Every year, there is a team that starts from the bottom and reaches the top: that team was the girls JV volleyball team. This team was extremely talented; however, they were divided which put them at a disadvantage earlier on in the season. They overcame this obstacle by uniting as one which in turn, led them to become one of the top teams in the OK Conference. At the beginning of the season, this team had some goals: have a lot of energy, little to no unforced errors, and to come together as a team. These goals were met and accomplished in this successful 5-4 season.

“The game that stood out and was the most important to me was the Byron Center game. We had a lot of energy which caused us to have an overall good game. This game was important because when we played them before, we lost to them in two sets so it felt really good to beat them in three sets,” sophomore Kinzi Tilton said.

“My favorite goal was probably the one coach Payton set which was to “become a team.”  She made this goal for the team last year, our team was very diverse as there were a ton of mini-groups within our one team. We truly became a team after losing to Greenville because that loss was like a wakeup call that we needed to come together; so after our team talk things changed,” sophomore Coco Mehney stated.

This season, a player who really stood out to coaches, parents, and all of the girls on FHCVB was Anna Sapp. Anna improved and grew a lot throughout the season and she was a key factor behind the JV volleyball team’s success. Anna is a very versatile player and that showed through her flexibility in switching positions halfway through the season from the opposite (rightside) to outside. All volleyball players know how difficult the switch between pins is and Anna made it look easy. Coco Mehney touched base on the importance of Anna by emphasizing, “Anna, thank you for being amazing!”

There were three freshmen on the team this season: Addy Quinn, Kenzie Manders, and Rachel Kittell. They were doubted by many but they proved their worth. Addy and Kenzie were both often starters which is rare to see on a JV team primarily made up of sophomores. All three freshmen improved and were beneficial addition to this team.

Next year, you will see a few familiar faces from JV on varsity. With the growth all 14 players displayed this season, the future is unpredictable as none of these players have plateaued. Next season, Ranger Volleyball has an amazing group of girls coming in and I, along with my teammates are already counting down the days until we can welcome these girls. This JV volleyball team is the perfect embodiment and example of growth and perseverance.

To Kinzi, Kaitlyn, Ava, Coco, Avery, Kenzie, Stella, Aubrey, Anna, Ella, CC, Mia, Addy, and Rachel, you are all amazing! Thanks for everything you guys accomplished this season!