2024 Highland County Volleyball Preview

Hillsboro Lady Indians
Division IV
Head Coach: Heather Jones
2023 Overall Record: 5-18
2023 FAC Record: 1-9 (5th Place)

Coming off a season where experience was gained on the court, the Hillsboro Lady Indians volleyball team begins the 2024 season with a team consisting of four seniors, two juniors, four sophomores and one freshman on the varsity squad.

Last season the Lady Indians finished 5-18 overall and they were 1-9 in the Frontier Athletic Conference. HHS is currently led by first-year head coach Heather Jones. 

Seniors for the Lady Indians in ’24 are Jadi Howland, Samantha Tipton, Addison Huff and Camryn Spruell.

Spruell finished with 86 kills, 21 aces, 32 total blocks, 86 digs, 16 assists and 35 service receptions a season ago. Tipton in ’23 totaled 75 kills, 16 total blocks, 36 digs, four assists and 10 returns. Huff last season totaled nine kills, 20 aces, four total blocks, 145 digs, 103 assists and 169 service receptions.

The juniors for HHS are Kayla Seeling and Allie Roush. Last season, Seeling as a sophomore had six kills, 21 aces, four total blocks, 96 digs, 273 assists and 31 service receptions.

Roush in ’23 had 50 kills, 12 total blocks, 61 digs, 40 assists and 45 service returns.

Sophomores on the Hillsboro team this season are Ryan Wagoner, Tylee Davis, Josie Rhoades and Marianna Mycroft. The freshman on the varsity roster is Riley Pence.

Davis in ’23 had 156 kills as a freshman, and she also collected 19 aces, 12 total blocks, 268 digs, 122 assists and 123 service receptions. Wagoner in ’23 collected 44 kills, six aces, six total blocks, 92 digs, six assists and 108 service receptions her freshman season.

Rhodes in ’23 as a freshman finished with four digs, one assist, and seven service receptions. Mycroft last season totaled five service receptions.

In ’23, the Lady Indians’ five wins came against Lynchburg-Clay (2-0), Fayetteville (3-0), Washington (3-0), Eastern Brown (2-0) and Blanchester (2-0). In the postseason, HHS lost to Waverly in the sectional round by a 3-1 score.

The Lady Indians’ non-conference games are against Whiteoak, Fayetteville, Waverly, Wilmington, Zane Trace, North Adams, Eastern Brown, Blanchester, Fairfield and Clinton-Massie.

Hillsboro opens the ‘24 season at home against the Whiteoak Lady Wildcats at 9 a.m. at HHS in the annual Spike and Dig Tournament.

• • •

McClain Lady Tigers
Division IV
Head Coach: Taylor Alsop
2023 Overall Record: 13-10
2023 FAC Record: 5-5 (4th Place)

Having a team with six seniors and a total of 14 players, the McClain Lady Tigers are looking to have double-figure wins once again in 2024 as they are returning to the court after winning 13 games a season ago.

The Lady Tigers finished 13-10 overall last year as they are coached by Taylor Alsop, and they were .500 in the Frontier Athletic Conference a year ago with a 5-5 mark.

Seniors on the 2024 roster for the Lady Tigers are Katie Cook, Sarah Easter, Anna Eikenberry, Madalyn Giffin, Kylea Toney and Brenna Wright.

Cook in ’23 finished with four kills, 236 digs, 17 assists and 472 service receptions. Easter last season totaled four kills, nine aces, 155 digs, five assists and 213 service receptions. Eikenberry in ’23 collected 208 kills, 31 aces, 57 total blocks, 57 digs, 17 assists and 21 service receptions.

Giffin in ’23 ended the season with 30 kills, 34 aces, 11 total blocks, 144 digs, 62 assists and 273 service receptions. Toney in ’23 finished with 241 kills, 46 aces, 40 total blocks, 74 digs, 11 assists and 67 service receptions. Wight as a junior finished with 177 kills, 22 aces, six total blocks, 115 digs, four assists and 68 service receptions.

Juniors for MHS are Lydia Beatty, Brieann Cummins, Zoie Everhart, Leah Lovett and Lillie Saunders. Sophomores for McClain include Anzli Beatty-Shoemaker, Adalynn Snyder and Korhi Toney.

Lovett in ’23 had 14 kills and 21 service receptions. Saunders totaled five digs and 14 service receptions in ’23. Beatty-Shoemaker’s stats from last season included 12 kills, three total blocks, 11 digs, seven assists and five service receptions.

McClain’s 13 wins in ’23 came against Whiteoak (2-0), Hillsboro (2-0, 3-2, 3-1), East Clinton (3-0), Fairfield (3-0), Chillicothe (2-0), Washington (3-2, 3-1), Hillsboro (3-2), Jackson (3-1), Paint Valley (3-1) and River Valley (3-0), as the win vs. RVHS was a postseason game. MHS saw their season close in the sectional round against Circleville by a 3-0 score.

McClain starts the 2024 season on Saturday, Aug. 17 at Hillsboro in the Spike and Dig Tournament against Lynchburg-Clay with a 10:30 a.m. start.

• • •

Lynchburg-Clay Lady Mustangs
Division VI
Head Coach: Janelle Rockey
2023 Overall Record: 7-16
2023 SHAC Record: 5-10 (7th Place)

The Lynchburg-Clay Lady Mustangs have a solid number of players returning to the court for the 2024 volleyball season, as underclassmen gained valuable experience in ’23 that can be used on a daily basis in ‘24 as they look to improve from last season.

LCHS — who are coached by Janelle Rockey — finished 7-16 overall in ’23 with a Southern Hills Athletic Conference record of 5-10.

Seniors for the Lady Mustangs for ‘24 are Ava Doughman and Morgan Baker.

Doughman is coming off a season where she collected one kill, 10 aces, 87 digs, seven assists and 188 service receptions. Baker in ’23 finished with one kill, four assists and six service receptions.

The juniors on the LCHS roster are Ava McLaughlin, Joslyn Rockey, Mattie Magee and Avery Shope.

McLaughlin as a sophomore last season collected eight kills, four aces, 126 digs, 157 assists and 10 service receptions. Rockey in ’23 had 38 kills, 24 aces, 288 digs, 20 assists and 300 service receptions.

Also for LCHS in ’23, Magee finished with 86 kills, 24 aces, 22 total blocks, 26 digs, 20 assists and 35 service receptions. Shope during her sophomore season a year ago had 55 kills, 21 aces, three total blocks, 153 digs, five assists and 74 service receptions.

Lynchburg-Clay’s sophomores include Addy Carraher, Halle Greene and Kylie O’Connor.

Carraher is coming off a season where as a freshman she collected 89 kills, 48 aces, 11 total blocks, 173 digs, 135 assists and 50 service receptions.

Greene in ’23 totaled 85 kills, 22 aces, 23 total blocks, 46 digs, 20 assists and 80 service receptions. O’Connor in ’23 had 62 kills, 28 aces, one block, 45 digs, six assists and 19 service receptions.

In ’23, the Lady Mustangs’ wins came against Eastern Brown (3-2, 3-0), Manchester (3-0), Ripley (3-1), West Union (3-1, 3-1), Felicity-Franklin (3-2) and Georgetown (3-1). LCHS had their season ended in the sectional round last year against Wellston (3-0).

Lynchburg-Clay’s non-conference schedule includes McClain, Western Latham, Blanchester, Paint Valley, Georgetown, East Clinton and Bethel-Tate.

LCHS opens the 2024 season at the Spike and Dig Tournament at Hillsboro on Saturday, Aug. 17 against the McClain Lady Tigers at 10:30 a.m.

