Bob Jones High School, PICTURE FLIPPER, Sports
 By  Lindsay Vaught Published 
2:30 pm Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Bob Jones volleyball team stays sharp

Jeneva Salter, Bob Jones Volleyball Coach April Marsh and Alexis Howell.

Bob Jones volleyball coach April Marsh loves to talk about last season. The Lady Patriots advanced farther than any team in school history as they roared through sub-state to the state tournament with wins over Mountain Brook, Enterprise and Oak Mountain. Eventual state champion Huntsville was the only team that stood in their way to a state title.

Marsh and her group returned home to Madison with the red runners-up trophy and a determination to pass the winning tradition on to the next generation of girls coming up through the program.

“It was a great year and a great experience for the team,” said Marsh who is entering her third season as head coach.

“This is going to be a new team and a young team but they have lots of potential,” Marsh said. “Our numbers are good and we’ve got a lot of young talent coming up to build on and that is always a good sign.”

“Last year we were a little smaller than we are this year so we will play with a little bit of a different style with our height.”

This year the AHSAA has changed volleyball to area format and Bob Jones will be in Class 6A, Area 15 with Sparkman, Hazel Green and Buckhorn.

“I like our area,” Marsh said. “Our goal is to compete in every game and to put ourselves in position to win every game.”

Winning is what the Lady Patriots did a lot of last season. They won 42 matches against only 13 losses. Three players from that team signed to play college volleyball.

This year’s team has been practicing during the summer with the allowable play dates. Official practice started Friday, Aug. 2 and the first match is at home on Aug. 23 against defending state champion Huntsville and powerhouse Grissom.

“We have been working out and going all summer long. The goal is getting to the championship game but getting there is something we work toward all year,” Marsh said.

Junior Alexis Howell returns from a season in which she established herself as one of the top underclassmen in the area. She was named honorable mention at last year’s state tournament and spent the summer playing on the Rocket City elite volleyball team.

“She jumps really well and is just a good athlete,” said Marsh. “She is one of our best all around players. She will play outside hitter and she is a key defensively.”

Jeneva Salter brings size and a big hitter mentality to this year’s team. She is a 5-foot-11 sophomore and will be counted on at outside hitter. She has experience on varsity from last season.

“We are going to be depending on her to be an impact player for us this season,” Marsh said.

Seniors Taylor Whitworth (5-foot-8 middle hitter), Michelle Daniels (5-foot-9 right hitter), and Jazmyne Wright (5-foot-1 libero) will be counted on heavily to replace four key players who graduated from last year’s team.

Both Whitworth and Wright are veterans of Rocket City Elite volleyball teams.

Wright played for the North All Stars at the recent All-Star sports week in Montgomery. The North Alabama team won 3-0 in volleyball.

The team will have only one junior and the rest of the members will be sophomores.

Some fans may think they are seeing double when the Lady Patriots take the court. That is because twins Erin and Rachael Shockey have moved up to the varsity squad. Both are sophomores. Erin will be a setter and Rachael an outside hitter.

Also on The Madison Record
Rocket City Marching Invitational set for Saturday, Sept. 20 at stadium
Bob Jones High School, Madison, Madison County Record, ...
Gregg Parker 
September 17, 2025
MADISON – Bob Jones High School Bands, in collaboration with title sponsor KODA Technologies, will present the third annual Rocket City Marching Invit...
Mayor Paul Finley bids farewell, reflects on accomplishments at 2025 Madison Update
A: Main, Madison County Record, News, ...
Maria Rakoczy 
September 17, 2025
MADISON - Madison Mayor Paul Finley will be leaving the office of mayor this Nov. after sitting out the Aug. 26 election. Finley addressed the busines...
District 6 seat to be decided Tuesday in runoff election
A: Main, Madison County Record, News, ...
Maria Rakoczy 
September 17, 2025
MADISON - There is one final race to be decided from Madison’s municipal Aug. 26 election. The representative for District 6 on the Madison City Counc...
Heart of the Valley YMCA exits Chapter 11 bankruptcy, renews mission focus
A: Main, Business, Madison County Record, ...
Gregg Parker 
September 17, 2025
HUNTSVILLE – On Sept. 8, Heart of the Valley YMCA announced its successful emergence from Chapter 11 bankruptcy. This development marks a new chapter ...
MCDAB presents check to Parks and Recreation, chairperson steps down
Madison County Record, News, The Madison Recor, ...
Maria Rakoczy 
September 17, 2025
MADISON - After serving as the chairperson for the Madison City Disability Advocacy Board (MCDAB) for nine years, Janessa Crosswy is moving and steppi...
State lawmakers, local city leaders meet with Space Command leader to discuss transition
Madison County Record, News, The Madison Recor, ...
By ALEX ANGLE Alabama Daily News 
September 17, 2025
WASHINGTON — Space Command is moving quickly to bring the headquarters to Huntsville through meetings with members of the state’s congressional delega...
Best-Selling Author Jen Hatmaker to share memoir on Oct. 21
Events, Madison County Record, News, ...
Gregg Parker 
September 17, 2025
MADISON – Jean Hatmaker, “New York Times” Best-Selling Author, speaker and podcaster, will share thoughts from her memoir, “Awake,” at Blue Apple Book...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *