Volleyball

Jacob Craig

Kimenhour, Craig receive national honors

By VN Staff on May 28, 2020 Volleyball

By Walter Scott Jr. Two Thomas Dale boys’ volleyball alums received accolades and good news over the past week. Will Kimenhour, a 2019 graduate, earned a spot on the United States national volleyball team. “Will will forever be an example of [the ideal that] if you work hard, good things will happen,” said Thomas Dale boys’ volleyball coach Joshua Forbes. “Will struggled early in his career at Dale, but through hard work, he turned himself into one of the best we have ever had. The players at Dale currently remember how he went about his business and strive to follow…

Volleyball roundup

By VN Staff on October 15, 2019 Sports, Volleyball

By Joe Short Thomas Dale Boys The Dale boys team finds itself at 8-3 overall. They have split the season series with rival James River, the team that knocked them off in the state tournament last season. Coach Josh Forbes praised Gabe Palmer. “He is an anchor for us in serve-receive. He has consistently been our best passer on both sides of the net without question.” Thomas Dale Girls The Lady Knights are 6-5 after playing consecutive challenging opponents. Coach Ron Cathers has looked past their record, seeing the team cohesiveness. “The team has come together in arduous moments,”…

Knights looking to win state

By Josh Mathews on September 2, 2019 Sports, Volleyball

Thomas Dale High boys volleyball coach Joshua Forbes watches in last year’s state championship game. Despite losing two college talents and three first-team all-state contributors, coach Joshua Forbes actually thinks that this year’s rendition of Thomas Dale High School boys volleyball could be better. “We have so much balance,” Forbes said. “We have a team full of guys who could be our go-to guy on any night.” Losing talents like Kimenhour, Scott and Miller hurts, but Forbes pointed out that last year, the Knights had to rely on them to win games at times. While they don’t have the prototypical…

TDHS grad nets success: Blankenbecler makes name for himself at another Chesterfield school

By Amanda Creasey on February 5, 2019 People, Sports, Volleyball

Blankenbecler hoists a state championship trophy. Michael Blankenbecler, James River High School’s boys volleyball coach, never expected to become a coach, much less have three state championships tucked comfortably under his belt within the first five seasons of his career. In fact, Blankenbecler’s earliest athletic endeavors didn’t involve volleyball at all, but baseball and basketball, sports he began playing when he was about 9. “There aren’t many opportunities to play volleyball that young,” Blankenbecler explained. His first introduction to volleyball came through his parents and aunt, who played on a co-ed team their church formed. He recalls playing games with…

Knight volleyballers fall in state final

By Josh Mathews on November 20, 2018 Sports, Volleyball

ABOVE: Will Kimenhour (32) and Andrew Carraway try to block a James River strike. Thomas Dale High School’s boys volleyball team knocked on heaven’s door Thursday evening, but James River answered. The Rapids dispatched the Knights 3-1 to claim their third state title in the last five seasons. “This community has been amazing in helping us get back to this point,” Thomas Dale head coach Joshua Forbes said. “We have worked really hard for a long time to get us back here. The support from the alumni, and our school’s administration – they, along with the team, have worked really hard,…

TDHS volleyball headed to state

By Josh Mathews on November 6, 2018 Sports, Volleyball

Thomas Dale High School’s boys volleyball team is headed to the state tournament. On the cusp of a region title, the Knights are preparing for a run at a state championship. Thomas Dale and James River played Monday in the regional final. The winner will be the top seed and the loser will be the second seed in the state tournament. Both teams will compete in the state semifinals. Under head coach Josh Forbes, the team has gone 15-2, falling only to Deep Run and James River. Any team goes through challenges, and this version of the team is no…

Thomas Dale boys volleyball team shares the volunteer spirit

By Leon George on October 23, 2018 Volleyball

ABOVE: Josh Forbes is pictured during a boys volleyball practice last week. He encouraged his team to volunteer to help the community, and the idea has spread to other teams at Thomas Dale High School. Forbes is in his sixth year of coaching at the school. Every generation has some people whose favorite pastime is speaking about younger generations with sarcastic disdain. We’ve all heard them bemoaning the young for not appreciating how easy they have it. They punctuate that fact by regaling themselves with stories of hardship about walking to school, uphill both ways, in five feet of snow.…

Lani Mason (left) and Makenzy Johnson (right) pose for a photo before a Matoaca volleyball match

Matoaca volleyball sends two to highest collegiate level

By Josh Mathews on January 31, 2018 Community, Sports, Volleyball

Under coach Tiara Boyd, Matoaca volleyball made a historic postseason run this year to the 5A state tournament, a first in school history. Now, two players have reaped the benefits of their hard work and success in the classroom and on the court. Senior Mackenzy Johnson has committed to play Division I volleyball at Norfolk State, and junior Lani Mason has cone the same for Delaware. “When I stepped on campus, I fell in the love,” Johnson said. “I know people from both James River and Matoaca and I felt comfortable there and really related to the coaching staff.” “Delaware…

Matoaca girls volleyball breaks school’s drought

By Mark Fausz on November 30, 2017 Volleyball

Matoaca girls’ volleyball, led by coach Tiara Boyd, accomplished a school first last Thursday when they defeated Glen Allen 3-2. The Warriors became the first team of any sport in school history to advance to a state tournament. Matoaca will face Atlee Wednesday, Nov. 8 in the first round of the Region 5 State Tournament. The team is led by senior setter Makenzy Johnson, a sure-fire candidate for 5A state player of the year and two standout juniors in Lani Mason and Lindsey Temple. Senior Jordan Morris is a defensive-minded player and a strong blocker. Alexus Costello is yet another…

Matoaca girls Conference 12 champions

By Josh Mathews on November 11, 2016 Uncategorized, Volleyball

By Yousef Hattar – Setting the tone at the beginning of the year and finishing it off strong is the formula for a winning season. The Matoaca girls’ volleyball team is doing just that. With a record of 22-3, the Warriors climbed their way up to a Conference 12 Championship. First-year coach and Conference Coach of the Year Tiara Boyd is proud of what her girls have accomplished and is looking forward to the road ahead. “These girls have worked very hard toward the goal of making it this far,” Boyd said. “We are still striving to get to the…

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