Trojan volleyball aims to continue state tradition

 The Hillsboro volleyball team will build its state hopes on the foundation of these seniors and returning letter-winners: (from left) Shannon Heiser, Taylor Vogt, Addie Lackey, Maddi Duerksen, Danae Bina, Alex Ratzlaff. Bearing the standard of five consecutive state tournament appearances and two Class 3A titles could be an intimidating burden for returning athletes preparing for a new season.

Hillsboro volleyball coach Sandy Arnold said her girls don?t see it that way.

?Sometimes I think there?s pressure, whether they want it or not and whether they mention it or not,? said Arnold, who is preparing for her 10th season at HHS, where she has accumulated a 275-78 record. ?It?s tradition almost, now. You don?t want to be the one to break that string.

?But one thing with this group is they realize how much work it?s going to take, and they are putting it in. I am very pleased with their work ethic right now. They don?t want to be the ones to (break the string), but they definitely realize how hard they?re going to have to work to make sure they aren?t the ones.?

 The 2012 Trojans celebrate a second straight Class 3A title. Although losing six seniors from the 2012 team that won a second straight Class 3A title and set a school record for wins in a season with a 45-3 mark?thanks in part to an expanded schedule?Arnold believes the 2013 Trojans have the talent to make another state run.

Coaches of the Kansas Volleyball Association seem to agree: They have Hillsboro at the top of the preseason poll for 3A.

?I don?t think anybody?s saying, ?Oh, this is easy, we can do this again.? But I do thing they feel like it?s a possibility,? Arnold said. ?We?re going to dream big. I?m sure it?s going to be a disappointment if it doesn?t happen, but at the same time what these seniors have done is pretty impressive so far.?

Returning core

Heading the list of seniors are two with all-state credentials.

Danae Bina, a 5-foot-4 libero, was an all-league pick for the second year in a row and was named to the Class 3A all-tournament state team and the KVA all-state first team.

Addie Lackey, a 5-8 outside hitter, has earned honorable mention the past two seasons in the Central Kansas League, and earned honorable mention last season for KVA?s all-state team.

?Danae is by far our vocal leader,? Arnold said. ?With her skills on the back row, I still would argue she?s one of the best in the state. She does some things back there that we coaches turn and look at each other: ?How?d she do that??

?She?s so competitive, she?s not going to let anything drop without some kind of an effort. She?s also very good at reading?she understands, if her blockers aren?t in the right place, where she needs to go. She can read the hitters and she?s got a great serve. It messes people up.?

Arnold said Lackey is another strong leader, although she expresses it more by example than with words.

?If you ask me who my leaders are, I would still put her in there because she gives 110 percent and she pushes a lot,? Arnold said.

?Addie is an excellent server,? the Trojan coach said of Lackey?s skill set. ?She could score a lot of points for us back there. She is such a good athlete, she adjusts well on her attack, and she?s smart and so coachable. She doesn?t care if she pounds (the ball) or if she tips it or rolls it, she just wants to score.

?She?s a good passer, too. I feel very confident when she?s in the back row?I don?t know if she feels as confident, but she?s very natural back there.?

The Trojans? third returning letter-winner is younger, but no less of a weapon. As a freshman, Alex Ratzlaff (5-10) was a first-team all-league and KVA all-state selection, both for the 3A tourna?ment and the season.

?Alex obviously brings power and brings a lot of high energy,? Arnold said. ?She grew up in the gym with volleyball, so she?s also very court savvy. She wants to hit hard a lot, but she?s getting to the place where she knows there are other ways to score. She?s a good blocker and a super competitor.?

Hillsboro?s fourth letter-winner is Shannon Heiser, a 5-8 middle blocker who stepped into a starting role last season as a freshman.

?She?s coming along, too,? Arnold said. ?She?s hitting the ball hard and I think she?s gaining some confidence. She?s a good blocker. We need to work with her…about reading the opposing setter a bit better so (she) can get out to the block quicker. If we can get a hand on the ball to even slow it down, that?s huge.

?She will be a big part of the offense, because we cannot rely on just Alex and Addie.?

Filling the openings

Even with a solid core, Arnold has some openings to fill in her lineup. Finding a setter will be key.

?For the third year in a row I?m starting with a new setter,? Arnold said. ?That?s always a big deal. Setting is more than just putting the ball in the air for somebody to hit. It?s all about footwork?they can block and they can hit, and they definitely have to be able to play defense.?

The leading candidate may be Maddi Duerksen, who comes in as a 5-5 senior but lacks significant varsity experience.

?She?s very quick, she?s working really hard,? Arnold said.

Also pushing for the position are a pair of 5-4 juniors who played junior varsity last season, Julie Sinclair and Shelley Arnold.

?All three of those have been taking lots of reps and setting lots of balls to the hitters,? Arnold said. ?All three have different strengths and all three have different areas that need improvement. So it just kind of depends, but I?ll always have someone there if the other isn?t quite having a good day.?

The Trojans also will need a middle and right-side blocker to complement Heiser. Leading candidates are 5-8 junior Emily Jost, 5-9 senior Taylor Vogt, 5-6 junior Lakyn Johnson and 5-8 junior Darci Heinrichs.

?We need hitting, and we?re going to need them to step up,? Arnold said. ?We?ll have to see.?

The Trojan coach said Bradli Nowak, a 5-3 junior, should be a contributor in the back row.

?The girls that are coming up from JV, all of them, have played a lot of volleyball,? Arnold said. ?They?ve played since they were little. They just haven?t played a lot of varsity. It takes time to get used to that.?

Arnold added, ?I?m not so much worried about the depth, but how long it?s going to take us to be where we want to be. We may have some hiccups here at the beginning. But as long as those hiccups are gone at the end of the year…I?m OK with that.?

League and beyond

After going 9-0 in the CKL last season, the Trojans will be among the favorites for this year?s title. Arnold sees Hesston as a clear challenger along with Pratt and Sterling.

As for the post-season, ?Winning back-to-back state championships does increase the expectations for this year,? Arnold said. ?We realize that also puts a target on our backs. Once our new girls gain some experience and confidence, we would like to think we could be very competitive once again.?

The Trojans opened their season this past weekend by winning the annual CKL preseason tournament with a 5-0 record on their home court. New to the field this year were Hoisington and Larned, who will officially join the league in 2014. Hoi?sing?ton was ranked No. 3 in the KVA preseason poll for 3A.

The Trojans? next home appearance will be Sept. 24 when they take on Pratt and Kingman.

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