LaFayette could be the surprise team in 6-AAAA
If you’re looking for a dark horse in Region 6-AAAA volleyball this season, look no further than the LaFayette Lady Ramblers.
That may seem like a strange thing to say, considering the three seniors the Orange-andBlack lost from last year were all All-Region selections and one - Karissa Tatum - later signed to play (NCAA) Division I volleyball for Savannah (Ga.) State.
But, very quietly, the Lady Ramblers have been producing and stockpiling talent and they’ll go into the 2017 season with a chance to be even better than the sum of their parts.
“We lost the three seniors, but it’s sort of set up to where we’ve got a pretty even number across the board, age-wise,” said head coach Chris Logan, who guided the Lady Ramblers to a 24-22 season and a state playoff berth last fall. “We had some freshmen and sophomores who got some playing time last year and they have become a good group of sophomores and an excellent group of juniors. A lot of the girls played JV last year, but they’ll be able to step up and fill some roles for us.”
Providing most of the experience and leadership are seniors Katie Dixon and Emily Redden. Dixon will mostly be an outside hitter this season, while Redden will be the team’s primary setter.
Dixon got into the varsity lineup midway through her freshman year and has been a mainstay ever since. She was a Walker County Dream Team first team pick last year after racking up 206 digs, 149 kills and 45 aces. Redden (73 digs, 67 assists) also saw action as a freshman and was a fixture in the lineup by the following season. She was a Dream Team honorable mention selection a year ago.
“Katie has kind of been in the shadows the last couple of years, but I think it’s really going to be a big year for her,” Logan explained. “Hitting-wise, she can do what she wants to out there. Skill-wise, she’s a great passer and she’ll be a big asset for us this season.
“Emily set on offense for the varsity as a sophomore, but we kind of changed our offense around last year. She took the change in stride, but she’s moving back to setter this season so she brings experience to the position.”
Behind them is a group of juniors ready to step out of the JV shadows and into the varsity spotlight.
Elania Kirkendoll will bring improved play and height to the middle of the front row, while standout athlete Bailey Tarvin will play on the right side and be the team’s back-up setter. Another front row player will be Darsey Shields, who can jump, hit and block with the best of them, despite being a bit undersized at the position.
Micaela Hobbs is a hard-working utility player that can play on the front row or the back row, while Logan has another hard worker in defensive specialist Blakley Lankford, a solid passer that could end up being the team’s libero.
Two of the team’s biggest offensive weapons can be found in the sophomore class. Gracie Stier was a Dream Team first team pick and an All-Region honorable mention selection as a freshman, when she recorded 136 kills, 138 digs, 36 assists, 62 aces and nine blocks as an outside hitter. In the middle, Jillian Morgan is the team’s tallest player and its best blocker. She was a Dream Team honorable mention pick after 112 kills and 25 blocks and Logan said she had already become a team leader.
The final sophomore, Riley Smith, is another good athlete who knows how to dig up the ball. She will play on the
back row as a defensive specialist.
Caitlyn Burdette will once again serve as an assistant coach with the varsity and guide the JV squad.
“I think our talent is spread out this year,” Logan surmised. “We
don’t really have a weak player at any position. Everyone is a good passer, so we can switch it up and have a little more strategy instead of setting up in the middle all the time.
“We also have great chemistry. All the girls are friends with each other, which is huge. Everyone
has been showing up and working hard all summer. It’s created a lot of energy, which is good. We just can’t get too high or too low.”
LaFayette will open the season this Thursday with a quadmatch at Coosa. The home opener is Aug. 17 against Dade County and Calhoun.