SHOOTING FOR THE TOP

 Despite the loss of four outstanding seniors from last year’s 21-11 Whitley County volleyball team, coach David Halcomb comes into a new season with a lot of confidence.

“I think we are going to have a really good season,” Halcomb said. “I’ve been really excited so far and the kids have worked really hard. There’s some good interest in our volleyball program right now.”

Halcomb begins his fourth year with the Lady Colonels. He coached the team in 2007 and 2008 before stepping down for a year. He returned last year to lead the Lady Colonels to a 51st District championship.

“I think we have the talent to make a run at the 13th Region,” he said. “We have four seniors that have played for three or four years and have gotten a lot of varsity time. That will pay dividends for us down the road and they are showing some good leadership traits to the younger kids.”

Carley Louthan returns as the starting setter. “She is a good little volleyball player and I expect her to direct things on the floor for us and keep us were we are suppose to be,” Halcomb said.

Alyssa Monhollen may be the most feared hitter in the region by tournament time. “She will be our middle hitter. She has really improved during the off-season and hits the ball really well. She gives us a blocking presence up front as well,” Halcomb said.

Ashley Lindsey, “who is very athletic can do a lot of different things for us,” Halcomb added. “She will be one of our middle-outside hitters. She is tall and lanky and will give us another presence along the net.”

Brittany Sergent, a senior, can play in three roles for the Lady Colonels. She has been a setter, hitter and the libero in the past. “She is another four-year player who has a lot of experience. She is an outstanding all-around volleyball player. She jumps well and passes well,” he said.

“Those four will be the nucleus of our team that we will build around,” Halcomb said. 

Halcomb can also put a young team on the floor as well. “We have six or seven freshmen that can play. They didn’t lose many games as an eighth grade last year. They had a great season.”

“We are looking at Brianna Mannis, we are expecting big things from her,” Halcomb said. “Alexa Chaffman is a sophomore, but we still look at her as a young player. We want to see her step up and help us.”

“We only have two juniors, Jordin Huddleston and Emily Wilson. We expect to get some things out of those two girls as well,” Halcomb said.

The Whitley County coach said South Laurel is still the team to beat in the 13th region. “You have to start with South Laurel. They have been out there every year and they are a well-coached team. They lost a lot of kids last year, but so did we. I think it starts with South Laurel.”

“Then you have North Laurel and Corbin that you have to deal with and I think Harlan County will be pretty good,” he said. “They played South Laurel pretty close in the semifinals last year. I think Harlan County lost fewer kids than anyone and that’s who we open up against. That will be a real challenge for us, that first game.”

The Lady Colonels will be on the road for the opening game of the season at Harlan County, Tuesday, Aug. 9. They will entertain the Jellico Lady Devils in their home opener Thursday, August 11.

Whitley County will play an 18-game regular season with two tournaments. They will play in the McCreary Central Classic, August 19-20 and in the Blarney Stone Classic at Knoxville Catholic, Sept. 9-10.

“Playing in Knoxville is something different and exciting. Their coach called and wanted some teams from this area, so we decided to make the trip. He said all of the teams should be about the same talent level.

Whitley County will play Morristown-Hamblen Friday, Sept. 9 and the host school later that evening. The Lady Colonels will also play East Ridge, Tn., in pool play the next day.

The Lady Colonels were moved to District 51 last year with Knox Central and Lynn Camp. They will play the two teams twice during the regular season for seeding purposes.

Whitley County will play the top teams in the region once again in the likes of South Laurel, North Laurel, Corbin, Clay County, Jackson County and Harlan County. They will go outside the region to play Rockcastle County, Thursday, Aug. 25.