‘Reload … not rebuild’

The Aledo Ladycats are moving on up to Class 6A, but as many coaches in the district are repeating: It’s just a bigger number for Aledo.

The Ladycats volleyball team lost to the eventual state champions Highland Park in the state semifinal and went 41-4, with 11 seniors on the team.

Like a few seasons in the past, what would be considered a rebuilding year is now one in which the team is looking to reload.

The team returns eight player, four of which are seniors. Two big names are outside hitter Kaelee Berkley and libero Karsyn Evans. Berkley shared district most valuable player honors with a graduated teammate, and Evans shared defensive player of the year with a teammate. Both are signed to Division I programs to play volleyball.

Isabella Bechert in the back row and Layla Davis at middle blocker round out the senior class that hopes it can catch up nearly half the roster with what Aledo volleyball is all about.

The team features a large junior class with eight players. Kennedy Christie, Lily Morris, and Brynlee Schneider are all expected to lead a vaunted front line that will look to get their hands on plenty of balls both offensively and defensively.

Avery Pipkins at outside hitter looks to be a valuable weapon, both attacking at the net and with her ability to play all-around.

Sophomores Mia Combs and Leighton Lindley will look to break into the middle blocker rotation as well.

The biggest early season development is the team’s new setters. Sophomore Harper Harbuck and juniors Charlotte Gartner and Katie Greer are looking to establish themselves at a key position Coach Claire Gay herself admits she has very high standards to meet.

“I’m really tough on my setters,” Gay said. “The are kind of the quarterback of the team. I will hope by the time they graduate they learn to read my mind. I know they can’t so we all have to kind of be patient through that learning curve.”

Joining Evans and Bechert in the back row will be junior Clara Deveny and sophomore Alondra Delgado.

Gay expects her team to lean on its defense early in the season while the offense gets up to speed as the setters get more comfortable.

“With the four we’ve got in the defensive roles that we have, they’re all contributing and very comfortable,” Gay said. I think we’ll be very consistent in serve-receive and defense which will allow transition plays to happen. If we keep ourselves in-system, which I think this back row allows us to do, then we keep all of our offensive players involved and that could provide trouble for the other side.”

Aledo enters not just a new district but also enters 6A for the first time in school history. Gay said she looks forward to playing a lot of new teams besides the ones they have been familiar with for years. Gay is not slacking on what her expectations are for this team and program.

“Our motto this year is ‘Built to Win,’” Gay said. “Every person in this program from varsity down to freshman B team, all have so many strengths they can offer this program. We have such good volleyball players throughout I think that we just kind of reload instead of rebuild.”