12th Region Preview: Region could be more wide open this season

This region has seen two teams make their runs of seven championships in eight years with West Jessamine leading that charge lately.   The Colts have driven to the state semifinals last year and 2020, but graduated eight seniors from last year's team that finished 32-10 overall. They have two returning starters in setter [player_tooltip player_id='477143' first='Callaway' last='Marsh'] and defensive specialist/libero [player_tooltip player_id='588569' first='Sienna' last='Schantz']. Marsh had 1,172 assists and 50 aces with Schantz digging up 494 balls to go with 51 aces.   Beyond those two captains, head coach Bill Bird said it will be a matter of how quick the newcomers adjust to the speed of the game at the varsity level. Bird said the Colts ran a 6-2 formation with freshman Taylor Snowden at the other setter spot at the Mid-South scrimmages in Bowling Green on Aug. 10 to get more offense up front. Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='603652' first='Ashlyn' last='Crutcher'] moves from middle blocker to outside hitter and junior [player_tooltip player_id='779174' first='Tori' last='Daleng'] hopes to contribute at middle blocker.   West Jessamine hosts Mercy on Aug. 19 to start the season.   Southwestern had a similar run between 2008 and 2015 before last winning the region in 2018. Mitzi Jones returns for her fourth season guiding the Warriors, hoping to bounce back from last year's 15-20 season in a big way. Jones said the big key there is getting everyone 'rowing the same way. Jones said the whole team needs to have the 'It's not about me' mentality. In order for that to occur, Jones said players have to focus on being good teammates and learn to hold each other accountable on and off the court.   The Warriors return one of the more dynamic players in the region in senior setter/middle blocker [player_tooltip player_id='269733' first='Halle' last='Norvell']. The University of South Alabama commit had 514 assists to go with 363 kills, 43 blocks including 18 solo, 291 digs and 94 aces.   Senior libero [player_tooltip player_id='588582' first='Aaliyah' last='Lawler'] returns after leading the Warriors with 387 digs last year. Jones also said to look out for senior defensive specialist Lexi Wing in addition to senior outside hitters Adison Black and Chloe Mabe. Black had 212 kills last year.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/CharliGrubbs.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-577763" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='479316' first='Charli' last='Grubbs'], Boyle County</figcaption></figure>   If any team might win it besides those two, it could be the Boyle County Rebels, coming off two straight 45th District championships in Eric Kenoyer's fourth season guiding the program. The Rebels have not advanced to the region title game since 2010.   However, they return two dynamic hitters in senior middle blocker [player_tooltip player_id='159397' first='Kendra' last='Christopher'] and junior outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='479316' first='Charli' last='Grubbs']. Christopher had 440 kills, 319 digs and 56 aces and Grubbs had 293 kills, 51 blocks including 20 solo and 26 aces last year.   Senior setter Gracie Teague also returns after recording 427 assists to go with 236 digs and 36 aces last year. Kenoyer also said to watch out for sophomore middle blocker [player_tooltip player_id='603627' first='Lilly' last='Turner'], junior setter/defensive specialist Ashlen Young and senior outside hitter/defensive specialist Maya Smith.   Boyle County hosts Southwestern on Aug. 22 in the season opener for both teams.   Here is how the rest of the region could pan out.   45th District   Garrard County (18-15)   The Lions made it back to the region tournament since Sam Torres took over the program in 2020.   Torres said gaining confidence in serve reception and adapting the offense will help the Lions be more successful this year. She said a big strength will be the work ethic and teamwork of the team. The focus has been working at staying more focused and increasing the competitive drive as a team.   The Lions graduated six seniors from last year's team, but does return senior setter Hannah Fuller after she had 266 assists last year. Senior middle blocker [player_tooltip player_id='531305' first='McKenzie' last='Martin'] is back after recording 143 kills and 120 blocks last year in addition to senior outside MaKenna Allen after digging up 328 balls and serving 35 aces and junior outside hitter Madilyn Combs.   Garrard County travels to Casey County on Monday to start the season.   Lincoln County (8-24)   The Patriots do have two district championships since Suzanne Haberek took over the program in 2019, but have not been back to the region tournament since the other one in 2021.   