The Varsity volleyball team started off the season with a 21-0 record and is prepared to push themselves all the way to States. The team currently is one game away from having the winningest opening season ever in the district and head coach Mark Ragland has completed 500 wins in his 25 years as a volleyball coach.
This season’s players have known and worked with each other over the past few years, improving their plays and technique through hard work and close bonding.
“This is an incredibly tight knit group of young ladies,” head coach Mark Ragland said. “They are really special in the way they support and care about each other.”
“They are my second family,” senior setter Maddie Walters said.
This season was an improvement from last year for the players and the coach after last year’s team ended fifth in the district. The players have not only bonded over the past few years, but have become much stronger at their positions.
“Last year was more of a building year and this year is more of an execution year,” Walters said.
Ragland expects more out of this year’s players because of their high achievement level.
“I want to enable my players to reach their limits as players and people,” Ragland said. “Consequently, they are pushed hard in practice every day. However, I also think part of that limit this year is a lot higher than last season, when we had almost all sophomores and juniors.”
Each player brings strength to the team. Senior setter Jessica Block owns the school record of 822 single season assists and a 98.2 Service Percentage and has the opportunity this season to earn the school record in career assists, career service percentage, and career service points.
Senior captain and libero Caroline Porco was a first team All-District selection last year. The few players that have advanced to varsity this year have added new strength. Junior Hannah Deal has brought her outside hitting skills to the court.
“Hannah Deal has really been a pleasant surprise as a newcomer from junior varsity this year. She currently leads the team in kills,” Ragland said. With the combined experience from all players, the team is confident about making it to States this year.
“We’re a lot more experienced than last year,” Porco said. “With every position we are strong. We definitely have potential to go to States.”
The team won the State Championship in 2008 and was talking about their potential to go this year.
“We’re pushing for States,” junior opposite Lexi Brown said. “It’s the mind set at practice every day.” Their biggest rival in getting to states is usually Colonial Forge High School.
“We always enjoy our match-ups with Colonial Forge,” Ragland said. “We usually fight it out with them for first place.” However, on Sept. 20 the team beat Colonial Forge, which was at the time the only other undefeated team in the district.
At the beginning of the season, both the coach and players recognized some of the team weaknesses that needed to be overcome.
“Consistency at the attack is our biggest weakness. We have some fine hitters, but haven’t found our groove completely. Once that happens, we’ll be a pretty accomplished team,” Ragland said. Brown and Walters agree that the team needs to improve on being loud and pushing through plays when they get tired.
The encouragement from team spirit has always brought the team together and helped get them ready for a game. “We always do blackout for North Stafford,” Block commented. Blackout is a form of spirit when all the players dress in all black to school before the game.
“For Colonial Forge we get decked out in camo and face paint,” Brown said.
This season’s team, which is mostly made up of juniors and seniors, has won every game so far this season with lots of energy and support from their coach and each other.
“I think this group is hungry to prove how far they’ve come and how good they can be,” Ragland said.
