Dylan Chambers
Section618.com
METROPOLIS — Massac County used the home court to full advantage, beating West Frankfort 25-18, 25-8 in the season opener for both teams.
The Lady Patriots came out with a lot of fire power from Junior Hailey Edwards and Madison Hammonds. Edwards led the way with 13 kills. “Hailey was a beast,” Massac County head coach Zach Miller said. “13 kills never playing outside hitter in her life, led in scoring from the service line as well, around 40 percent overall scoring.”
First time setter Jenna Bunting led with 22 assists on the night. “Fantastic, she is in it, owns it, and is engaged, I am very happy with her,” Miller said. Another contributor for the Lady Patriots is freshman setter Abigail Martin. Miller said using Martin on the court is really going to give his team options to run a 5-1 or a 6-2 offense. It will also help with the future of Massac Volleyball, especially with the chemistry between her and sophomore Monique Hart, who has returned from a leg injury suffered last March. “As Monique becomes comfortable, we will get stronger as a unit,” Miller stated.
The Lady Patriots, ranked 5th in the Section618.com preseason Deep South Volleyball Coaches’ Poll, have some holes to fill after losing Southern Illinoisan Player of The Year Jessie Lewis and setter Kara Womack, both of whom were big keys to Massac County’s SIRR Ohio Conference Championship season last year, a season that also saw regional and sectional championships before ending in the Sweet 16.
Starting the season in March instead of August has the team excited but also uncomfortable. “Playing in March is a whole different feeling,” Edwards said. “Going through the fall and winter without any Massac volleyball was rough. Personally, I am just thankful for a season. For so long no one had any idea what our season was going to look like, or even if we would have a season at all. No matter what time of the year, it’s still volleyball, and I am extremely excited that the time has finally come to play Massac volleyball.”
Massac County has plenty of experience. Having six upperclassmen–Sydney Wilke (senior), Madison Hammonds (senior), Cali McCraw (senior), Jenna Bunting (senior), Hailey Edwards (junior), and Kelis Adams (junior)–is, in Miller’s words, “fantastic.”
“I think that’s the mindset we need to bring to the rest of these games when we’re facing teams we haven’t seen in a year and a half,” Edwards said. “Just being prepared for what’s in store but also going in with the confidence level of “we’ve beat this team before, we can do it again.”
Massac County will host Herrin in another Ohio matchup Thursday night. West Frankfort will travel to Anna-Jonesboro Thursday night.