LC Bird Boys Volleyball
Last season, the Skyhawks boys’ volleyball team played well overall. They finished in the upper half of their district before losing in the first round of the playoffs. This year, they have a new coach, De’Jon Bryant, who is looking to build upon the success they had last season. He believes this can be achieved through mental preparation and consistent learning.
“I always tell my players that we’re all given a brain so make the most out of it,” Bryant stated, “That’s why I like to push their mental limits, so we can be a highly intelligent and mentally tough team while still playing with consistency.”
However, the Skyhawks lost four seniors and will have to find a way to make up for that lost production. Luckily, they will have some help in seniors Stephen Piper and Jordan Wallace, as well as junior Andrew Bell. Piper is the team’s go-to outside hitter and arguably has the best swing on the team, according to Bryant. Wallace is another key asset because his athleticism provides the coaches with the flexibility to move players around the game-plan. Junior Andrew Bell will be the team’s starting setter, and was described by Bryant as his floor general. The Skyhawks will use Dwayne Thurston early and often, and Bryant believes he could be in store for a big year.
“Dwayne is our starting middle and is very versatile, composed, and athletic,” Bryant continued, “I really think he could be in contention for Player of the Year this season.”
With a talented roster and a new coach to lead them, the Skyhawks are looking to continue improving and possibly make a playoff run this season.
LC Bird Girls’ Volleyball
L.C. Bird girls’ volleyball had a strong season last year. They finished with their best overall season in the past 10 years and even made an appearance in the regional finals. This, among other reasons, is why things are expected to continue trending in the right direction under second-year coach Caroline Brown.
However, Brown knows it won’t be an easy path to get back to where they want to be, as they lost eight seniors and a transferring starter from last year’s team.
“We have a completely new and young team with much less experience, but they learn very quickly and are very athletic so it’s possible that we will be clicking again by mid to late season,” Brown remarked.
On the flip side, Bird has two key individuals from last year’s team in junior Chantelle Harrison, who is expected to be the team’s starting outside, and senior Natasha Tillman returning this year. Harrison and Tillman hope to provide the leadership and experience to help this young team thrive.
Thomas Dale Field Hockey
Last season was a rough one for the Knights field hockey team, as they were only able to win a few games. The low number of returning players coupled with an abnormal amount of injuries really prevented the team from finding its rhythm during the season. This season, coach Logan Mason’s expectations are set much higher.
“I have a great group of girls who are very motivated and work really well together,” Mason stated. “I don’t think the season will be easy, but if we continue to work hard as a team and stay focused on our goals, I think it will go really well for us.”
However, the Knights will have to go without the help of a former team captain Maddie Williams and a top defender in Madison Dawson, who both graduated.
On the bright side, Thomas Dale will be getting back its best player and team captain, junior Abby Sloan, who returns from an injury. The talented Sloan led the team in goals despite getting injured in the preseason and missing a good portion of the year. Some of the Knights ‘other returning players include Sidney Rickard, who Mason described as the heart of the team, and Haley Runyon, who is only a sophomore, but will vie for serious playing time this season.
With a bevy of returning players and young talent to go along with a team that has another year of experience playing together under their belt, the Knights are looking to rebound in a big way.
Matoaca Field Hockey
Last season for the Matoaca field hockey team was a rebuilding year. The Warriors competed and always played hard, but came up short of qualifying for the 5A South Region tournament. They accomplished this in a season in which they had a first-year coach, Clarissa Setters, who is entering this season with a year of experience. This added experience and familiarity has the Warriors as well as Setters hoping to build upon what they were able to accomplish last year.
“Last season the girls did exactly what I asked of them and I couldn’t have asked for better as a first-year coach,” Setters remarked, “But this year I expect us all to learn some new things including myself.”
However, this may be easier said than done as Setters and company will have to try to make up for the loss of nine seniors, including Aubree Carrasquillo, Maya Shirley, and Peyton Dryer. The
Warriors will also be without standout goalie Brianna Simon, who graduated and is now continuing her field hockey career at Ferrum College. Despite this, Setters remains optimistic that some of the new players joining the team this season will make a big difference. Hayden Thornbrugh, Annie Grace Louthan, Alexis Pedrick, and new goalie Ally Butler were all players singled out by Setters as players to watch out for this season.
“We have a fairly new team this year and only a few returners,” Setters said. “Each of them [players]has an important role in making this season a great one.”
Though it may not be an easy feat to accomplish with so many new faces on the team, the Warriors are confident they can be a force to be reckoned with.
Matoaca Girls Volleyball
The Warriors had an up-and-down season last year, finishing with a record of 12-11. While their record was not what they hoped it would be, there were plenty of reasons to still be encouraged.
One of those reasons was how well they played within their district, finishing 10-4 against those opponents. Enter first-year coach Tiara Boyd, who plans to emphasize the fundamentals, as her way of building a successful team and the Warriors look to improve.
“Our expectations this season are to focus on good teamwork and communication on the floor,” Boyd said. “With great teamwork and us staying focused on and off the floor the outcome will prevail.”
Matoaca lost a couple of key players but gained some as well. Despite the losses, Boyd has extreme confidence in the players she currently has and expects for them all to be able to contribute to the team. This isn’t too far-fetched, as the Warriors will have sophomores Lani Mason and Lindsey Temple returning for this season, and they’ve also gained some additional help in the form of transfer student Makenzy Johnson, who is coming to the team from James River. Boyd’s expectations for this trio couldn’t be higher.
“They play really well together and feed off each other. They communicate well, and with Makenzy as the setter, she knows exactly where to place the ball for them to execute the kill,” Boyd explained, “I’m excited to have them play and see them going far in the future.”
Even though it suffered a few losses, Boyd is hoping that with this mix of returning key players and new talent, Matoaca will be able to build upon what they established last year and make some serious noise.
