Coming Wednesday: Spring Garden volleyball preview

By Shannon Fagan, WEIS Sports Director

SAND ROCK – Over the summer, the Sand Rock gymnasium got a new surface upgrade. It blends the old with the new in the now 15-year-old facility, which is something head volleyball coach Lisa Bates loves.

“I love the old school SR and new school Sand Rock Wildcat head,” she said. “I give (Sand Rock assistant principal) Brian Mackey credit for the nice maroon color he mixed up for us. You can see our volleyball lines and they’re not green. They are actually gray.

“Everything’s new. We’re very proud of it. It’s something we think our girls can be proud of to play on. We’re excited about it.”

The court surface isn’t the only thing new at Sand Rock. After graduating seven seniors from last year’s Class 2A state runner-up, many new faces comprise the Lady Wildcat varsity volleyball lineup for the upcoming 2024 season.

The faces may be new, but Bates is still hoping Sand Rock’s winning tradition continues.

“July was a learning experience for us,” Bates said. “Consistency is going to be the biggest thing with this group, just because of the inexperience, but I’m hoping they can build as the year goes on.

“We got a lot of good playing experience this summer against some tough teams. We saw a lot of things we need to work on, so I’m glad we’ve had these three weeks before we play to practice. We don’t know what’s going to work for us yet. We’re just going to have to be scrappy. I have one tall girl and that’s it. We’re so short and we’re going to have to be scrappy and have a lot of energy. I hope we can bring that.”

The “tall girl” Bates is referring to is 6-foot junior middle Caitlyn Lynch. Lynch filled in for an injured Lady Wildcat toward the end of last season.

“She got some good postseason experience,” Bates said. “She was going in some at right side just to block for us. She works at volleyball a lot. She’s a good blocker.”

Sophomore outside hitter Peyton Johnson and sophomore libero Molly Grace Lay are the only other Lady Wildcats who saw playing time on the varsity last season. Johnson played in the middle for the Lady Wildcats last season. Lay played some at the state tournament last year.

The rest of the Lady Wildcat varsity roster is raw.

Junior Macey Pruitt and possibly junior Megan Smith will join Lynch in the middle.

“Macy and Megan are great leaders, have a lot of initiative, and are really turning things up,” Bates said.

Kailee Patterson, who will play either the right side or outside, is Sand Rock’s lone senior. Bates said Patterson brings a lot of energy to the table for the Lady Wildcats.

Another potential right side/outside hitter is sophomore Sophia Usher, a transfer from Tennessee.

Sophomore Paisley Ford is also an outside hitter. Bates said she’s “looking for big things out of her this year.

“She has the capabilities,” Bates said. “We hope by the end of the season she’s going to be pounding the ball for us.”

Sophomore Paitlyn Hughes is going to be playing as a defensive specialist and sophomore Emma Sipsy will be a utility player. Left-handed sophomore Maddie Clanton will be setting for the Lady Wildcats.

“We always expect a lot, but it will not be at the beginning of the season when we figure out who we are,” Bates said. “It’ll maybe take by the end getting our chemistry just because this group doesn’t have experience. They work hard and they’re good kids. They’re just young.”

The Alabama High School Athletic Association didn’t do the Lady Wildcats’ learning curve any favors when the organization announced its new alignments last December. Sand Rock competes in revamped Area 13 along with county rival Cedar Bluff (up from 1A), Gaston and defending state champion Pleasant Valley.

Pleasant Valley swept Sand Rock in last year’s 2A title match at Bill Harris Arena in Birmingham.

“When I saw that I couldn’t believe it,” Bates said of playing in the same area as Pleasant Valley. “We just come off playing them for the state championship and they put us in the same area. I was a little shocked. They’re going to be good. They had some players graduate too but not as many as we did. They’ve got a different coach and they may be a little different than we saw them this summer, but they’re tough.

“Cedar Bluff is going to be a challenge. They’re going to be tough. They looked good this summer when we saw them play. And then we’ve got Gaston (who played in the area with the Lady Wildcats last season). It’s a different mixture. I hope at least every game we’re going to be competitive, and I hope our tradition continues.”