Team Profile: Consistent Sayre looks to take more steps forward

Sayre veteran head coach Leigh Nahra came to open gym and welcomed back the majority of the returning players along with a great number of younger players Friday.   Optimism generally runs high when teams have won at least 28 games in each of the past five seasons. While the consistency has led to a lot of good habits, breaking the school record for wins in a season with a 29-9 record last season after equaling the school record of 28 victories set in 2021 the previous three seasons took the Spartans into some more uncharted waters. The Spartans had a breakthrough 4-0 record in 42nd District play during the regular season for the first top seed in the district tournament in program history. Sayre wound up losing 3-1 (25-22, 16-25, 25-18, 25-18) to Frederick Douglass district championship after edging the Broncos, 3-2 (25-22, 23-25, 25-22, 20-25, 17-15) during the regular season before losing at 11th Region power Paul Laurence Dunbar, 3-1 (25-14, 23-25, 25-14, 25-21) in the region quarterfinals in just the second region tournament appearance in program history.   Despite the consistency, winning district seed games had previously been an issue. Sayre's first KHSAA listed season is 2013 and the first 42nd District Tournament appearance came in 2015 with Frederick Douglass joining the district in 2017 as a new Fayette County school. Sayre did not finish higher than the fourth seed until going 2-2 in district seed play to nab the third seed in 2023. The Spartans proceeded to beat Bryan Station in the district semifinals before losing to Frederick Douglass in the district title game then Madison Central in the region quarterfinals that season.   Sayre has won the in-season All "A" 11th Region crown four of the past five seasons, losing in the gold bracket quarterfinals each season. The Spartans, however, did go 3-0 in pool play the past two seasons after going 2-1 in pool play in 2021 and 2023.   Nahra said the team will still be young this fall, but even many of the younger players will be more experienced after the Spartans graduate four seniors in Eli Powell, Jayda Davis, Phoebe Barlow and Ellie Hiler. Powell played a key role as a setter and hitter in Sayre's complex 6-2 offense with Barlow and Hiler helping out on defense. Davis gave the Spartans some net presence.   Thus, goals like advancing past the All "A" State Championship Bracket and winning those elusive first district championships and first region tournament games are possible. Sayre enters the season as the 42nd District favorites with the fewest question marks of any of the five teams.   However, Nahra said she's also not concerned about the team lining up with the return of the dynamic setter/outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='535188' first='Brooke' last='Barntsen'] for her senior season. Barntsen and Powell interchanged between setter and hitting roles in the 6-2 to take advantage of not only Barntsen's setting, but her powerful hitting. Nahra expects [player_tooltip player_id='892813' first='Decker' last='Kok'] to step into Powell's role in that same scheme this fall after seeing significant action at setter as a freshman.   Libero [player_tooltip player_id='886496' first='Jace' last='Spencer'] received valuable experience as a freshman last fall and has improved her range among other things during club season. Story Jones and [player_tooltip player_id='586858' first='Ainsley' last='Stump'] could step into huge defensive specialist roles as juniors.   With consistent first touches, the Spartans could consistently involve three hitting options for Barntsen and Kok. The versatile outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='892807' first='Aubrey' last='Greathouse'] is back after a sound junior season and middle blocker/outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='774762' first='Margot' last='Kinkead'] is hoping for big things her junior year with a solid club season. Middle blocker [player_tooltip player_id='938308' first='Blair' last='Smarte'] showed promise her freshman season and right side/middle blocker Savanna Cool saw some time on varsity last year as a sophomore. Rising sophomore Aviana Barbour and rising freshman [player_tooltip player_id='985799' first='Ashley' last='Wagner'] could also make a difference at hitter. Wagner is also a setter.   Spencer said if the Spartans come out flying like they did last year and the team dials in, achieving those goals is possible. The first game on the schedule comes against two-time defending 16th Region champion Ashland on Aug. 17.   Players to Watch    Barntsen said she knows her leadership will be key to continued success for the Spartans this fall, and she appears ready to take that bull by the horns. Barntsen has grown leaps and bounds as a setter during the club season, running a quick-tempo offense. Barntsen said blockers in the Open Division move over quick to block high ball sets so Barntsen has mastered success with quicks, shoots and mixed in tough back sets with teams keying on the ones and gaps. Barntsen continues to reject shots at the net at a high level. She agreed she'll soon be working with teammates trying to run those quick-tempo plays.     Greathouse should see a good number of swings considering her experience with Barntsen and Kok. Greathouse not only attacks well, she attacks smart. Greathouse slows things down enough to put the right amount of power on balls. She places overpassed balls down with precision. Greathouse also brings a lot of valuable play defensively. She makes nice first touches. Greathouse said she still expects opponents to try to limit Barntsen's touches, keeping the Spartans out of system, but they hope to figure out how to counter that. Greathouse said she's tried to stay in the gym trying to stay sharp for the fall.     Spencer played all-around as an eighth grader at Wolfe County, evidenced by more than 100 digs and 100 hits. However, she quickly adjusted to the libero role as a freshman at Sayre. Spencer has improved at reading hitters then trying to beat balls to their destinations on the court. Spencer said facing older girls helped her mature quickly and knowing her Sayre teammates were there for each other also helped. Spencer finished second in dig with 285 for Sayre in the fall.     Off the court, Kinkead is a classy individual, showing a lot of maturity interacting with her teammates and coaches. But Kinkead goes into beast mode quickly on the court trying to control the net. Kinkead has a sound vertical, using it to record big kills for 66 Elite. Kinkead runs sound ones and gap shots, depositing balls to different zones all over the court. She is not afraid to shove balls to sides. She makes good in-air adjustments to hit around blockers. Kinkead also seems eager to do her part to help the Spartans run a faster-paced offense. Kinkead said she hopes to get timing down on quicks and shoots. Kinkead added she's excited about getting to know the new Sayre players and see what they bring to the table. Kinkead also said the varsity experience has helped the players trust each other and not be afraid to make mistakes.     Kok brings valuable experience to the table for both her high school and club teams. Kok plays in a 5-2 system for A.51 and a 6-2 at Sayre. While both systems see the two setters take swings, the 5-2 has one less hitter, which is often a defensive specialist. Kok said facing Premier and some Open level competition in club has helped her learn to run quicker tempos. Kok also brings sound defense. Her passing has improved a good bit during club season. Kok said the team's overall experience and solid team chemistry will help things turn more fluid on the court.     Smarte (pictured) showed good potential last season. Smarte goes up like she's attacking the ball, only to throw opponents for a loop when she stops then shoves balls off blocks or to the open shallow court for big points. Smarte said she's improved her ball control on swings playing for Hobcab during club season, just keeping her attacks simple. Smarte uses her size to hit balls to the sides of blockers and to the floor. Smarte also provides nice net backup.    Note from the Writer   Mike Graham has been writing for Prep Dig for two years and has enjoyed getting to know the volleyball scenes in Kentucky, Ohio and Tennessee. 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Sayre veteran head coach Leigh Nahra came to open gym and welcomed back the majority of the returning players along with a great number of younger players Friday.