Lincoln County graduated five seniors off last year's team. Two key returning players are junior setter [player_tooltip player_id='838198' first='Audrey' last='Foster'] after recording 125 digs last year and junior middle blocker Emerson Lynn.   The Patriots host Mercer County on Monday.   Danville Christian (10-13)   Jeannie Gayle Hurst has been guiding the Warrior program since it started in 2018. The good news is the Warriors return an experienced team this year with only one senior graduating from last year's team.   Senior setter Bliss Swabey returns after recording 358 assists and 54 aces last year. Junior hitter Grace Meyer returns after recording 198 kills and 293 digs along with fellow junior hitter Emory Thompson following a season of 127 kills and 255 digs.   Danville Christian travels to Somerset on Tuesday to start the season.   Danville (4-18)   Kayleigh Hunstad took over the program in 2022 trying to bring continuity to the program that started in 2006.   The Admirals made it to the region tournament her first season, but could not return last season. Hunstad said team chemistry will be the key to Danville turning things around this season.   They do return senior setter/hitter Hadley Terrell after she had 224 assists to go with 66 aces last year and senior middle blocker Sarah Young after she had 63 blocks including 55 solo. Sophomore Macey Vest also returns as a setter/hitter. Junior Abree Ganns hopes to give the Admirals an option in the middle with sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='776217' first='Anye' last='Thompson'] contributing on the outside. Senior Jazelynn Doneghy and sophomore Macey Vest could also give the Admirals hitting options.   Danville hosts Berea on Aug. 19 to begin the season.   Kentucky School for the Deaf (0-12)   The Colonels had a young team with only one senior last year. Senior Alyson Tucker returns after serving 47 aces for the Colonels last year.   The Colonels play at Burgin on Aug. 22.   46th District   Trinity Christian (26-7)   The Titans have seen a good bit of success in their short time as KHSAA members.   They graduated five seniors from last year's team so head coach Chad Gray said the Titans will be looking at a number of freshmen including outside hitter Elizabeth Battaile to step forward to contribute on the varsity level. Gray said serve receiving will be the top focus for the season.   Junior setter [player_tooltip player_id='397725' first='Claire' last='Connor'] will anchor the team with senior outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='477163' first='Alexandra' last='Bottom'] and senior libero [player_tooltip player_id='734294' first='Faith' last='Valentine'] taking on key roles. Connor had 861 assists last year to go with 182 digs and 50 aces. Bottom had 171 kills and 86 blocks including 61 solo last year.   Trinity Christian travels to Garrard County on Tuesday.   Mercer County (9-19)   The Titans do not have any seniors on the team, but a good group of juniors. Head coach Lynn Flach said communication will be the key to success for the team.   Junior outside hitter Addisen Shepherd grew to six feet even to give the Titans some size after recording 197 digs last year. Sophomore middle hitter/right side hitter Izzie Carleton had 50 blocks including 45 solo last year and sophomore middle hitter [player_tooltip player_id='535245' first='Anne' last='Whitenack'] had 45 blocks including 43 solo. Junior outside hitter Ralasia Piazza is back from a knee injury.   Mercer County will miss junior setter Grayson Perry this year after she tore her Anterior Cruciated Ligament in February during club season. Perry had 356 assists last year, but the team is looking forward to seeing her back in 2025 for her senior season.   The Titans open the season Monday at Lincoln County.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/12/716-Audrey-Fraddosio.jpg?w=903" alt="" class="wp-image-496154" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='269864' first='Audrey' last='Fraddosio'], East Jessamine</figcaption></figure>   East Jessamine (8-22)   The Jaguars had to find a coach in June after Taylor La Mantia took the opening at Lafayette in Lexington.   The administration named Abby Coofer to the position a few weeks later. Coofer can build around the talents of senior outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='269864' first='Audrey' last='Fraddosio'], senior setter Alexis Vittitow and sophomore libero [player_tooltip player_id='778433' first='Kaitlyn' last='Cadle']. Fraddosio had a team-high 296 kills last year and Vittitow had 639 assists. Cadle led the Jaguars with 261 digs last year.   East Jessamine travels to Bourbon County on Tuesday to start the season.   Burgin (6-11)   The Bulldogs saw four seniors graduate from last year's team. This year's squad has three seniors with at least two in all four grades.   Burgin last made the region tournament in 2013.   Burgin opens the season Tuesday at home against L.I.G.H.T. home school from Danville.   