LFO hopes to continue recent run of success
New faces looking to establish chemistry at Heritage
Getting set to host a recent four-team camp, less than three weeks away from the start of the 2017 season, Heritage head volleyball coach Kari Cooper said she was still a little unsure of what type of team the Navy-and-Red would have going into the new campaign.
“It’s hard to get a really good overall view of the team at this point because we’ve had some injuries over the summer,” said the 2016 Region 6-AAAA Coach of the Year. “But I’m optimistic. We have a good mix of returning starters and upcoming players who were starters on the junior varsity team (last year). It’s all about getting them used to playing together.”
The 2016 season was in some ways a bittersweet one for the Lady Generals. They team went 29-5-1 and stayed ranked in the top 10 of Class AAAA for most of the season. But they ended up third in the Region 6-AAAA tournament and had to go on the road to Northside-Columbus in the opening round. Heritage put up a fight, but lost 3-1.
Heritage also graduated several outstanding players, including three AllRegion selections, who accounted for 560 of their 707 kills as a unit, meaning some new faces will have to step up their games to keep Heritage at or near the top of the region.
“I think the strength of our team right now is that they are very good at the techniques of volleyball,” the veteran coach explained. “They have to stay disciplined and do what they are supposed to do, but they know how to do the certain skills, what to do in certain situations and things like that.”
This year’s senior class includes twin sisters Maggie and Annie Britton. Cooper said Maggie, a setter, and Annie, the team’s libero, are both hard workers and two of the team’s vocal leaders on the floor. The other setter will be Ashley Clinton, who racked up 496 assists last season to go with 51 aces.
Macy Harris, a starter on the varsity team since her sophomore year, is a versatile player that will like be an outside hitter this season. Harris had 100 kills, 124 digs, 50 aces and 16 blocks a year ago as was a 6-AAAA honorable
The LFO Lady Warriors were one of the pioneers of high school volleyball in the northwest Georgia area, fielding their first competitive squad back in the 1988 season.
Their head coach back then was the same head coach they have today.
Diane Norwood has seen plenty of change in volleyball as she gets set to kick off her third decade as head coach, including concepts like the libero position, rally scoring and just a general increase in the talent level of the players on the floor.
But Norwood has also seen a lot in just the past four seasons as her Lady Warriors have turned in arguably their best four-year stretch in the program’s 30-year history.
In the past four years, the Red-andWhite have made the Class AAA state playoffs four times, advancing to the Elite Eight in 2014 and 2016. They were mention pick. Jasmine Wiggins could play on the right side of the front or be a middle hitter, while Cooper said she is excited to have first-year volleyball player Nicole Fine on the squad this season. The coach said Fine, who plays basketball the region runner-up in 2015 and won the 6-AAA title last season as they turned in a second straight 35-win campaign.
Some of the major players from those teams graduated this past spring, including All-State player Rachel Harwood, who led all of Georgia in hitting percentage (.659), and Sydni Eaves, who was ranked first in the state in total aces (168), according to stats complied by MaxPreps.
Now it’s up to the next generation of Lady Warriors to carry the torch and continue the lofty tradition set by their predecessors.
“We lost some really good players, but I think we’re going to be fine,” Norwood said. “I’ve got some kids that were taught by those seniors from last year and I think they are going to step up and take over. We have some strong seniors and juniors who are going to be good leaders and we’ve had some good talent come out. We’ve had a whole for the Lady Generals, brings a healthy dose of positivity and enthusiasm.
Among the junior class, Kali Brown will be an outside hitter, while Macie Stephens could play on the outside or in the middle. Rachel Stone gives lot of freshman come out, so we’re actually fielding three teams, freshman, junior varsity and varsity, for the first time ever.”
Among the seniors, Gracen Hobbs will be back after missing most of last year with an injury. Hobbs is a strong player that can play on the front or back row. Also returning is Madi Graham, a back row player a year ago who is making the switch to setter. Jerriale Jackson, a tremendous athlete, will man an outside hitter spot, while senior Kimi Adamson is serving as Norwood’s team manager.
The juniors include middle hitter Symerel Bennett, one of the team’s tallest players, who ranked 21st in all of Georgia last year in blocks with 114, and two players that could play multiple positions on the floor, Macey Gregg and Alesya McBurnett. The class is rounded out with back row specialists Savanna Shields and Jeslyn the Lady Generals another valuable utility player, while Madelyn Thompson will be on the back row as a libero or defensive specialist. A final junior, middle hitter K.K. Miller, will unfortunately miss the
season after recent knee surgery
The lone sophomore on the Heritage varsity will be middle hitter Ariana Camp. Camp, who once played at Heritage Middle, is back
in Catoosa County after spending last year at Baylor.
Assisting Cooper on the bench will be exRinggold standout Cadi (Dodson) Guest.
“The key that we’re really focusing on is having that positive energy and being consistent every set,”
Cooper said. “If we do that and just play our game, we’ll have a successful season.”
Heritage will open the season on Aug. 10, joining Chattooga for a tri-match at LFO. Their home opener will be Aug. 17 against Christian Heritage of Dalton.