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With five seniors leading the way and a total of eight returning players, the Rockridge County High School volleyball team hopes to continue its reign of the Valley District and advance further into the postseason.
The Wildcats have won the last six Valley District titles, but they had their hands full with Spotswood last year. After beating Spotswood 3-2 for the district title, the Wildcats suffered a season-ending 3-2 road loss to Spotswood in the Region 3C quarterfinals. The two teams met four times last year, each winning twice and each going 7-1 in the district.
“We have a great time competing with Spotswood and are looking forward to facing them,” said second-year RC head coach Kassidy Beagan. RC went 19-6 last fall in its first season under Beagan.
The Wildcats graduated just two players from last year’s team, Jaden McCoy and Lexie Polly. McCoy was an all-district second team selection as a setter and outside hitter, while Polly was a defensive specialist who is getting ready to play Division III lacrosse for the University of Lynchburg.
With a strong nucleus returning, along with four promising first-year varsity players, Beagan has high hopes for the Wildcats.
From her first year of coaching, Beagan, a 2016 RC graduate who played volleyball for the Wildcats, said she learned a valuable lesson: “No matter the outcome of a match … always focus on our team’s strengths and not to outside noise.”
Commenting on her team’s strengths, Beagan said, “This season, we are very well rounded, having a strong offense backed by a strong defense. I believe we will also have a strong serving team.”
Beagan plans to start all five of her seniors, who are all co-captains. The five seniors are McKenzie Burch, Maddie Dahl, Sophia Perlozzo, Nala Shearer and Sophie Vaught. “Each brings different leadership qualities that contribute to the success of our team.” The RC coach said the seniors “are extremely talented.”
Burch, Dahl and Shearer were all-district first team selections, and Dahl and Shearer made the all-region first team. Shearer – who is a setter and libero, specializing in defense – made the all-state second team.
Dahl is an outside and middle hitter who racked up kills and blocks, while Burch is a setter who dished out her 1,000th assist last year.
Vaught and Perlozzo were both all-district second team selections, with Vaught as an outside and right-side hitter and Perlozzo as a right-side and middle hitter.
Also returning for the Wildcats are junior setter and defensive specialist Rebekah Allen and sophomores Jada Hamilton and Mackenzie Mc-Cormick, both right-side and middle hitters.
New to the varsity level are a trio of sophomores – Ava Crocker, Hayley Higgins and Maisen McKemy – and freshman Geneva Snyder. Crocker and Higgins are defensive specialists, McKemy is a setter and right-side hitter, and Snyder is a right-side and middle hitter.
Returning as an assistant coach is Jaden Harrison, while Haileigh Patterson joins the coaching staff as an assistant. Both are former RC volleyball players. “They both have important roles: help run drills, teach skills, keep stats, and support the players,” said Beagan.
After their first full week of practice, the Wildcats got to face tough competition at a preseason jamboree at Salem High School, and Beagan was proud of how her players did. “The Salem jamboree went very well,” she said. “I tried several different lineups and got to see everyone play, and I was pleased by our performance even in the warmer gym.”
Beagan said the Wildcats’ goals this season are “to teach the underclassmen about winning culture at the more fastpace play and to surpass our standings from last season.”
While Spotswood appears to be the Wildcats’ toughest rival in the Valley District, the Wildcats know not to overlook their other district rivals, including two newcomers to the district, East Rockingham and William Monroe.
The Wildcats start the season on Tuesday when they head over to Buena Vista to take on rival Parry McCluer, starting with JV action at 5:30 p.m. RC will then play at Fort Defiance next Thursday, Aug. 24, with JV action getting underway at 6 p.m. The Wildcats will then head east for the Fluvanna County Invitational on Saturday, Aug. 26, starting at 9 a.m.
RC’s home opener will be against PM on Tuesday, Aug. 29, and the Wildcats will play at Alleghany on Thursday, Aug. 31. Valley District action will start on Thursday, Sept. 7 at Broadway. Play will start with JV action at 5:30 p.m.
