Amy Marx is the school nurse at Dixie Heights High School. She doubles as the Simon Kenton High School volleyball coach. If anyone has a finger on the pulse of the Pioneers, it’s Marx.
“I know these girls want to win,” Marx said. “They obviously want to keep winning district championships, but I also want them to know why they want it.”
The coach’s challenge is part philosophical question, part motivation tactic for a young team trying to understand its own ambition. Simon Kenton has won the 32nd District Tournament all but twice in the coach’s 10 years as head coach but has yet to capture a regional tournament championship.
The Pioneers talked about all of that before Wednesday’s district final clash with Grant County.
“We sat for a half hour talking in the locker room,” Marx said. “We talked about what is our why, and they all spoke about it.”
By the time the Pioneers hit the court to take on Grant County, they were pumped up. The Braves were fired up, too. Final score of the five-set thriller in favor of Simon Kenton: 20-25, 32-30, 25-23, 24-26, 15-6.
“Our coach knows how to hold us accountable,” said Pioneers standout Jenna Kitchens.
Simon Kenton (19-13) extended its school record for consecutive district crowns to eight with Wednesday’s home conquest of the Braves (16-16). It was the Pioneers’ 42nd win in a row against 32nd District foes. That’s also a school record. Two years ago, they set a school single-season record for wins.
The Pioneers have won 11 of their last 16 matches while rising from a breakeven win-loss record at midseason.
“We’re coming into our own at a good time and putting up a good ball we can be versatile with,” Marx said. “Our number of digs per match has increased. Our serving is better.”
The last time the Pioneers failed to win the district was 2017, Marx’s second year at Simon Kenton.
“It’s a long time, but we’ve worked to make that happen,” said Kitchens. “Being a senior, I feel like there’s a lot on my shoulders because it’s my job to pick the girls up and make sure we’re playing together.”
Kitchens, a 6-foot NCAA Division I recruit committed to Charleston Southern, has shouldered more than her share of the load.
“It’s her work ethic,” said Marx. “She’s a phenomenally gifted athlete and sets a great example.”
Kitchens powered the Pioneers to yet another district crown with an all-tournament performance this week. She racked up 30 kills in the final, at one point in the third set serving eight points in a row. She added five service aces and was named tournament MVP.
Kitchens, the team kills leader this season, broke the school record of 1,150 career kills earlier in the schedule. She’s eager for a regional crown in her final go-round with the Pioneers.
“It would feel like we got over a barrier,” she said.
Kitchens’ teammates are pulling in the same direction.
“I like playing with all my friends,” said sophomore libero Allie Ross, the season leader in digs. “I like building a bond.”
Two other ascending sophomores, Faith Lockhart and Sophia Deaton, also starred this season and on Wednesday. Lockhart led the team with 45 assists in the district final, padding her team-high season total. She served eight points in a row in the first set.
Junior Kamdyn Brogan has also played well, ranking second on the team this season in blocks. Classmate Taylor Jones, one half of a twin tandem with sister Jayden, is second on the Pioneers in kills. She added 10 kills Wednesday.
Taylor Jones and Lockhart were named all-tournament at the district event along with Kitchens. Everybody got involved in the final. Coach Marx used five different lineups in five sets.
“I actually think our biggest improvement is our defense,” Taylor Jones said. “We stepped it up.”
There were hugs, high-fives and positive vibes everywhere as Simon Kenton celebrated Wednesday at Joe Stark Gymnasium.
“That’s why I came here, to build a positive culture. And I think we’ve done that,” said Marx, who’s approaching 250 career wins. “We call it joy for our journey.”
Though a regional crown has remained elusive, the Pioneers have advanced to the championship match four of the last five years. They made a state tournament appearance in 1999 when the event took eight regional champs and eight runners-up. Getting back to state though has been a battle.
Even so, Simon Kenton has managed once again to put itself in position to win a regional crown during a rebuilding year. The Pioneers are ranked tied for second in Region 8 behind Oldham County in the Kentucky Volleyball Coaches Association poll.
“I had just two returning starters, Kitchens and Taylor Jones,” said Marx, a two-time KVCA Region 8 coach of the year. “I have a bunch of juniors and sophomores who have really improved. With as many as six seniors coming back next season, we’ll be in another good position.”
First things first: there’s a regional title to chase.
The Region 8 tournament starts with first-round matches Sunday at Eminence. The semifinals are Tuesday with the final on Thursday. The winner heads to state.
“Last year, we played well against North Oldham in the final, but we were outhit,” Marx said. “If we want to do better, we have to play like a champion in practice.”
