Entering her 22nd year leading the Ryle Raiders, Tasha Lovins has been at the top in a competitive district for 14 of those seasons.
But even one of the 9th Region’s veteran coaches will tell you a glorious past is not a guarantee for future results. The Raiders have missed the region tournament just one time in those 21 seasons.
“Every match is important. But those district games add a little more rivalry,” Lovins said. “You want to go in the number one seed in the district (tournament). It’s anyone’s game any given day. You can’t walk in saying, ‘It’s going to be an easy match. We beat them last year.’ If we beat them during the regular season, we can’t guarantee a win in districts.”
Between 2011-2021, the district championship went through Union as Ryle and the Cooper Jaguars consistently made it to the championship game. Ryle won it eight times and Cooper won it four times between 2015-19.
But the district could be the toughest it has been in a while, especially after Conner knocked off Cooper in the semifinals last year to make it to the region tournament for the first time since 2005. Conner is after its first district championship in program history while Boone County is seeking its first region tournament appearance since 2010 and Heritage Academy is building its program with a first-year head coach. The Rebels last won the district tournament in 2008.
Ryle Raiders
Ryle finished 24-16 last year driving all the way to the 9th Region Title game for the second time in three years losing to eventual state champion Notre Dame. The Raiders graduated one starter from that time in setter/defensive specialist Maddie Clark.
Senior Alexis Woolf returns for her fifth season on varsity primarily as the libero, but has also set a number of years. The Eastern Kentucky University commit had 527 digs last year along with 50 aces and 130 assists.
“Serve-receive is the most important part of the game,” Woolf said. “You have to be in system almost all the time to get your hitters available. I think we have a really strong front row this year. If we’re in system a lot, I think we’ll be very powerful.”
The Raiders return all five hitters that smacked 125 or more kills last year. Senior Kiana Dinn leads that list after recording 500 kills last year. The University of Pittsburgh commit showed her versatility as a setter with 400 assists to go with 59 aces and 37 blocks.
Lovins said some of the players will have different roles. The tallest player in 6-foot-1-inch sophomore Morgan Heater is in her third season on varsity. But Lovins said she’ll set some this year. Heater finished second with 294 kills last year.
Senior Abby Lester along with juniors Rebecca Kramer and Olivia Karlosky will also power the front line. Lester led Ryle with 42 blocks last year and Karlosky had a team-high 64 aces. Senior Merisa Workman returns at middle blocker and senior Clara Hansel returns at defensive specialist. Lovins also said to look out for junior outside hitter Lucy Trapp, a transfer from Campbell County.
Ryle showed a lot of promise at the preseason Bluegrass Games in Lexington going 5-1. The Raiders made it to the championship flight losing to Bullitt East in the first round.
“I’m really liking their drive, their fight this year,” Lovins said. “There was a lot of defensive moves. They were diving after balls trying to make second chances and just bettering the ball every time they touched it.”
Ryle opens the season Aug. 15 against defending state champion Lexington Dunbar.
Conner Cougars
Conner returns 10 seniors, graduating only one player from last season in defensive specialist Ryan Stewart. The Cougars battled region power St. Henry tough in the three-game loss as they finished 21-13 in 2022.
“I definitely think that the girls have come back improved, but not just in skills,” said Douglas Rabe, Conner head coach. “Being where they were last year and getting a taste of making it into the region and having a nice run with St. Henry, they came back wanting to play again, wanting to make it to regionals. You can tell a difference in practice with how focused and determined they are running through all the drills.”
While beating Cooper a couple times in the last two years, the Cougars have lost 34 in a row to Ryle dating back to 2003, including the district championship game last year.
“That was where the difference was between us and Ryle. I think Ryle kept thinking, ‘We’re going to win. We are going to win.’ compared to, ‘We think we can win. We hope to win,” Rabe said. “This year, they know they can and that’s because we have so many returning and the girls have been playing together for so long.”
The Cougars feature two of the best hitters in the region in senior 6-feet middle blockers Lilly Hamburg and Peyton Walker, who recorded 308 and 223 kills respectively last year.
Hamburg noted the importance of blocking at the net. She had 93 blocks, including 38 solo last year and Walker had 64, including 23 solo.
“Making it easier for our passers is our goal,” Hamburg said. “We’re definitely working with our right sides to get up faster on blocking outside, especially with Kiana Dinn. She runs a fast route and pounds that ball, so we want to slow down her.”
Senior libero Anna Hamilton was all over the place last season with 387 digs. Senior Madison Leiprecht and junior Bailey Morris hope to help at defensive specialist.
