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2026 Times girls volleyball preview: What to expect from our area’s spikers this fall · Illinois Valley - Shaw Local

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  Speaker 1: Twenty twenty six Times Girls Volleyball preview. What to expect
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  Speaker 1: from our area's spikers this fall. Written by JT. Penalty.
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  Speaker 1: This article is being read by an automated voice brought
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  Speaker 1: to you by Everlett, with opening serves scheduled for Monday.
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  Speaker 1: Here is a team by team look at the seasons
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  Speaker 1: ahead for the high school girls volleyball teams across the
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  Speaker 1: Times Area. Seneca Fighting Irish coach Noah Champione ninth season
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  Speaker 1: last season twenty four to twelve, eight to one, Tri
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  Speaker 1: County Top returners Grayson Provence SSR, Brooklyn Sheety O Junior,
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  Speaker 1: m Amino DSSR, Tory Skelton DSR, Gracie Smith RSSR, Frankie Myers,
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  Speaker 1: oh Hadenfie for MHSR. Top newcomers Emilia Holman MHFR, Kylie
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  Speaker 1: Rally DS Junior, Brinley Hunt DS Junior Worth Noting five
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  Speaker 1: starters return from last falls Fighting Irish squad, which won
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  Speaker 1: the Tri County Conference championship. Expectations are even high this
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  Speaker 1: year with a roster led by six seniors. Provence Times
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  Speaker 1: Alarea Second Team, while Myers was honorable mention in addition
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  Speaker 1: to Sheidy, a Times Alarea first team selection as a
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  Speaker 1: sophomore after a season that saw her put down three
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  Speaker 1: twenty three kills, thirty wins and postseason hardware are realistic goals.
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  Speaker 1: I have high expectations for this team, Champayne said. We
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  Speaker 1: should be a strong, serving team, athletic defensively, and have
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  Speaker 1: the experience to compete with teams in our area. Woodland
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  Speaker 1: Warriors coach Michelle Pitt seventh season last season seven eighteen
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  Speaker 1: one eight Tri County top returners Addie Ewing, OH Junior
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  Speaker 1: Grace Longmeyer MHSR Worth noting Longmire returns for a fourth
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  Speaker 1: and final year in the Warrior Dome as one of
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  Speaker 1: the area's most dominating net presences. She earned Times Alria
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  Speaker 1: team's second team status a year ago. Despite the down
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  Speaker 1: year for the Warriors in terms of wins and losses,
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  Speaker 1: Longmire and Ewing returned to lead this year's team team
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  Speaker 1: being the operable word, according to Pitt, to continue to
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  Speaker 1: play as one team. Pitt said of team goals, the
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  Speaker 1: girls play so well together. They had so much fun
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  Speaker 1: during our summer league, and I really hope we keep
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  Speaker 1: that feeling going throughout the season. We are really just
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  Speaker 1: going to focus on remembering why we love this sport
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  Speaker 1: in general. Having fun and playing as a team are
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  Speaker 1: my goals for them this year. Marquette Crusaders coach Mindy
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  Speaker 1: McConaughey sixteenth season, last season fifteen sixteen, three to six
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  Speaker 1: Tri County Top returners Lucy McGrath mb Junior, Kelsey Kutra
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  Speaker 1: mbs R, Kinley, Rick Soh Junior, Chloe Thrush mb SO,
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  Speaker 1: Grayson Taylor, Gaman's OPPSR, Caitlin Davis OSR, Charrissa Blood DSSR,
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  Speaker 1: Hunter Hopkins DSR, Jacoby Reed DSSH Junior. Top newcomers Rita
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  Speaker 1: McLaughlin SOHFR, Mackenzie Ham DSFR, Lily Brewer OPP Junior, Melanie
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  Speaker 1: Gonzales OHDS Junior, Paisley Cash ds so Worth. Noting a
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  Speaker 1: deep and versatile roster coupled with strong upperclassmen, suggests this
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  Speaker 1: could be a bounce back season for a Marquette team
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  Speaker 1: that just missed an eighth and consecutive winning season. Rick
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  Speaker 1: times All Area First Teamer in twenty twenty five, Kutra
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  Speaker 1: All Area Honorable Mention and McGrath All Area Honorable Mention
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  Speaker 1: are all proven performers on the court, while the versatility
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  Speaker 1: will allow McConaughey to mix and match as the team gels.
