Steady rise
Last fall, the Spain Park High School volleyball team continued a trend that is becoming more difficult to keep alive with each season.
In each of Kellye Bowen’s four seasons as the Jags’ head coach, the team has posted a better winning percentage than the previous year. In the last four years, the Jags have posted successive win-loss records of 9-22, 22-23, 24-15 and 24-12.
Even with the same number of wins in each of the last two years, the program defeated elite programs Hoover and Oak Mountain for the first time in Bowen’s tenure in 2017. Despite such a strong season, Spain Park wasn’t able to advance to the super regional tournament thanks to playing in an area with the likes of Oak Mountain and perennial contender Mountain Brook.
“Our kids were a top eight team [in Class 7A] and didn’t get a chance to show that,” Bowen said of her 2017 squad. “They were one of the best teams we’ve had here and they were competitive.”
In order to break through to the super regional tournament and potentially beyond, the Jags will be forced to adequately replace the contributions of Marlee Johnson and Caroline Horton, the two seniors from last fall.
“Those two contributed a lot, so it’s like losing six players because of how much they contributed leadership-wise and skill-wise,” Bowen said.
Bowen said the expectation for this year’s team is simply to “get better every day.” If that happens, the rest will take care of itself.
“They work well together,” she said. “They have really good chemistry.”
Sha’Kevia Hogan is a six-rotation outside hitter who the Jags are going to rely on for much of their offense this fall, as the senior will attempt to fill some of the production void left by Johnson. Allie DeSantis will also play all the way around. Bowen said DeSantis gives maximum effort at all times and is a “scrappy” player.
Along with Hogan and DeSantis, Lora Watkins is the third senior for Spain Park. Bowen said the right side player has continued to improve over the last few years and will contribute greatly again this year.
Spain Park has six juniors on the roster, including Olivia Stark, who will play primarily on the right side but can also play in the middle. Lexie Fowler is a defensive specialist, Jessica Veal is a setter, and Paris Morris and Alex Wright are both middle blockers. Kendall Irwin is an outside hitter but likely will be sidelined for the first few weeks of the season as she recovers from an injury.
Sophomore Katelyn Walsh is a defensive specialist and Audrey Rothman is a freshman that can play anywhere on the court and got some playing time last year as an eighth-grader.
“They’re going to need experience together,” Bowen said. “Staying consistent and not dropping off is a big thing. You can’t be up and down, up and down. You’ve got to have a little consistency.”
Class 7A, Area 6 looks a little different this fall. Spain Park and Mountain Brook remain, while Hewitt-Trussville, Vestavia Hills and John Carroll join the area.
The Jags began the season on Aug. 23 and play in Hoover’s annual Juanita Boddie Tournament Aug. 31-Sept. 1. On Sept. 22, Spain Park will host its HeffStrong Tournament, which honors former Berry Middle School teacher and coach Erin Heffner Ventress.