Three setters return in seniors Jordan Ransdell, Aubrey Depenbrock and junior Mackenzie Sandeen. Randsdell led the way with 315 assists last year. Depenbrock and Sandeen could also make impacts at defensive specialist. Other listed hitters are seniors McKenzie Deatherage, Payton Gutzwiller, Carly Nehus, Jordan Potter, junior Rhiannon Sandeen, sophomore Annika Berwanger and freshman Shylyn Koerber.
Conner opens the season at defending 10th Region champion Bishop Brossart on Aug. 15.
Cooper Jaguars
The Jaguars graduated five seniors from last year’s 23-8 squad that missed the region tournament for the first time since 2010. But the cupboard is far from bare as others are ready to step in.
“They’ve worked in the weight room getting stronger,” said head coach Michelle Isaac. “They’ve got probably a lot more heart than I’ve seen. I think how our season ended last year left a bitter taste.”
The biggest losses to graduation are their libero in Chloe Fortner with 523 digs and their top two hitters in Holland Morris and Rylie Depue with 319 and 277 kills, respectively. Fortner took her talents to the University of Charleston (West Virginia) with Morris and Depue attending the University of Evansville and the University of the Cumberlands, respectively.
The two returning starters are senior setter Sadie Smith and junior all-around player Audrey Schilling. Smith is a fifth-year starter after recording 798 assists last year and Schilling enters her third year as a starter after recording 177 kills and 320 digs last year. Isaac credited Smith, Schilling and senior hitter Morgan Brown for their leadership on the court.
“They’ve been great as a core setting examples the right way. It’s nice to see,” Isaac said. “That leadership takes the pressure off the coaches.”
Sophomore Violet Birtcil looks to step into the libero role with freshman Addy Warth looking to contribute at defensive specialist. Junior Makenna Depue will play opposite hitter and some setter. Other hitters looking to step in are juniors Dani Depenbrock, Carly Schroder, sophomore Jill Puckett and 5-foot-11 freshman Ava Dunn.
“You have to come out confident, talk to each other and be aggressive with every ball,” Smith said. “You also have to be calm in tight situations because there is not a lot of room for error with those 25 points.”
Cooper opens the season Aug. 15 at home against Simon Kenton.
Boone County Rebels
Michelle Papas enters her sixth season as head coach of the Rebels with a senior-laden group, including the team’s leading hitter from last year in senior 5-foot-11 middle blocker Marlee Vier. Vier, who has been on varsity since her eighth grade season, had 214 kills, 26 blocks and 36 aces last year.
“We haven’t had a big group of seniors like this with the amount of experience since I’ve been here,” Papas said. “In my first year, we had just one senior. Since then, the most we’ve had that have lasted the whole season is three.”
The Rebels finished 10-25 last year, losing to Ryle in the district semifinals. Senior setter Devin Readnour returns after leading Boone County with 389 assists last season.
A pair of sisters in senior defensive specialist Amariana Sweet and junior libero Azaria Sweet return. Azaria Sweet has also been on varsity since her eighth grade year and had a team-high 620 digs last year.
The other three seniors are outside hitters Autumn Sullinger, Savannah Sauter and defensive specialist Kamie Sullivan. Rounding out the roster are three freshmen in 6-foot-2 middle blocker Madilyn Smith, setter/right side hitter Maddie Yelton and defensive specialist Caitlyn Taylor.
Boone County opens the season Aug. 23 at Notre Dame.
Heritage Academy Eagles
First-year head coach Caitlyn Baker may have a young team this year with five sophomores, one freshman and four middle schoolers, but she pointed out a huge advantage to it.
“They have a desire to get better. They work hard,” Baker said. “They give everything they’ve got on the court and they’re learning how to be good teammates to each other. I’m excited to watch them grow over the next couple years.”
Baker said the main focuses are attitude, effort and team chemistry. She decided to play a varsity schedule to challenge them to grow.
The Eagles graduated four seniors from last year’s 9-18 team that lost to Boone County in the first round of the district tournament. The two key returning sophomores are setter Alexis Stephenson and middle blocker Isabelle Robinson-Lee, who is currently injured. Stephenson had 100 assists and 27 aces last year.
Baker also said sophomore Reece Floyd could set in the Heritage Academy offense. Baker also said to look out for eighth graders Adriana Stephens and right side hitter Natalia McGlynn. Adriana Stephens is having to play some middle blocker until Robinson-Lee returns.
The Eagles open their season with Bracken County in the Ludlow Classic on Aug. 15.