Someone has to get 2015 Volleyball discussion started....

[1-Adam-12]

Okay, I will.

Just wondering what your take is on the upcoming season and how the camps are going.

I will limit my discussion to 3A (maybe a little 4A) because that's what I'm familiar with, but you may talk about anyone you wish.

With Peevy seemingly in place at Paris and a very good libero in Highfield to go with other good talent, the Lady Eagles are going to be a strong contender.

I counted Mansfield out last season, and ate some crow about that.  So dismiss them at your own risk.  They may have lost some talent but they find ways to win.

Walnut Ridge was the surprise package last season, making it to the semis. That was also a young team so they should be good for some time to come.

Booneville may have their best team ever.  Five regulars return, along with a strong sophomore class that won 19 matches last season in JH and a very good move-in.

Jessieville should also be very good this season.  Piggott will be driven by the fact that state is at their place. Doubtless others will emerge as the season unfolds.

[Vballfan]

7A -  Fayetteville,  Har-Ber and Bentonville appear to be the favorites in the West, with Fayetteville the favorite overall n 7A.  Conway in the Central and NLR or Cabot in the 7A East.  Cabot returns 8 of 10 players from last year and should be improved. 

6A - its my understanding Marion returns everyone from their runner up team - I'll go with them as the favorite.  They aren't very big - but they can pass and play.  Russellville also returns some good players but also lost several from their state championship team.

Top players in the state watch:
2016 - Sadie Pate Bentonville, Ashton Sitkowski Russellvile (Arkansas State Commit), Diane Phillips Marion (Arkansas State Commit)

2017 - Madison Brown Cabot, (Arkansas State Commit), Emily Doss Har-Ber (UCA Commit)

2018 - Ella Powell Fayetteville (high D1 Recruit), Haley Warner Fayetteville (high D1 recruit)

6 D1 Commits or prospects show how much the sport is growing.  There are likely more.  Add several D2/D3/NAIA prospects and the volleyball is getting better and should continue to improve in this state! 

5A  - I'll go with Valley View - don't really know the competition in that class - but picking VV each year appears to be a pretty high percentage pick

[PrivateLesson]

Valley View is always a dominate team.  They all mostly play in summer travel leagues.   Mansfield, Mena and Waldron also do pretty well.  Not sure who or how many they have returning....but it is always fight.

Greenwood and Russellville both are always in the mix too.   Alma....did fairly well last year...not sure how many they have returning. 

Hopefully, it will be a great season.   

[1-Adam-12]

Walnut Ridge and Booneville had a great match today at Branson camp with the Lady Bobcats eking it out 25-22 28-26. It could have gone either way. Two really good 3A teams. Don't be surprised if they play again at the state tournament.

[Valleysports]

Valley View is always a dominate team.  They all mostly play in summer travel leagues.   Mansfield, Mena and Waldron also do pretty well.  Not sure who or how many they have returning....but it is always fight.

Greenwood and Russellville both are always in the mix too.   Alma....did fairly well last year...not sure how many they have returning. 

Hopefully, it will be a great season.

Greenwood hasn't been in the mix for 3 years.  I felt bad for their leader, last year, because of the battle she's fought since 9th grade.  Now they move forward without her.  But Russellville may never have another player, like the one who just graduated, again either.  They are definitely not starting over from scratch though.  Will Russellville have enough to win their 3rd state championship in 4 years?  Just have to wait and see.

[AllStarSportsFan]

Valley View is always a dominate team.  They all mostly play in summer travel leagues.   Mansfield, Mena and Waldron also do pretty well.  Not sure who or how many they have returning....but it is always fight.

Greenwood and Russellville both are always in the mix too.   Alma....did fairly well last year...not sure how many they have returning. 

Hopefully, it will be a great season.

Alma didn't make the playoffs.

[PrivateLesson]

I didn't say they did.   Just being positive for this year.


Top 3 teams last year I believe were

Russellville-  11-1-0
Conway-       8-2-0
Greenwood-   16-15-1 (if standings are incorrect please feel free to correct)


Greenwood will open non- conference with Mansfield on August 20th and I believe Alma is scheduled non conference against Rogers Heritage on August 24th.    Anyway...like I previously mentioned.....hoping it's a great season...oh and good luck to all the teams! 

[1-Adam-12]

Booneville was runner up in their bracket at Branson camp.  The team from Kansas that beat them out was third in their class and won 40 matches last season.  No shame there.

The Lady Cats beat Enid, OK to get to the finals.  I believe it was the 3rd highest bracket the camp had.  This can only help the girls as they move forward.