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  Speaker 1: I am excited to see how this season unfolds, the
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  Speaker 1: sixteenth year coach said, our seniors have truly stepped up
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  Speaker 1: and embraced their roles as leaders, setting a strong example
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  Speaker 1: for the rest of the team. As a group, we
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  Speaker 1: have shown tremendous growth and maturity since last season, and
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  Speaker 1: our freshmen have displayed confidence and composure beyond their years.
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  Speaker 1: There is a different mindset and level of focus within
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  Speaker 1: the team this year, and I believe this group has
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  Speaker 1: a great deal of potential. Dwight Trojan's coach Steven Lopez,
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  Speaker 1: fifth season last season nineteen sixteen, four to five Tri
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  Speaker 1: County Top returners Kenzie Livingston SO, Claire Sandeno Sr. Delaney
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  Speaker 1: Bouche Sr. Kit Connor Sr. Top newcomers Addie Pittinger, so,
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  Speaker 1: Calli Robinson Junior, Avery Crouch Junior Worth, noting Dwight enjoyed
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  Speaker 1: a breakthrough season last fall, knocking on the door of
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  Speaker 1: twenty wins while hoisting the program's first Class one A
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  Speaker 1: Regional championship plaque since a run of four straight from
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  Speaker 1: two thousand and six zero nine. Sandeno First Team All
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  Speaker 1: TCC Bouche Second Team All TCC and Livingston Honorable Mention
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  Speaker 1: ALLTCC will lead along with new primary setter Connor. The
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  Speaker 1: team aspect Lopez is in place for another successful season.
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  Speaker 1: The ladies have a good dynamic and team energy that
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  Speaker 1: will allow for them to execute a good game. Lopez said,
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  Speaker 1: the girls are constantly talking about improving and taking the
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  Speaker 1: steps to push each other to become better. We just
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  Speaker 1: have to play our game and not give up or
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  Speaker 1: give into anything. Streeter Bulldog Spikers coach Julie Gabhart NINT
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  Speaker 1: season last season seventeen seventeen two five nine Illinois Central eight.
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  Speaker 1: Top returners Kinsley's Sweden S Junior, Malaya Zavada, MB Junior,
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  Speaker 1: Alexa bar OSR, Sophie snow En, BSR, Kennedy Harcheroch DSSR.
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  Speaker 1: Top newcomers Avery Gribbin, oait So, Ashley Taylor S Junior,
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  Speaker 1: Ria Huey, Oichop Junior, Shelby Ondik d S Junior, Sr.
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  Speaker 1: Kier and black Ds Junior Addie Henderson OHDS Junior. Worth
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  Speaker 1: noting last season was the Bulldog Spiker's second winning campaign
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  Speaker 1: in the past three years, and Streeter seems in good
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  Speaker 1: position to make it three of four with goals of
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  Speaker 1: a winning record, a top three finish in the loaded
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  Speaker 1: at the top ice conference, and to compete every day.
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  Speaker 1: Gaba Hart said, we are working on more consistency and
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  Speaker 1: serve receive and improved ability to score went out of system.
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  Speaker 1: The Bulldog Spikers have to replace the all around effect
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  Speaker 1: of the twenty twenty five Times Girls Volleyball Player of
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  Speaker 1: the Year. The graduated Aubrey Jacobs, but have proven pieces
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  Speaker 1: back to help fill that void. Led by Times All
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  Speaker 1: Area Second Teamer Sweden and honorable mentionees bar Snow and Nevada.
