Team Profile: Dixie Heights begins new era

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Dixie Heights Colonels are no doubt stuck in a tough spot, being in the same 34th District with state power St. Henry.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Making the 9th Region Tournament generally has not been the issue. The Colonels missed it this past season finishing 10-19 and losing to Villa Madonna in the 34th District semifinals, which ended a run of eight straight appearances in the region tournament.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The issue has been making it past the region quarterfinals. It has only happened one time in program history in 2018 when the Colonels beat Highlands, 3-0 (28-26, 25-17, 25-22). Dixie Heights then gave state power Notre Dame a run for the money in a 3-2 (17-25, 25-18, 24-26, 25-11, 15-11) loss in the region semifinals that same year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Colonels know they need to improve on the mental part of the game and new head coach Niah Drayton said that will be a focus from the start. Dixie Heights had issues hitting balls into the net three to five times in a row in games last year and that hurt them in many games. Colonels sophomore defensive specialist [player_tooltip player_id='557889' first='Payton' last='Bromley'] said focusing on being positive on the court and not on the mistakes will be a key to overcoming that issue.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Dixie Heights does graduate five seniors off last year's team including leading hitter Addison Birk and libero [player_tooltip player_id='590128' first='Hannah' last='Wilson']. However, the Colonels do return a good nucleus of players with varsity experience including three players that had 111 or more kills last season in junior [player_tooltip player_id='603784' first='Madison' last='Offner'] and sophomores [player_tooltip player_id='620750' first='Bailey' last='McQuinlin'] and [player_tooltip player_id='757909' first='Katie' last='Kennedy']. Junior [player_tooltip player_id='771865' first='Maddie' last='Kelly'] returns as an experienced setter and Bromley brings in defensive specialist experience.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["620750"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-680e85fb4297c"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">McQuinlin (pictured) has been taking big swings during club season. She is developing a good rhythm and arm swing. McQuinlin is not afraid to tap balls to lines if they are open. She could be a sound hitter for the Colonels with continuous improvement. McQuinlin had 114 kills for Dixie Heights last fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["557889"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-680e85fb429fb"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Bromley served as libero for the junior varsity last fall where she was the team's defensive most valuable player and is a leading candidate to do that on varsity this fall. Bromley has good range and her ball control has steadily improved throughout her career.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["603784"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-680e85fb42a6e"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Offner brings versatility to the Colonels. Offner angles balls off blockers both in and out of system. Offner mixes in soft and hard hits giving opponents extra things to consider. She could be a bigger force at the net with improved blocking. Offner had 112 kills for Dixie Heights last fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["771865"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-680e85fb42b34"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Kelly has stepped in at setter as the result of injuries over the past two seasons. Kelly does a great job finding hot hitters as a setter. Then as a hitter, she has a nice cross shot. Her ball placement is also sound. Kelly had 245 assists for the Colonels last fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Note from the Writer</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mike Graham has been writing for Prep Dig for one year and has enjoyed getting to know the volleyball scenes in both Kentucky and Ohio. If you liked the story, please copy and paste to X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook. You may also follow us at @prepdigkentucky or @prepdigoh on Instagram in addition to @PrepDigKy or @PrepDigOH on X. If you feel someone in Kentucky or Ohio needs coverage, please email Mike at pnmikeg@yahoo.com. You may also follow him on X @GMCgrah or Instagram @g.michaelgraham.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->