[AllStarSportsFan]

Alma....did fairly well last year...not sure how many they have returning. 

Hopefully, it will be a great season.

Alma didn't qualify for state.

[PrivateLesson]

Alma didn't qualify for state.

Not sure who you are addressing.....again, I never said they qualified for State.   Might help to learn how to use the quote feature.    Could care less what Discontent Valley has towards Greenwood or any other school.    Coach Drinkwitz and her Alma team I'm sure works hard. 

[Valleysports]

Alma didn't qualify for state.

Not sure who you are addressing.....again, I never said they qualified for State.   Might help to learn how to use the quote feature.    Could care less what Discontent Valley has towards Greenwood or any other school.    Coach Drinkwitz and her Alma team I'm sure works hard.

Discontent?  I'm very content with Greenwood's failure the last three years! LOL However since you brought it up   . Three years ago Greenwood and a young Russellville Team were heading to the Championship.  Greenwood was very arrogant that year, with a stacked senior club team.  Anyway Greenwood Players got Russellville Players phone numbers and proceeded texting them inappropriate messages all week.  They also sent pictures of state rings, they hadn't won yet, with their names on them.  What they should've done is spent more time preparing for the game.  Russellville's coach hung those pictures up on the wall.  Russellville upset Greenwood and have dominated them ever since.  Does that answer your question about what Valley has against Greenwood's VB Team?  Haha

I appreciate your sunshine pumping "Everybody is a Winner" shotgun outlook though - seriously! 

[AllStarSportsFan]

Alma didn't qualify for state.

Not sure who you are addressing.....again, I never said they qualified for State.   Might help to learn how to use the quote feature.    Could care less what Discontent Valley has towards Greenwood or any other school.    Coach Drinkwitz and her Alma team I'm sure works hard.

I guess it matters how you define "did fairly well last year".  I'm sure the Alma girls and coach do work hard.

Sorry about the qoute malfunction.

[PrivateLesson]

It just helps make it easier to see that you answered in checking off topics read and who you are replying too sometimes......The quote function is kinda hard to use if your on a phone!  Believe me....I know! 


And anytime you have open text......it is hard sometimes to determine what or how something is being said.       However, I don't believe in bashing kids or teams....if that helps.   

[AllStarSportsFan]

It just helps make it easier to see that you answered in checking off topics read and who you are replying too sometimes......The quote function is kinda hard to use if your on a phone!  Believe me....I know! 


And anytime you have open text......it is hard sometimes to determine what or how something is being said.       However, I don't believe in bashing kids or teams....if that helps.

So are you replying to me?   

[1-Adam-12]

I heard Paris did extremely well in Mena's team camp, beating the hosts, Lakeside and Ft Lake. Of course I don't know if any of them were missing any of their big guns.

Booneville goes to West Fork tomorrow for a one-day camp.

[Vballfan]

NLR beat cabot soundly at Benton team, cabot beat bryant, then lost to Batesville and then beat lakeside.  It's too early to give up hope that it might be different this year, but with 7 seniors, a D1 committed junior outside hitter, and a couple other juniors that have played high level club ball, they should expect to have a good season and not accept losing.

Tomorrow they play Conway and a Host Benton.   Cabot did win Arkansas Team camp earlier this summer against a bunch of Missouri schools. 

[PrivateLesson]

I heard Paris did extremely well in Mena's team camp, beating the hosts, Lakeside and Ft Lake. Of course I don't know if any of them were missing any of their big guns.

Booneville goes to West Fork tomorrow for a one-day camp.

Update on how the lady Bearcats looked today?

[1-Adam-12]

They won 8 games out of 9.  The format was 50 minutes vs. a given opponent, however many games you could play.

Began with West Fork, won the first game easily.  Went down 1-17 in 2nd game and got it back to 23-23 before WF scored the last two.  Then overwhelmed Lincoln not letting them get to double digits in any of the 4 games.  Played WF again and won all three this time (25-14 25-18 15-8, time ran out.)

Other than that one stretch vs. WF the Lady Cats looked very good. We were without our libero for this camp but the girls that stepped in did very well.  Lost three starters including an All-State OH, but two sophomores and a junior have come in and have been impressive so far.  Does help that those three are 6-foot, 5-10, and 5-9 and all have played two years of JO.

[PrivateLesson]

That's very good and some great height to go along with talent.   I believe that Waldron lost Nikki Harrison but it's my understanding that Waldron is a pretty young team.  Coach Mo usually has a tough team.    Hopefully, it will be an exciting year in Volleyball in the State! 

