James Clemens sees improvement but falls again to Bob Jones

BJHS players Isabelle Barnes and Jeneva Salter block a shot against James Clemens
(RECORD PHOTO/LINDSAY VAUGHT)

MADISON- James Clemens volleyball coach Amanda Smith was not happy after losing a best-of-five match by 3-1 games to cross-town rival Bob Jones on Tuesday evening. The scores were Bob Jones over James Clemens 25-10, 23-25, 25-13, 25-19.

The Jets had their best showing yet against Bob Jones, now ranked third in 6A in the latest ASWA poll. For the first time, the Jets won a game as they won the second game 23-25.

“We did better,” Smith said. “Instead of just going up hitting the ball we made smarter decisions about where to place the ball to get side out. We blocked well tonight.”

Indeed it was the blocking of Cassidy Wilson and Ellisa Kimble that kept the scores close throughout the match and enable the Jets to win the second game. In the final game, the Jets rallied from down 20-8 to make it 22-17 before eventually falling 25-19.

Even though it was not an area game, the outcome means a lot to the players. James Clemens junior Haley Hop once played for Bob Jones and she is still looking for that elusive first win against her former teammates.

“Not yet, we’re still trying and we have a ways to go. We play them again and they better be looking out the next time we come because we are going to be ready,” Hop said.

Haley Hop of James Clemens

The teams will play again October 15 at Bob Jones just before the area tournaments begin.

“We’re going to be ready by playoff time. We took one game today which was an improvement so if we keep playing like we did then we will be good,” Hop said.

In the all important Class 6A, Area 16 race, James Clemens is undefeated with wins over Austin and Florence.

With her team faltering in the final game, Bob Jones coach April Marsh had to reinsert the team leader in kills, Jeneva Salter, into the game. Three straight points followed and the game was over.

“Today we played well and got up a set then we lost our focus,” Marsh said. “We came into this game with the same mentality of an area game. We go into every game trying to get better. We’ve got to keep improving.”

Marsh said she coaches every game with intensity no matter if it is an area game or a regular season game.

“It’s the first game that they beat us. They played well,” Marsh said of James Clemens. “Those are going to happen but we still came away and won the match.”

Bob Jones gets back into Class 6A, Area 15 Thursday night with a big match at Sparkman. The Patriots won a tough area opener at Hazel Green last week.

“It’s a big game, they are a good team and they are going to be ready,” Marsh said of Sparkman. “We are going in with the same mentality of focusing on what we need to do to be successful and put ourselves in a position to host the area tournament.”

Last season Sparkman defeated Bob Jones on the Patriots home court.

Bob Jones hosts Buckhorn Sept. 24.