Caldwell County saw its 14-year run as district volleyball champion brought to an end last season. But it’s not something the Lady Tigers are dwelling on.
“We haven’t really talked about it,” said Daniel Cortner, who begins his eighth season as Caldwell’s head coach after many years as an assistant. “Madisonville was a top two team in the region last season and probably the No. 1 or 2 again this season. If you talk about losing, then you’re looking for someone to blame. That’s blaming us. But we just got beat by a really good team. And Madisonville’s got another really good team again this year.”
Caldwell has five seniors that should make it competitive this season, but the Lady Tigers seem to be taking a back seat to teams like Madisonville-North Hopkins, Henderson County, University Heights Academy and Crittenden County when the region’s top teams are mentioned.
“I think that’s taken a lot of the pressure off us,” said Cortner, whose program is just two years removed from a 2nd Region championship. “People aren’t talking about us and that allows us to be able to just go play.”
The key word the team has been using is “fun.”
“These girls keep it fun and that’s something we talk about. Fun is going to be the foundation for what we’re doing come October when things really get stressful.”
Caldwell’s five seniors figure heavily in its lineup this season.
“We’re going to have (senior) Lily Hoard and (junior) Ellie Ramey at outside,” said Cortner. “They are going to provide a lot of offense out of the back row.”
Hoard was third on the team last season with 125 kills.
Senior Katie Menser and sophomore Brylee Butts will see action in the middle.
Menser was second on the Lady Tigers in kills last season with 152 and first in blocks with 21.
“Katie was a workhorse for us last year,” said Cortner. “In the 35-33 set we took from Crittenden last year, Katie was our hitter up front for about the last six-seven points of that set, and she’s really the one that kept us in it.”
Cortner is also expecting a big year from Butts, a multi-sport athlete who has also played softball and basketball for the Lady Tigers.
“Brylee is one of the best athletes we’ve ever had,” he said. “She’s going to get a chance to showcase that this season.”
A two-person battle is shaping up for playing time on the right side between senior Annabelle Rushing and sophomore Benashka Thomas.
“It’s just going to come down to consistency at that spot,” said Cortner.
Senior Kyndra Winters takes over the setter position.
“For only being a full-time setter for a couple of months, she’s already reading my mind,” said Cortner. “She already knows where the ball needs to go, especially when you get out of system, which is tough.”
Cortner said senior Claire Knoth at libero has been a bright spot.
“Being a libero, you know that every game they’re either not going to hit at you, or they’re going to test you and hit everything at you,” said Cortner. “Claire is so good back there because she’s so quick.”
Knoth splits her fall sports duties between volleyball and golf.
Junior T.J. Goodwin and sophomore Rylee Thompson also figure to see the court this season for Caldwell.
“They’ll probably split Claire’s time if she can’t be here because of golf,” said Cortner. “They’ll probably move around and fill in at a lot of spots.”
Caldwell hopes that’s enough to mount a challenge to Madisonville in the 7th District. Despite losing the district final last year, the Lady Tigers still turned in a 20-19 showing and pushed Webster County to the limit in the 2nd Region semifinals before dropping a five-set thriller, including an 18-16 heart-stopper in the fifth set.
Cortner has two former Lady Tiger players on his coaching staff. Casey McCoy moves from freshman to junior varsity coach after J.J. Griggs stepped down following last season. Taylor Whalen is now the freshman coach.
Caldwell’s girls open the season Tuesday, Aug. 16, with a road date at Calloway County.
“I see us offensively on par with last year’s team,” said Cortner. “With a couple of added layers of versatility.
“We don’t have that one overly-dominating hitter, but as a team we can put the ball in about four different players’ hands. I think we will be much more balanced this season.”