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  Speaker 1: The Bulldogs opened the season Monday with a cross town
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  Speaker 1: match at Woodland, Ottawa. Pirates coach Christina Correy second season
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  Speaker 1: last season nine to twenty three to two, one to nine,
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  Speaker 1: Interstate eight. Top returners Meredith Waldron Junior, Bellanol Sr. Ashland
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  Speaker 1: Gainier Sr. Libby Muffler Sr. Savannah Marky junior, Bailey Etscheided Sr.
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  Speaker 1: Top newcomers Lelah Platt junior, Kielan Gross junior, Haley Thrush Junior,
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  Speaker 1: Worth noting while the showed bursts of inspired play, last
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  Speaker 1: season's Pirates team struggled to put those good runs together
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  Speaker 1: point to point, set to set, match to match. We
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  Speaker 1: are looking for more consistency this season, Corey said. Last
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  Speaker 1: year we were a young team with very few season players,
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  Speaker 1: and as a result, we experienced a lot of highs
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  Speaker 1: and lows. This year, we are coming in with more
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  Speaker 1: experience and are working to improve in the areas we
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  Speaker 1: struggled with in the past. Defense and first contact should
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  Speaker 1: be strengths of our team. We have six returning starters
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  Speaker 1: on our roster from last season, so our varsity experience
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  Speaker 1: is more well rounded than last year. Our team culture
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  Speaker 1: and chemistry have already shown to be an asset for us.
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  Speaker 1: During the preseason. Both Noel and Waldron were times All
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  Speaker 1: Area Honorable mentionees a year ago. Ottawa will per usual
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  Speaker 1: host its Ottawa Invitational the opening weekend of the season.
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  Speaker 1: Sandwich Indians coach Shannon second season last season eight twenty five,
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  Speaker 1: four to ten, Kishwaukeee River. Top returners Liza Goodbred Junior,
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  Speaker 1: Riley Hummel Sr. Alila Harris Sr. Chlow White Junior. Top
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  Speaker 1: newcomers Jessica Ramy Sr. Bailey Brummel Junior. Worth noting Stall
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  Speaker 1: seems excited that she has a lot of returning players
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  Speaker 1: who know the game of volleyball. These girls have been
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  Speaker 1: playing together a long time and they have a great
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  Speaker 1: team first mentality. We have a solid group of girls
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  Speaker 1: this year. White and Ramy will serve as the Indian setters.
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  Speaker 1: Hummel is a top notch back row defender and Harris
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  Speaker 1: is a force at the net. Last falls leaders in
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  Speaker 1: both blocks and kills. This will be Sandwich's last season
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  Speaker 1: in the KRC before joining the Illinois Central Eight Conference
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  Speaker 1: next school year. Flannagan Cornell Falcons coach Devin Rich second
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  Speaker 1: season last season seventeen fifteen three nine Heart of Illinois.
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  Speaker 1: Top returners Brooklyn Miles Sr. Aubrey Edens Sr. Brooklyn Delheimer,
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  Speaker 1: Junior Billy Joe Sheehorn Junior, Top newcomers Raina van Wield
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  Speaker 1: and junior Piper McMillan Sr. Worth noting the Falcons are
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  Speaker 1: reloading after a winning season led by last year's senior class.
