Volleyball: JCCHS equipped with experience, young talent this fall

Senior outside hitters Rachel Smith and Jasmine Williams both return, bringing experience to the team this fall. But coach Crystal Colley points to a crop of promising young players that should pay big dividends this year.

“They’re strong senior leaders,” Colley said of Smith and Williams, “but we also have a lot of JV players that have moved up that we’re excited about that have really stepped up at the camps.”
Those key varsity newcomers include Kelsey Zimmer (setter), Dorothy Maisonneuve (middle hitter) and Jaycee Caylor (middle hitter).

As for other returning varsity players, Jackson County welcomes back Jasmine Momin and Samantha Van Fleet. Colley notes that with Jackson County changing some of its schemes this year, Momin will play either libero spot or right side hitter.

Jackson County – which opens the season Aug. 13 at East Jackson – has been busy this summer after coming off an 11-win campaign in 2010.

The Panthers practiced three times a week and made their first-ever trip to a large college camp, trekking to Clemson for a four-day stay – something that Colley said was a big deal for the program. There, team picked up three victories.

“That was a really good team-bonding experience,” Colley said. “Most of my varsity players went and we got to play some very competitive teams there.”

Jackson County also participated in a training camp at Lakeview where it tied in each of its three scrimmages there.

Jackson County’s goal last year was to finish above .500 but fell short of that with an 11-24 mark. The Panthers aim to reach that plateau this year.

“With this team, we should hopefully have a winning season,” Colley said. “That would be the main goal … With the teams we’re looking at in our area, we want to be ranked in our subarea in at least in the top two going into the area tournament.”

In the meantime, Jackson County’s program continues to grow. Colley expects more players this year – about 35 – to tryout for the program as opposed to 25 a year ago. Colley also feels the talent level is up.

“I feel like each year, we keep getting better,” Colley said. “And I feel like this year we’re going to be better than last year. So that’s a plus for us. We continue to improve. Last year, I think we had 11 wins, so hopefully this year we surpass that.”

Jackson County also participated in a training camp at Lakeview where it tied in each of its three scrimmages there.

Jackson County’s goal last year was to finish above .500 but fell short of that with an 11-24 mark. The Panthers aim to reach that plateau this year.

“With this team, we should hopefully have a winning season,” said Colley who enters her fourth year as Jackson County’s coach. “That would be the main goal … With the teams we’re looking at in our area, we want to be ranked in our subarea in at least in the top two going into the area tournament.”

In the meantime, Jackson County’s program continues to grow. Colley expects more players this year – about 35 – to tryout for the program as opposed to 25 a year ago. Colley also feels the talent level is up.

“I feel like each year, we keep getting better,” Colley said. “And I feel like this year we’re going to be better than last year. So that’s a plus for us. We continue to improve. Last year, I think we had 11 wins, so hopefully this year we surpass that.”