Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson Volleyball 2020: Player Evals
Well, the news finally came today that the Iowa school year is officially over. No return to school this year and no spring sports. The only thing to do is to look forward and see what is shaping up for…
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Continue ReadingWell, the news finally came today that the Iowa school year is officially over. No return to school this year and no spring sports. The only thing to do is to look forward and see what is shaping up for the 2020 volleyball season. This is going to be my first of many articles about Iowa’s high school volleyball programs beginning with those nearest to me here in Southwest Iowa.
Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson has gone through a head coach change since last fall. Bonnie Clinch, the head coach for the last 5 years, left the program to serve a higher calling performing missionary work in Kenya after the delivery of the child she is expecting this summer. Darion White will be the new head coach next fall and I believe he plans to start working things into shape with guidance to his players for their summer workouts beginning as soon as it is safe to do so.
Thomas Jefferson volleyball graduates 8 seniors this year. The players below will all be gone and Coach Darion White will be looking for fresh faces to put on his court.
Ashlie Knecht, Jenna Midkiff, Elizabeth Elkins, Alysyn KnechtAshlie Knecht (OH)
Ashlie was the 2nd best outside hitter last fall for the Jackets with 2.29 KPS and 30 aces, 1.47 DPS, and 9 total blocks. Ashlie played in 59 of 89 sets last fall, due to a concussion injury. She will be difficult to replace and will be missed next fall.
Alysyn Knecht (Middle)
Alysyn had 1.40 KPS and 26 aces, and 22 total blocks last fall which was 2nd on this team. She was only outpaced in blocks by the team’s other senior middle, Rodnesia Smith Carter. She may not have had as many blocks as Smith Carter but the timing of her blocks and her attitude on the court will be sorely missed.
Morgan Lesley (DS)
Morgan played in 54 of 89 sets for the Jackets last fall. She had a .917 serve efficiency with 4 aces, and 43 digs. What may have been more important than these stats is her stabilizing presence cheering on her team next to them and prepping them to do their best on the court.
Rodnesia Smith Carter (Middle)
Ro was the best blocker on Thomas Jefferson’s team last fall. She had 51 kills, 18 digs, and 38 total blocks. She will be difficult to replace in the fall.
Torrie Rief (Libero)
Torrie had a .934 serve efficiency with 24 aces, and 3.25 DPS, the highest on the team last season. She will also be missed having played in all 89 sets last year.
Jenna Midkiff (Setter)
Jenna is going to be the most missed and hardest to replace senior on this team. She was the stability and engine that kept everything going. She played every one of the 89 sets that this team played. She had 54 kills, a team-high .970 serve efficiency with 27 aces, 6.52 APS, and 7 total blocks.
Jaylynn Shannon (DS)
Natalie Clark (DS)
Transfers:
A junior member of this team transferred to Saint Albert following the volleyball season at Thomas Jefferson. Elizabeth Elkins was the top hitter with 2.39 KPS, a .815 serve efficiency with a team-high 46 aces, 2.16 DPS, and 19 total blocks. She also played all 89 sets last year.
Who is left?
Those are a lot of seniors from a team to replace. It seems like a new starting point for Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson. New coaches, new girls to fill the team, it will be quite a challenge for the new coach, Darion White. This is not Darion’s first rodeo though. He has been an assistant coach for the girl’s soccer team for a while and he has been coaching younger players at SWI Third Degree for a few years now. He was also the assistant coach for Glenwood High School for the 2018 season. He has a knack for taking players who may not have been trained much in the past and getting them to be competitive with the highest caliber opponents. Some of the players below should be able to help him out.
Ellie Perrine (2021, OH/Middle/Right)
Ellie plays on the right side most of the time but could become the best OH at Thomas Jefferson next year. She can have a nasty swing if set to where she likes it and if she gets some more touches on the ball could develop into the type of player I always knew she could be. New coach, new year, her last year of high school ball…she can do it if she believes in herself.
Chloe Alley (2021, DS/Setter)
Chloe was a setter through junior high school. Once she transitioned to the varsity squad for Thomas Jefferson, she has played DS. I am sure she could transition back to lead this team next year as the setter. She just needs put through her paces and it will all come right back. The new coach will have to decide where he needs her speed and flexibility most.
Jazlynn Sanders (2022, Right/Middle)
Jazlynn usually played on the Right side for this varsity squad last fall but could easily transition to the OH position. There is so much room to grow on this team right now and I hope she takes advantage of that and becomes the player she can be. I expect big things from Jazlynn in the next season.
Faith Christiansen (2022, DS/Libero)
Faith is a good kid. She never misses a practice, cheers up her teammates, works hard. With her new coach’s training, she could become a great libero. She started to get her feet wet last fall and now that her team needs her in that position it will be the time for her to grow into the player she has been waiting to be.
Samara Alcaraz (2023, Middle)
I have loved watching Samara play since she started coming to the summer league last year. She is going to be really good. She will start having much more input into the varsity squad this coming season.
Good luck next fall, Jackets!