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Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Volleyball Digs
Eastern Oklahoma, OK
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It’s that time of the year to break out the volleyball and hit the pool or local sand court. But to many high school girls, it’s time to hit the hardwood court in preparation of the upcoming high school volleyball season. Here’s your 2008 guide to the teams that made deep runs in the 2007 state playoffs.
Bishop Kelley
The Comets return four starters from a team that won the 2007 5A state championship with Laura Atherton, Maggie Hepner, Amy Lewis and Katie Mailey. Head coach Jerri Wadsworth looks to fill some key roles this season with “good athletes that have eagerly waited their opportunity to start.” Several players return from last year’s squad that has state tournament experience. Such experience has given them an understanding of what it takes to get to that level as the Comets look to return to the state tourney again.
Owasso
The Rams look to build upon last year’s state tournament as they advanced further than any team from Eastern Oklahoma in 6A. Mandy Brady, Samantha Legler and Taylor Summers are all returning seniors. Legler could easily be the best returning defensive specialist in the state. Summers was named to the All-State All-Tournament team and was one of the only girls from this side of the state to receive that recognition. Summers is also one of the top left-side hitters in the state. In the middle will be 6-foot-3 junior Morgan Tobyn. Tobyn has great experience, having been on the varsity squad for a couple of years.
Victory Christian
Head coach Dan Donhue believes the Conquerors should return to the state tournament yet again. Having been to the state tournament the last six years and finishing third in 4A last season, the team looks to build upon its success. They do realize that the road to the state tournament title game will be more difficult with what will be a very young team. Only one player returns as a starter from last season, sophomore setter Natalie Donhue. Coach Donhue expects big things out of players Melissa Morin, Hannah Chorley, Sarah Klein and Stephanie Feeley for the team to return to state. With the possibility of three sophomores seeing extensive playing time, their development will be important in continuing the Conquerors state streak.
Cascia Hall
With the loss of five seniors, Cascia Hall will look to replace those five with five new seniors in Eleanor Williams, Leigh Brandon at setter, right-side hitter Mallory Piland, and returning starters Elizabeth Austin and Jaime Anderson providing senior leadership. Sophomore Mary Clark will be one of the younger players on varsity. Although it is a rebuilding year, many other schools have lost a lot of talent and head coach Jennifer Pace believes that if they take it one game at a time they can get back to the state playoffs, after reaching the finals last season.
Bixby
With the departure of four starters, including the best Spartan volleyball player of all-time in Amy Harris, the Spartans will look to have a rebuilding year of sorts. Looking to replace Harris will be Kassidy Dykes, a sophomore that started as a freshman last season. Another player to watch is a move-in from Enid, Caitlin Whiteley, a junior outside hitter. Head coach Chris Holtz enters his seventh season as head coach for Bixby and sees the squad improving every year as the program develops. Seniors Hillary Dees and Taylor Eckert will look to provide senior leadership for the Spartans this season. Dees is a returning starter, and Eckert has played for three years and was the defensive specialist in previous years that will look to move around and be more versatile.
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