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  Speaker 1: We are very excited to have a new group of players,
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  Speaker 1: as we lost many of our scenastures and contributing players
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  Speaker 1: from last year. Rich said. The new players bring a
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  Speaker 1: fresh start to the year and we are looking forward
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  Speaker 1: to what we can do the Falcons may take some
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  Speaker 1: time to gel, but they always seems dangerous and the
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  Speaker 1: class won a tournament no matter their regular season and
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  Speaker 1: HOC records. Fieldcrest Knights coach Gracie Schultz first season, last
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  Speaker 1: season sixteen seventeen, two five seven, Heart of Illinois Top
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  Speaker 1: returners Terry Lynn Timmerman, OSR, Colonie Armstrong and SR. Kaitlin
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  Speaker 1: Palm DS Junior top newcomers Claire Forest, so, Leah Arms, So,
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  Speaker 1: Ivory Bryant, So, Jersey Moudro M's worth noting. Schultz steps
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  Speaker 1: in as head coach of a traditionally successful Nights program
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  Speaker 1: that just missed a winning season despite playing in the
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  Speaker 1: rough and tumble HEOC. The new head coach hopes to
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  Speaker 1: speed up the offense and has been impressed with the
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  Speaker 1: positive and at times silly spirit of her squad. Every
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  Speaker 1: practice comes with its own set of laughs, and every
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  Speaker 1: girl feels valued on and off the court. She said,
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  Speaker 1: they are very excited to start training and getting as
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  Speaker 1: many reps as possible. We have had so many people
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  Speaker 1: comment on the atmosphere and we are anticipating a really
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  Speaker 1: great season with lots of good improvements. Newark Norseman coach PJ.
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  Speaker 1: McKinney third season. Last season thirty two five ten zero
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  Speaker 1: little ten. Top returners Kayla Pottinger DS Junior, Taylor Jeffers, s,
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  Speaker 1: Zoe Carlson, mh SO, Riley Carlson, OWID Junior, Tessacott MHSR,
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  Speaker 1: Elbermland SRSSR. Top newcomers Kylo SADS Junior, Ashley Underhill OHRS
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  Speaker 1: Junior Worth noting it was another spectacular season for Norseman volleyball,
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  Speaker 1: one that ended with the team notching thirty two victories
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  Speaker 1: and the program's eighth consecutive Class one A regional championship.
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  Speaker 1: Expect more of the same, and maybe even more than
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  Speaker 1: that this year, with a loaded roster led by Times
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  Speaker 1: All Area First teamers Riley Carlson two hundred sixty two kills,
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  Speaker 1: two hundred fourteen digs IVCA All State First Team and
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  Speaker 1: Jeffers four to forty four assists seventy two aces IVCA
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  Speaker 1: All State Second Team and second teamer Zoe Carlson two
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  Speaker 1: hundred twelve kills seventy blocks IVCA All State Honorable mention,
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  Speaker 1: With its primary setter and top two attackers returning, along
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  Speaker 1: with defensive leader Pottinger at Loborrow. Newark looks to be
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  Speaker 1: the team to beat in the Little ten and a
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  Speaker 1: Class one A contender again. We will be a very
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  Speaker 1: versatile group offensively, with multiple players hitting from all three
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  Speaker 1: positions in the front row, McKinney said. Taylor and Ella
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  Speaker 1: will have plenty of options to get the ball to
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  Speaker 1: for points. We will be very scrappy on the defensive side,
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  Speaker 1: and our serve receiver will be solid. We expect to
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  Speaker 1: be at the top of the Little Ten Conference and
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  Speaker 1: competing in high level tournaments. Leland Panthers coach Alex Bickel
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  Speaker 1: last season thirteen fifteen five four Little ten Worth noting
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  Speaker 1: the Panthers continued their climb last season, finishing in the
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  Speaker 1: top half of the Little Ten Conference, led by the
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  Speaker 1: play of now graduated outside hitter Izzy Podnar. Leland is
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  Speaker 1: scheduled to open Tuesday at low Point Washburn. Earlville Red
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  Speaker 1: Raiders coach Tanya Shear twenty seventh season. Last season twenty one,
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  Speaker 1: thirteen six three Little Ten Top returners J. C. Helgeson SR.
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  Speaker 1: Addie Shaer Sr. Liz Vasquez, SR. Peyton Actus, Sr. Audrey
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  Speaker 1: Shearer Junior, Kylie Frenzies Sr. Top newcomers Riley Hill Sr.
