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.