Four seniors---Audrey Centers, Brooklyn Cornwell, Raelyn Russell, and Ana Walker---will be asked to lead the Allen County-Scottsville volleyball team this year and help the Lady Patriots continue the success of the past few years.
“I can’t speak enough about these seniors,” noted third year coach Cameron Cook. “This was kind of my first group when I came in as an assistant. I have watched them grow. They mean a lot to me. All of them work hard and want to see this program continue the success it has had recently.”
The 2022 team will look to Walker to anchor the front line. Last season, Walker appeared in 26 games, had 170 kills, 25 blocks, and 48 service aces.
“Ana has been with me for five years,” coach Cameron Cook said. “Ana is a three-year starter who has turned into the vocal leader for us. She has gotten more athletic. She works on her skill daily and she has become more of a physical presence at the net, both defensively and offensively.”
Centers is expected to give AC-S a boost on the front line as well as leadership.
“Audrey Centers is a middle blocker that has done a great job of improving her speed in the middle,” Cook explained. “She is getting much better. Audrey is another leader that a lot of the girls look up to.”
Seniors Cornwell and Russell will be asked to help secure the back line on the defensive side of the net.
“Brooklynn Cornwell and Raelyn Russell are defensive specialists,” Cook noted. “Both are a lot like the same person. They are great for us on the back row. Both have a good attitude about the game. The pair are loved by their teammates. Both worked really hard for me.”
A large junior class is a mixture of extensive experience and relative newcomers. Eight players are included on the list---each with the potential to contribute at the varsity level.
“Ava Kinslow will be a setter and a right attacker,” Cook noted. “Ava is like a Swiss army knife, she can play any position I need her to play. She will compete. Ava is a great passer and her role this year will be to run the offense. Her confidence in her tempo and sets have gotten a lot better.”
Kinslow was in 37 games last year. She recorded 66 kills, notched 145 assists, had 265 digs, and 42 aces. Her teammate, Jaedyn Mosby also appeared in 37 games and finished with 89 kills, 30 digs and 33 aces.
“Jaedyn Mosby is one of the sneakiest athletic kids on the outside pen,” Cook explained. “She can jump
out of the gym. Jaedyn is really smart with her attacks. She is not always the most powerful, but she knows how to use her swing. Jaedyn does a great job seeing the floor. She is a six-rotation player who hardly ever comes off the court. She continues to get better at her passing and her defense is a ton better.”
The six remaining juniors gained valuable time and experience at the JV level as sophomores. Cook is expecting that experience to be a plus this season.
“Bayleigh Hopkins is a defensive specialist and a serve specialist for us,” Cook said. “Bayleigh is nee of the most consistent servers that I have. One of her roles will be to come in and put a lot of pressure on their receivers. She does that and is in control of her serve. Bayleigh has a great attitude. She wants to get better every day.”
“Taylor Temple is a right-side attacker as a leftie,” Cook pointed out. “That gives you an advantage to use a left-handed player on the right side pen. Taylor has enhanced her athletic ability and is smart with her shots. She wants to be in the gym all the time to work on her swing and serve.”
“Shayna Britt is another left hander player that enhances the right-side pen,” Cook added. “Shayna is reality new to volleyball and is hungry to get better each and every day. Shayna works really hard to increase her contributions to the team. Her swing is getting better. It's just getting her confidence up.”
“Haylee Bray is another player that can play and is willing to play anywhere on the front line,” Cook noted. “Haylee will play the right side, the outside side, and is another one that wants it so bad. She has really good energy and is very easy to be around. She will help us on the energy side.”
“Kaylen Keen and Atley Atwood (AJ) are in the middle for us,” Cook said. “That is a position that we had to fill and Kaylen and A.J. and Audrey have done a great job is what we asked as far as being active in the middle defensively. They want to get better. Kaylen and AJ attacks are getting there but they have really taken steps on defense. These two are working hard to get blocks when we need them.”
A sophomore and three freshman bring added positives to the court for AC-S. Sophomore Leyla Spurlock and Georgie Tabor were key players last year while Kaitlyn (KK) Duncan and Nellie Saylors are less experienced.
“Layla is a defensive specialist and the libero this year,” Cook noted, adding that using the libero is something new AC-S fans will see. “This is the first year I will use a libero. That’s the player that will have a different color jersey. Leyla wants every ball to come to her in the backcourt. She is a perfectionist in a lot of ways. She has gotten better in her lateral movement. Leyla is always in the pattern of serving receive. Her serving is deadly, she puts a lot of pressure on defenses. Georgie Tabor will be our other setter. As a freshman she has come a long way in a year. She will help run the offense. She works hard every day. Georgie wants to be the best player on the court. She will help us a lot. She will help us across the board.”
Spurlock had 293 digs last year while Tabor had 221 digs.
Cook also noted that Duncan and Saylors are also expected to help the squad.
“Kaitlyn is a new player on the team,” Cook explained. “She is a very athletic player that is easy to coach. K.K. will help us on the left pen that will give us some different options in our offense. She will always give me everything she has, and we will be working with her chemistry with the setters. Nellie may play all three playing levels; I just don’t know yet. But I do know that Nellie is in this gym all the time wanting to get better. She has an infectious attitude. She works incredibly hard. She is a hitter that can pass really well. I know I can call on Nellie for energy and positivity and skill as well.”
AC-S posted a 24-15 record in 2021 and won a fifth consecutive District 15 title. However, graduation took a toil as the team lost several players that had been with the team for years.
“In a way, we are rebuilding,” Cook explained. “We only have one kid that's in the same position as last year. That's not a lot in a game that's all about how you work as a unit. It takes time to develop that chemistry. That's why we played so many play days over the summer. Game reps are so much better than just practice. We have learned a lot and gotten better. For our kids, getting confidence in their teammates will be huge. Getting the young kids to buy into how we do things hasn’t been much of an issue. We have the athleticism. It’s just going to take a little bit of time to get our unit to click.”
A new challenge awaits AC-S with regard to District 15. Warren East joins AC-S, Barren County, and Glasgow in the district.
“Our district has gotten tougher,” Cook said. “District 15 has always been competitive but with Warren East coming in it's a different dynamic. They have a lot of kids that have played club ball. They are well coached. But I want to worry about our side of the net. What can we do to compete every time we play. Warren East will have more physical hitters than we are used to seeing but that’s why we are playing a tough schedule. Our schedule is preparing us for the postseason.”
One area that Cook is looking to build upon this year is not on the court but in the stand. The young coach wants to see more fans cheering his team on, especially at home matches.
“I want to encourage everyone to come out.” Cook said. “We had fantastic crowds last year and student involvement was at an all-time high. This year, we are going to do a lot of promotions and giveaways especially for students to get the kids in seats. You won't be disappointed when you come and watch us. It's still a growing sport but with us doubling the participation in little league volleyball this year, I think the sport is well on its way to a bigger spot than it is. We are selling season passes for $15.”
AC-S is slated to open their season next week. Monday, the team travels to Russellville. The first home match will be on Thursday, August 18 against Green County. That weekend, the Lady Patriots will be in action at the Apollo Summer Slam tournament in Owensboro.