Shhh ... Wilson Memorial is all grown up
It’s no secret that the Wilson Memorial volleyball team can no longer play the youth card in the high-stakes game of Region B volleyball.
But that doesn’t mean coach Kim Claytor has to like talking about it. Instead, the fiery coach with the hair to match her on-court personality said she doesn’t talk about it much with her Green Hornets, if at all.
“You know, sometimes I think now and again it’s mentioned,“ she said after the Hornets swept Riverheads in their Shenandoah District opener. “I try to stay away from that subject with them.“
So let us do the talking here. Once a team filled with sophomores and juniors (you know, like last year), the Green Hornets roster is now flurry of 11 and 12s under the “Year” column on the roster. A change from the status quo that should have Fishersville excited.
Especially when one of those 12s is already considered Augusta County’s No. 1.
That would be Kala Guy who slapped down 16 kills (replete with her signature banshee yell) on Tuesday despite a sore wrist that, and let’s be honest here, won’t have many days of rest to heal.
“It’s getting better,“ she said.
It looked like it was getting better Tuesday, proving that, sure, the barrel may get worn and scratched up, but that gun can still fire.
Having already jumped out to an 8-2 overall record (with their only losses coming at the hands of Group AA Western Albemarle and independent powerhouse Grace Christian) the Green Hornets look loaded. What was once a team that, at times, looked to sustain itself on a steady dose of Guy, has now become a group of seven seniors and three juniors that have been feasting together for a long time. (Um, remember the last time that happened around here? It was a team called the 2005 Little Giants, you know. All they did was run through their schedule undefeated until falling in the Group AA semifinals to Sherando.)
But nobody on the team feels any rush, despite it being the last chance to get over that Region B hump that looms like the craggy Afton.
“We went into this season full throttle,“ Guy said. “We all just want to step it up and go as far as we can since this is our last year.“
And Claytor? She may be reaping the benefits of a team that looks on the brink of exploding.
“They can take this as far as they can go,“ she said. “It’s up to them to do that.“
And the whole time we’re talking to Guy, she’s holding a “Superman” sweater. And we’re thinking, “Yeah, Kala. You might want to hide your secret identity a little better.“
But hey, how about Taijha Jones. A player Claytor has been preaching at to play her game, Not back down. Not get scared of hitting the ball out. Sure, in Tuesday’s win over Riverhead she only had three kills. But the final two could not have been placed anywhere better in that match. With Riverhead taking a 18-17 lead in Game 3, Jones slapped down back-to-back kills to give the Hornets a 19-18 lead they wouldn’t let go of.
“She’s definitely stepped it up,“ Guy said. “One-hundred percent.“
Of course, Noel Bartley capping that come-from-behind run with an ace didn’t hurt matters either.
Taijha Jones, your table appears to be ready.
It wasn’t Riverheads’ best match of the season as the Gladiators watched the Wilson Memorial short game play games with them all night. It left first-year coach Whitney Dove scratching her head. She said her team knows better.
She’s right. They do.
Hey look. Fort Defiance cross country scores a sweep. Can I just hot-key that sentence on my keyboard please?
The good news for the rest of Augusta County? This is Whitney Fulk’s last season running for the Indians.
The bad news for the rest of Augusta County? The stand-up student-slash-role model-slash-all around nice girl is mentoring an eighth-grade runner.
Uh-oh, I have looked in my crystal ball and see many a battles between this unnamed future Fort runner and the future of the Little Giants, Meredith Figgatt.
Strap yourselves in, folks. It’s gonna be a wild ride.
I think Kala Guy just had another kill.
And another thing: When you’re playing a road match in volleyball and the opposing team’s roster sheet spells your name wrong, that’s got to be the ultimate sign of respect. Just ask “Kayla” Guy or “Kaila” Guy. Who ever.
Works for me, but I suspect you may have ruffled the feathers of some Stuarts Draft fans who will remind you that their number 4 Cougars beat the number 3 Gladiators by four touchdowns.
If that Riverheads-Stuarts Draft football game is played in Week 3, I doubt there are four touchdowns scored in the whole game.
Not to be a nit-picker but Lee scored fewer than 45 on opening night against Fort.
I counted the ones that were called back in that game. (Darn nit-pickers.)
He is right, they had a couple called back. Only scored 40, LOL
Hey! Leave the smart-aleck comments to me.
Final thoughts: Saw Tommy Lloyd at the Riverheads game Friday. Married his high school sweetheart, has a nice job and a VMI education. No wonder Robert Cast talks about this kid like he was one of his own sons.
More final thoughts: Picks coming tomorrow. The Sports Desk should be edited and posted later today.
