterine and colon cancer, inspiring her to write a four-page essay that was titled, “The Wildflower,” for one of her classes. It chronicled her mother’s battle with cancer. She received an A for her work.

“It was definitely one of my favorite pieces that I have ever written,” Flake said. “It means so much to me.”

Also, during a Pink Out match against Centralia last season, the Flake family received $4,477 in donations to help Kelly Flake beat cancer.

“The community is crazy about helping,” Carson Flake said. “They all want to help. They all want to put forth what they can and it’s really important to everyone.”

Flake has finalized her college plans. She will be attending the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis. She will not be playing volleyball.

“The school I’m going to will be really challenging,” said Flake, who plays basketball for the Wildcats in the winter. “There are a lot of academic challenges. But I’m looking forward to pushing myself because I would rather take a challenging route and get to where I want to be than to take the easy route.”