Ringgold spikers ready to take next step
The Ringgold Lady Tigers have tasted some success over the past three seasons, but there is one thing that everyone on the current roster still has yet to experience and it’s one thing that fourth-year head coach Ashley Boren hopes to experience herself in mid-October.
“We’ve been to the state playoffs every year, but every year we go in after being third or fourth in the area tournament,” Boren explained. “Our goal is still to get back to state, and I think this team can definitely get us there again. But one of main goals this year is to finish first or second (at area) and host a state playoff game. That would be awesome.”
Injuries derailed the Lady Tigers at the start of last season, but a Silver Division championship at the LFO Invitational in mid-August righted the ship and set Ringgold off on a course that culminated with a firstround playoff victory over Adairsville before eventual state champion Westminster closed the book on the Blue-andWhite in the second round.
It was Ringgold’s first trip to the Sweet 16 since 2012. The Lady Tigers last made the Elite Eight in the 2010 season after capturing an area championship.
“I’m excited to see what this season will look like,” Boren added. “We’re losing three (seniors), but we’ll still have a lot of strengths. We’re bringing back a lot of players that played well for us last year.”
The design of the 2017 varsity Lady Tigers will be a unique one as the eight-player squad will be comprised of four seniors and four sophomores, most of whom have previous varsity experience.
In the middle, Ringgold will be led by senior Ricki Lynn Bickley, who led the Lady Tigers in kills (269) and blocks (56) last fall to go with 116 digs and 70 aces. Next to her on the outside will be two more returning starters in Lauren Terrell (20 aces, 106 digs, 94.4 serving percentage) and Chloe Hall (52 kills, 62 aces, 111 digs). Terrell is making the transition to outside hitter after playing the libero spot last year.
The final senior, Trinity Canales, is a solid passer that is making the jump from the junior varsity squad to the varsity this season.
Among the sophomores, Zoie Metcalf, Bethany Thomason and Emily Ridley saw extensive action and were big contributors as freshmen. Metcalf, a setter, led the team with 554 assists and 90 aces to go with 69 kills. Thomason turned in 90 kills and 20 blocks from the front row, while Ridley - this season’s libero - had 20 aces and 44 digs a year ago.
One last sophomore, Jasley Brooks, was named to the varsity roster after a excellent season of club level ball. Brooks, a JV player in 2016, will play at either outside or middle hitter.
“Most of these girls do play (volleyball) in the offseason, throughout the winter and into the spring, not just from July to October,” Boren said. “I feel like we will have a strong team, both offensively and defensively. We’ve got good passers, good hitters and a good setter.
“One of the girls said in practice the other day that she couldn’t wait to get the season started and I’m the same way. You work all summer and it’s like the season just flies by. But it’s nice to see where they start out at in the summer and see how they progress with skills and team unity. I have a great group of girls, both on the varsity and JV squads, and we just want to improve on what we did last year.”
Ringgold will open their season on Tuesday, Aug, 15 in a tri-match with Southeast Whitfield at Dade County.