Undersized Lady Cardinals Push Each Other

FARMINGTON —Five seniors graduated from the 2015 Farmington volleyball team (10-8, 6-8) which finished fifth in the 5A West, just missing the state tournament.

This year’s squad is comprised of eight seniors, five juniors and five sophomores giving head coach Marshall Ward the most returning players and starters he’s ever had.

“Overall, this team is a very hard-working team that wants to get better,” Ward said. “They have been like this.”

This year’s seniors were eighth-graders when Ward took over the Lady Cardinal volleyball program.

“This is the first group I’ve coached all the way up or least had a part of,” Ward said. “One of the great things about this team is how well they get along on and off the court.”

Outside hitters

Senior Kaylynn Bates earned All-State honors as an outside hitter, whose career statistics feature over 100 aces and 300 kills. Ward thinks the strength of Bates at outside hitter is a good starting point for the Lady Cardinals.

“She’s my first returning All-State player,” Ward said. “I’ve had All-State players in the past, but they were always seniors. I never got them back.”

Bates leads the Lady Cardinals in virtually every category and has played club volleyball since eighth grade.

“She’s an excellent leader on the court and she makes all the players around her better,” Ward said.

Bates was recognized on the All-tournament team for both tournaments the Lady Cardinals competed in last year, topping the team with 67 aces and 240 kills on the season.

“She plays back row and front, just an excellent all-around volleyball player,” Ward said.

Senior Callie Phelan is another outside hitter and shares a friendship with Bates, whom she will back up.

As he prepared for the season, Ward said sophomore Kaylee Purifoy was looking like the other outside hitter, but junior Camryn Journagan was making an effort to win the spot.

“She’s battling for that,” Ward said. “It’s kind of like that other middle position. You might see one start one night and one start the next. Currently, like the middles, they are making each other better.”

Right hitter

Senior Claudia Oxford is a returning starter, who was second on the team with 163 kills in 2015.

“Claudia had an excellent year last year as a junior,” Ward said. “She is what I like to call a ‘show-time player.’ When our opponent is here and we’re playing to win, she seems to go to another level above what I see in practice and play really well when it’s time to win.”

Ward said Oxford is another go-to hitter, who teams with Bates on the front line to spark the Lady Cardinal offense.

“Between Claudia and Kaylynn, they had more kills than the rest of the team put together, so it’s pretty exciting to have both of them back,” Ward said. “We definitely go to Bates more, but it’s only because she’s in the game more as a back-row player. In any volleyball game, the outside hitter is going to get a higher percentage of sets than any other position.”

Middle Hitter/ Blocker

According to Ward, the most improved player from last year is senior Anna Dutton with her hitting and blocking.

“She has really improved her vertical so she plays higher above the net,” Ward said. “Everything is improved. She’s really turned into one of our go-to hitters. We expect great things from her.”

Dutton is concentrating on volleyball, not playing any other sports this year. The second middle hitter/blocker will be played by junior Ella Wilson or senior Payton Holder, who are competing for playing time.

“The day-to-day thing is both are hitting well,” Ward said. “Both are blocking well.”

Ward likes the competition between the two and said Dutton is making both players better as they go up against her in practice.

“There’s even a possibility of having those two start at middle and moving Anna to an outside hitter,” Ward said.

Setter

Senior Callie Harper is a returning starter at setter, whom Ward said does an excellent job of taking control of the Lady Cardinal offense. Harper is never satisfied with her job, a trait Ward describes as what coaches want from the position.

“She always wants every set to be perfect,” Ward said. “As a coach, that’s what you want from a setter — you want every set to be perfect.”

Harper has top-notch serving ability and was second only to Bates with 31 aces last season. In the 5-1 offense employed by Ward, the setter will feed the majority of kills.

Libero

Coming into the season, Ward wasn’t certain who was going to start at libero with four players doing well. Phelan, Journagan, senior Brandy Wallace and junior Carley Antwine have been making each other better every day.

“That is where I have the most competition,” Ward said. “All four of them are good defensive players. There’s a good chance that they will all four start. Three for sure will start. I couldn’t tell you which three on any given day, possibly all four will start.”

“Right now Phelan is looking like the libero,” Ward said just prior to the season-opener, “But, Phelan, Journagan and Antwine all saw playing time last year. Brandy Wallace just kind of moved herself into that mix of playing well.”

Overall

The Lady Cardinals aren’t tall, but they never have been during Ward’s tenure.

“Height helps, but we have none, we are about the same as always,” Ward said. “Our tallest girl is about 5-feet-8 with her shoes on. Our junior high team has more height than our senior high team does.

“This is my first year to not know who my starters are going to be, thanks to depth and competitive players,” Ward said. “This is my first year of having this many girls that could potentially be starters throughout the year.”

The girls are getting new uniforms this season and Ward appreciates what he calls excellent support from all the administration, from Athletic Director Brad Blew to the Farmington School Board to Superintendent of Schools Bryan Law.

The schools’ Tech Department puts Farmington matches on the air via Internet webcasts through a partnership with PG Telco and Ward is thankful for their contributions.

“They give me game film, I don’t even have to ask for that,” Ward said. “It’s very helpful.”

Two years ago, Farmington qualified for the 5A state tournament and competed in mid-week.

“There were a lot of parents that were very thankful to be able to watch those games on Tuesday and Wednesday,” Ward said. “There were a lot of families where mom could go to the game, but dad couldn’t so they were able to get together and watch, thanks to the support we have.”