47th District   Pulaski County (27-8)   McKenzie McCollum, a 2017 PC alum, has guided the Maroons to consecutive district championships entering her fourth season at the helm after taking over for longtime head coach Teresa Combs.   McCollum is hoping to help propel the Maroons over a huge speed bump. Since the state tournament split into 16 regions in 2003, the Maroons have been to the region championship game nine times with the most recent one coming in 2019, but they have not been able to bring home the region crown.   The good news is the Maroons return a good bit of knowledge and experience from last year. Senior [player_tooltip player_id='477162' first='Brooklyn' last='York'] returns to lead on defense at libero after recording 367 digs last year. All-around sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='535242' first='Olivia' last='Travis'] returns after recording 611 assists to go with 270 digs and 68 digs last year. McCollum and staff have options to use her at setter or even more at outside hitter with junior setter [player_tooltip player_id='212350' first='Olivia' last='Atwood'] transferring in from Somerset Christian.   They'll set two powerful hitters in middle blocker/defensive specialist [player_tooltip player_id='477158' first='Ava' last='King'] and outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='531311' first='Becca' last='DeBord']. King had 176 kills to go with 49 blocks including 23 solo and DeBord recorded 203 kills to go with 158 digs and 67 aces for the Maroons last year.   Pulaski County travels to North Laurel on Aug. 20 to start the season.   Somerset (21-12)   It took the Jumpers 19 seasons since the program's inception in 2003 to make it to the region tournament in 2021 setting a school record with 21 wins that season. Somerset also won the first region tournament game it played in program history that year.   Previous assistant Heather Baker-Rigney took over the program last season and guided the Jumpers to their second region tournament appearance and tied that school record. The Jumpers graduated just two seniors from that team so they returned an experienced group.   Rigney did not want to speak too soon and jinx the program, but Rigney said she likes the team chemistry. Rigney added the team has a lot of heart, a great work ethic and is a scrappy team so they're hoping for more great things this season.   The two senior captains are outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='531308' first='Serenity' last='Haynes'] and libero [player_tooltip player_id='159316' first='Tanner' last='Rigney']. [player_tooltip player_id='159316' first='Tanner' last='Rigney'] led Somerset with 347 digs with Haynes recording 317 digs, 281 assists, 229 kills and 49 aces. Senior Whitney King hopes to give the Jumpers a lefthanded weapon on the right side after recording 233 digs and a team-high 60 aces with senior Alyssa White playing one setter position and junior Addy Fleshman playing the other one. Junior Macy Phelps and sophomore Mati Cooper hope to contribute at middle hitter with junior [player_tooltip player_id='770381' first='Sarah' last='McBride'] coming in at the other outside position.   Somerset opens the season Monday against Cumberland Christian Home School team.   Rockcastle County (12-16)   The Rockets missed the region tournament for the first time since 2016 last season.   They graduated four players off that team, but the Rockets return several key players from last year led by junior outside hitter/defensive specialist Addalyn King with 139 kills, 272 digs and 75 aces last year. Senior setter Markley Richards returns after recording 268 assists and 172 digs last year along with junior libero/outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='594464' first='Hannah' last='King'], who had 372 digs and 50 aces last year.   Rockcastle County opens at Lincoln County on Aug. 20.   Casey County (6-26)   The Rebels started what they hope is a new era in January hiring Lindsey Burkhead to take over the program that last made the region tournament in 2016.   Burkhead said learning to play as a team and adapting to change will be keys to success for Casey County. Junior outside hitter Liz Forbes returns after leading the Rebels with 113 kills last year. Burkhead also listed senior middle blocker Kate Barnes along with two other outside hitters in junior [player_tooltip player_id='212252' first='Amy' last='Lee'] and senior Gracie Demrow as key players to the team.   Casey County hosts Garrard County on Aug. 19 to start the season.   48th District   Somerset Christian (24-10)   The Cougars had a big season in just their fifth season in the KHSAA winning the first district championship in program history and driving all the way to the region championship.   Somerset Christian graduated three players including one of the state's leaders with 562 kills in Addison Cunnagin. Most of the experience returning is young as the team had no juniors last year. Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='535263' first='Reagan' last='Childers'] returns after posting a team-high 476 digs last year along with freshman Ally Idlewine, who had 165 digs. Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='846737' first='Caroline' last='Mounce'] and junior Sophia Barnett could also be big contributors on defense.   Junior Emma Grace Warren and sophomore Catherine Hardy will look to give the Cougars a presence in the middle and sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='535194' first='Sara' last='Tucker'] hopes to give Somerset Christian power on the outside. Sophomore Charleston Girdler could take over the setting duties.   Somerset Christian hosts Corbin on Tuesday to start the season.   Wayne County (17-15)   Sandra Baker has guided the Cardinals since 2010. Wayne County had been a fixture in the region tournament from then until 2021 winning district championships in 2013 and 2018 and a region crown in 2013.   The Cardinals did take district power Southwestern to a fifth game before losing in the district semifinals last year. They graduated three seniors off last year's team so they return some experience from last year.   That includes one of the more promising freshmen in the state in setter Hannah Denney after she recorded 619 assists, 257 digs and 50 aces last year. Junior [player_tooltip player_id='594477' first='Addison' last='Edwards'] also returns after pounding down 233 kills and senior [player_tooltip player_id='531306' first='Brooklyn' last='Rood'] gives the Cardinals some versatility after posting 398 digs and 197 kills last year.   Wayne County returns plenty of offensive weapons. Senior right side/middle blocker Gracie Hollars had 170 kills to go with 24 blocks including 16 solo ones. Junior middle blocker Morgan Cross also hopes to contribute again after recording 102 kills last year.   Wayne County travels to Clinton County on Tuesday to start the season.   McCreary Central (6-23)   The Raiders may have struggled in recent years after going 16-13 and 19-12 in current head coach Amy Goins' first two seasons leading the program in 2018 and 2019.   However, Goins and staff have reasons for optimism this fall with the three seniors in right side hitter Lilly Howard, libero Deserae Clark and setter Allison Watters along with the team's lone junior in [player_tooltip player_id='779183' first='Raylee' last='Wilson']. Goins said they bring the experience and leadership that has been missing. Wilson had a team-high 175 kills and Clark led the Raiders with 225 digs.   Goins said the key to improvement is continuing to work hard and communicate well. She added that work ethic is paying off after the Raiders had a strong showing in the scrimmage against North Laurel.   McCreary Central travels to Casey County on Aug. 22 to start the season.   Players to Watch    Marsh will have to pick up some of the leadership roles after West Jessamine graduated eight seniors off last year's state semifinal team. She has great form on her short, cross and back sets and puts together nice line drive serves to go with solid positioning on her blocks.     Grubbs gives the Rebels a powerful weapon offensively. She controls the net and generates a lot of power on balls from her feet up. Grubbs can hit low, line drive shots from the front and back row and has no issues tapping balls when she needs to. She also has excellent timing on her blocks.     Norvell excels at about every aspect of the sport. She does a lot of setting, but can be a hitting option for the Warriors as well. Her versatility helped her land a scholarship to the University of South Alabama of the Sun Belt Conference. She does what it takes to find holes on the other side of the floor or put her teammates in position to do so. She has great all-around form leading to great shots from the front and back rows. She has a solid jump and can make nice mid-air changes to attacks. She can back tip balls and do a number of sets throwing in some setter dumps to keep defenses honest. She has a solid low line drive serve to throw off defenders and puts herself in great position to record blocks.     Travis is hoping for bigger things this year after bursting onto the scene as a freshman last year. She gives the Marrons consistency at the setter spot and a great net presence. Travis sets short and long ones to make sure her teammates succeed. She is always reading hitters and moving her feet on defense. She is always moving her feet on defense going after balls. She squares up her arms well making solid passes to teammates. Travis helps all the more with her impressive serving.     Fraddosio uses her athleticism well consistently putting up double-digit kill numbers against solid competition. She uses a good four-step approach to put power into her swings. She angles balls away from blockers, especially on the strong side. She smacks down overpassed balls and provides good net coverage against tapped balls.

This region has seen two teams make their runs of seven championships in eight years with West Jessamine leading that charge lately.