• • •

Fairfield Lady Lions 
Division VI
Head Coach: Jerrica Stackhouse
2023 Overall Record: 16-8
2023 SHAC Record: 13-1 (2nd Place)

After gaining 16 wins in 2023, the Fairfield Lady Lions return to the court for another volleyball season where they are looking to take over from where they left off from last season.

Fairfield — who are coached by Jerrica Stackhouse — went 16-8 overall last season, as they were also second place in the Southern Hills Athletic Conference with a 13-1 record.

Seniors on the Lady Lions this season are Jobey Hattan and Kelsey Clark.

In ’23 as a junior, Hattan collected a team-best 332 kills, 64 aces, eight total blocks, 469 digs, 32 assists, and 297 service receptions. Clark last season totaled 83 kills, 37 aces, 14 total blocks, 319 digs, 614 assists and 29 service receptions.

The juniors on the roster include Kyla Thomas, Mya McIntosh, Shelby Pelton and Jaeden Drury.

FHS sophomores are Remi Moon and Alyssa Bales, while the freshmen include Jorja May and Mackenzie Anderson.

Moon in ’23 totaled 126 kills, 42 aces, four total blocked shots, 275 digs, 32 assists and 302 service receptions. Bales last season had 17 digs and 25 service receptions.

In ’23, the Lady Lions earned wins against Eastern (3-0), Manchester (3-0, 3-1), Fayetteville (3-0, 3-0), West Union (3-0), Ripley (3-2, 3-2), Whiteoak (3-1, 3-1), Peebles (3-1), Williamsburg (3-2), Lynchburg-Clay (3-0), Portsmouth Clay (3-0) and Hillsboro (3-0). FHS lost in the sectional round to North Adams to end their ’23 season by a 3-1 score.

In ‘24, the non-conference opponents for Fairfield are: Clinton-Massie, McClain, Clermont Northeastern, Williamsburg, Huntington, Hillsboro and Paint Valley.

FHS opens the ‘24 season on Saturday, Aug. 17 at home vs. Clinton-Massie at 10 a.m.

• • •

Whiteoak Lady Wildcats
Division VII
Head Coach: Kara Moon-Stone
2023 Overall Record: 13-9
2023 SHAC Record: 10-4 (4th Place)

The 2024 season is set to start for the Whiteoak Lady Wildcats, as they are coming off a season where they earned double-figure wins and battled tough against conference and non-conference foes.

WHS — who are coached by Kara Moon-Stone — ended the ’23 season last fall with a 13-9 overall record and a 10-4 record in the Southern Hills Athletic Conference.

Seniors for the Lady ’Cats are Elly McMullen, Kylee Hamm, Madison Schum and Addison Roberts.

McMullen finished the ’23 season with 17 total blocks, 46 digs and 79 service receptions. Hamm had 110 kills, 24 aces, 11 total blocks, 86 digs, seven assists and 36 service receptions.

Schum in ’23 finished with five kills, 16 aces, one total block, 112 digs, seven assists and 138 service receptions.

The lone junior for WHS is Marley Gobin, and sophomores are Kylee Ruark, Charlize Hauke, Kathryn Cox and Roreigh Newton. The lone freshman for Whiteoak is Oakley Engle.

Whiteoak’s wins in ’23 were against Lynchburg-Clay (2-0, 3-0), Felicity-Franklin (3-1), Fayetteville (3-1, 3-2), Manchester (3-0, 3-0), Paint Valley (3-0), West Union (3-0), Eastern (3-1), Georgetown (3-0) and Ripley (3-2, 3-1). The Lady ’Cats’ season ended in the sectional round against Paint Valley, 3-0.

This season, the non-conference schedule for the Lady ’Cats includes games against Hillsboro, Paint Valley, Greeneview, Washington, East Clinton, Williamsburg and Clermont Northeastern.

WHS begins their 2024 season Saturday, Aug. 17 at the Spike and Dig Tournament at Hillsboro, as their opening game will be against Hillsboro with a 9 a.m. start.

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