[1-Adam-12]

Yes, Harrison has graduated.  She was a really good all-sports athlete.

Waldron is going to depend a lot on Coach Mo's daughter this season.  I think she is a setter.  It is also my understanding they will be young.

Mena graduated their libero (Bunch) who was excellent.  They will have a hard time replacing her. Their offense will still be potent with Torix and the Brotherton twins.

I think in 3A and 4A the West and Northeast teams will be very strong.

[gatecrasher]

Watch Cutter Morning Star this fall.
Four seniors are itching to get the Lady Eagles to their first ever state tournament.
They have beaten the likes of Texarkana, Arkadelphia, Hot Springs, and HS Lakeside in team camp play this summer.
They moved my kid (Kaylee Cameron) to libero and the attack has taken off since. They look like a different team.

I have told her that they need to be consistent game in and game out if they want to have that special season. Inconsistency has crippled them the last two years.

[Valleysports]

Haha how's that girl doing old friend?

[1-Adam-12]

Watch Cutter Morning Star this fall.
Four seniors are itching to get the Lady Eagles to their first ever state tournament.
They have beaten the likes of Texarkana, Arkadelphia, Hot Springs, and HS Lakeside in team camp play this summer.
They moved my kid (Kaylee Cameron) to libero and the attack has taken off since. They look like a different team.

I have told her that they need to be consistent game in and game out if they want to have that special season. Inconsistency has crippled them the last two years.

Some pretty impressive wins, particularly Arkadelphia and Lakeside.  Those two are consistent state tournament teams.  If they can maintain, perhaps a state tournament is in the offing. 

The South is the conference who gets 4 in this time.  Jessieville, Episcopal, Lee County are probably three of them.  If CMS can beat Perryville they should get in.  Good luck!

[gatecrasher]

How you doing Valley?

[sevenof400]

While we're looking ahead to the upcoming season, y'all might want to be aware of the rules changes.
Click here.

There are some penalty changes that will be significant. 

[gatecrasher]

Well, it's only a benefit game for CMS at Hot Springs High, but it's a game nonetheless. 

Kaylee and her team believe they can not only make the state tournament,  but make a deep run there.

Well, one of two things will happen based on what I am seeing tonight.

Either they will stop being the creator of their own chaos and be the contenders they believe they are or they will be the most talented underachievers in the state.

This is a deep, talented and experienced team. But they gotta play as one unit. 

[Valleysports]

Well, it's only a benefit game for CMS at Hot Springs High, but it's a game nonetheless. 

Kaylee and her team believe they can not only make the state tournament,  but make a deep run there.

Well, one of two things will happen based on what I am seeing tonight.

Either they will stop being the creator of their own chaos and be the contenders they believe they are or they will be the most talented underachievers in the state.

This is a deep, talented and experienced team. But they gotta play as one unit.

LOL - you just described a lot of teams.  That's typical of talented teams early in the season though.  Hang in there Gate - VB is way more frustrating than football.... haha

[Vballfan]

Well, it's only a benefit game for CMS at Hot Springs High, but it's a game nonetheless. 

Kaylee and her team believe they can not only make the state tournament,  but make a deep run there.

Well, one of two things will happen based on what I am seeing tonight.

Either they will stop being the creator of their own chaos and be the contenders they believe they are or they will be the most talented underachievers in the state.

This is a deep, talented and experienced team. But they gotta play as one unit.

These words could be said for the team I support as well!  It takes a really strong coach or an unselfish group of kids to play as a team in high school.  If neither develop - its a long season.  Hopefully your team figures it out.

[1-Adam-12]

An update on Paris' showing in that camp.  It is now my understanding that Mena was full strength and that Paris was without Peevy and one other player.

While it was still a camp situation, that makes Paris' resume even more impressive.

We shall see what happens when it's for real. Like in the Mena tournament a week from tomorrow, where 11 of the 12 teams involved made their respective state tournaments last year including two state champions and a state runner-up.

In alphabetical order, the teams at Mena are:

Arkadelphia, Ashdown, Booneville, Fountain Lake, Jessieville, Lake Hamilton, Lakeside, Lavaca, Mansfield, Mena, Paris and Waldron.  Arkadelphia was the only team not to make State.

[gatecrasher]

Cutter Morning Star moves to 3-1 overall and 3-0 in conference play with a sweep of Mountain Pine this evening.

After dropping the first five sets to Malvern and Perryville to start the season, the Lady Eagles are on a 9 set winning streak.