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Spain Park's Cailyn Kyes.
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Chelsea's Sophia Bagley.
The 2025 high school volleyball season has arrived. Each of the local programs is in a different spot, with Briarwood and Oak Mountain on the way up, Spain Park trying to return to the postseason and Chelsea retooling with a young but talented roster.
BRIARWOOD
Briarwood enters its second season under head coach Chris Camper with more comfort and familiarity in the system he brought to the program.
“The girls are a lot more focused on volleyball than a new coaching staff,” Camper said. “They’re more comfortable with our system and the way we look at the game.”
The Lions have committed to getting better in the offseason, with players adding beach volleyball, other training and extra time in the gym to sharpen their skills.
Seniors Clara Crawford and Saylor Eighmy are back and ready to lead the way.
Junior Julie Roberts, committed to South Alabama, is a key player on the pin.
Camper said having those three players is a great starting point for this year’s team. The Lions have more depth this season and could make a deep postseason run, depending on the draw. The Lions will challenge themselves with a schedule heavy on Class 6A and 7A opponents, plus tournaments like the Juanita Boddie, Shrimp Fest and the Mayor’s Cup.
Briarwood will also host the Barry Walker Invitational on Sept. 27, a 16-team event featuring some of the state’s top Class 5A programs.
CHELSEA
Chelsea is embracing the transition following last year’s Class 6A final four run. Last season’s senior class was special, headlined by Lauren Buchanan, who is now a freshman at Texas Tech.
Expectations are not as high for this year’s Hornets, but head coach Jamie Gill is eager to see her young team’s development this fall.
“We’re very fortunate to have a lot of young players that are talented that are coming in,” Gill said. “There’s been a lot of growth this summer. I’ve talked to them a lot about how our growth is going to look a lot different. We’re going to look a lot different by the end of the season.”
Gill acknowledged the challenge of replacing departed leaders. But she also sees an opportunity for the team to improve immensely as the players gain experience and continue their development.
“We knew the talent that was leaving and the challenge that was ahead and we were up for the challenge,” she said. “It’s given opportunities for kids that haven’t led in the past to stand up and be leaders.”
Key returners include junior outside hitter Alexis Rudolph and four seniors: libero Sophia Bagley and defensive specialists Ally Davis, Claire Casey and Olivia Backes. Lane Muller, a sophomore, has transitioned from middle to outside, and Gill expects her to be a significant player in the near future.
OAK MOUNTAIN
Head coach Anna Claire Harris is excited about the continuity in the program, as she enters her second season at Oak Mountain. The camaraderie of the 2025 squad adds to her anticipation, as the Eagles have a roster with six seniors.
“The six have been playing together since middle school,” Harris said. “They like each other and enjoy being together.”
Replacing middle Aubrie Lay, now at Mississippi College, will be a challenge for the Eagles.
Betsy Smith and Kate Gordon stand out among the team’s leaders. Smith will play all the way around, and Gordon is a consistent force on the back row and is committed to play at Pensacola State.
Caroline Whitehurst is a six-rotation outside hitter and is a big piece of the Eagles’ attack. Caroline Spence is another senior contributor in the middle. Claire Connell and Lilly Kerr are senior defenders.
Ally Ross is a junior who will rotate alongside Spence in the middle. Caroline Ohlson got some playing time on varsity toward the end of last season and is a hitter with plenty of potential. Alexis Heard has transferred into the program and will be a factor on the right side.
Kara Denenberg and Molly O’Dell are versatile juniors capable of playing multiple positions. Vivian Harris is a junior defender.
“I believe this team can reach state,” Harris said. “Anytime in Class 7A, it’s going to be tough, but I do believe that these kids aren’t afraid of that. They’re excited to lean into it.”
SPAIN PARK
Spain Park High School’s volleyball team is no longer a team in transition. After a full season under head coach Justin Kisor, the Jaguars enter 2025 with a more defined identity and a clear direction forward.
“The biggest difference this year is that the players know what to expect,” Kisor said. “Last year, I stepped in and had to install how I want things done. Now they know what that looks like, and they’ve responded really well.”
The Jaguars bring back a strong core and have added depth. The senior trio of Cailyn Kyes, Bea Wiggins and Ja’Niyah Mosley will lead the way. Kyes and Wiggins played in the AHSAA North-South All-Star Game, and all three are team captains and future college players. Wiggins will play at Sewanee, Kyes is headed to Trevecca Nazarene and Mosley has committed to Bevill State.
Kyes returns as the setter, Wiggins plays outside and Mosley is in the middle. Defensively, freshman Camdyn Kyes is back as libero after a strong finish to her eighth grade year. Madelyn Scott, the junior varsity libero last summer, is another key piece in the back row.
Up front, Peyton Harrington steps into a bigger role as an outside hitter, while Chloe Shumate, a 6-foot sophomore middle, is expected to make an impact. On the right side, Ayu Sudarsana has emerged as a strong option. Mary Payton Dees, a transfer from Beauregard, adds more depth on defense.
Spain Park competes in Class 6A, Area 8, alongside Chelsea, Pelham and Helena.