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  Speaker 1: Kylie Helgeson Sr. Savanna Lawton Junior, Riley Collins Junior, Ava
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  Speaker 1: Wiland so Worth noting the twenty twenty five season was
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  Speaker 1: a great one for the Red Raiders and twenty twenty
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  Speaker 1: six projects to be even better, with six starters counting
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  Speaker 1: Vasquez at libero, returning from last falls twenty one win club,
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  Speaker 1: including five times All Area Honorable mentionees Actis at, Ceter
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  Speaker 1: Helgeson at outside hitter, Addison Chaer at middleback, Audrey Scherer
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  Speaker 1: at outside hitter, de Sector and Vazkez at defensive specialist.
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  Speaker 1: Coming into preseason practices, the spots of starting middle and
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  Speaker 1: outside hitter were an open competition. When asked her Red
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  Speaker 1: Raiders' strengths, the area's longest tenured coach said experience, chemistry, determination,
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  Speaker 1: serving and defense. Our go goals are to finish with
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  Speaker 1: a winning record and at the top of the conference.
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  Speaker 1: Serena Huskers coach Chris Byork first season, third overall last
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  Speaker 1: season December first, twenty five, eight one Little ten Top
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  Speaker 1: returners Alexa McNally OPDSSR, Emily Hoffman, m Anna, Herpa Matti
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  Speaker 1: Young SSR. Matti Brooker, Brinley Glade, DSSR, Kier mcnellis d
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  Speaker 1: S Junior. Top newcomers Reagan Strange Opp Junior, Caddy Stegman
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  Speaker 1: DS Junior, Caddy Johnson, d S Junior, Charlie Turner OPP Junior,
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  Speaker 1: Matti stegmant S Junior, Parker Twait m Junior, Madeline Sturcy
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  Speaker 1: oj Worth. Noting, b Yorke returns for his second stint
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  Speaker 1: as head coach of the Huskers, taking over a program
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  Speaker 1: that's coming off a twenty five win season and runner
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  Speaker 1: up finish in the Little Ten Conference, but returns just
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  Speaker 1: one of its four times All Area Team Honorees schrpe
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  Speaker 1: at outside hitter. Still, the cupboard is far from bear.
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  Speaker 1: I am excited to be back at Serena coaching for
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  Speaker 1: the Huskers again. B Yorke said, this group of players
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  Speaker 1: are not only talented when it comes to volleyball, but
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  Speaker 1: have great character. This is going to be a fun year.
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  Speaker 1: This is a talented group of players who are eager
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  Speaker 1: to learn and be coached. There is already a strong
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  Speaker 1: chemistry that allows them to work well together on the court.
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  Speaker 1: Somanok Bobcats coach Christy Pruski fourth season last season nineteen
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  Speaker 1: ten seven to two Little ten top returners eighty Werner Sr.
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  Speaker 1: Top newcomers Shaney King junior Ashley McCoy junior, Worth noting
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  Speaker 1: while they will be in different positions and roles, the
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  Speaker 1: Bobcats have a decent sized senior class this season to
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  Speaker 1: fill the void from last year's graduating seniors, specifically the
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  Speaker 1: middle hitter position, Pruski said, referring to the graduation of
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  Speaker 1: twenty twenty five team leader Abby Hohmann. The team's depth
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  Speaker 1: and versatility will aid in that we have numerous players
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  Speaker 1: who are versals in their positions, allowing for lineup flexibility
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  Speaker 1: depending upon our opponent. Our goals are to serve tough,
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  Speaker 1: but preci precision and accuracy, command the back row defensively,
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  Speaker 1: and always persevere. We don't have a tall team, so
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  Speaker 1: learning to read the hitter and anticipate the opponent's offense
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  Speaker 1: is an area where we can constantly grow. Werner was
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  Speaker 1: a times All Area Team Honorable mentionee as a junior