By Stephen Dawkins

Thorsby and Jemison volleyball squared off in the championship match of the Thorsby-hosted Super Saturday Tournament Saturday, Aug. 21 at Jemison.

Jemison came out on top over Thorsby, winning 25-13 and 25-13 to take the title.

“The longer we played, the better we got,” Jemison coach Leighsa Robinson said.

Jemison defeated Shelby County twice and Vincent once to reach the match, propelled by the tournament’s most valuable player, Kasi Wells.

Wells had 61 assists and 15 aces to lead the tournament.

Her Jemison teammates also had strong showings in the tournament. Emily Smithey had 28 digs in the tournament, Shelby Griffin had 22 kills, and Kortney Robinson had 8 blocks.

Thorsby’s run to the championship included two wins against Sylacauga and a win over Fayetteville before meeting Jemison in the final.

“We played hard all day long until the championship game,” Thorsby coach Ginger Williams said. “Then we simply ran out of gas.”

It was Thorsby’s first tournament appearance during the regular season according to Williams.

Thorsby standouts include Holly Smith who had 42 assists and 14 aces, Kendra Dawson who had 12 digs and five aces, Desiree Evans who had nine kills and eight digs, and Jennifer Spivey who had nine kills and six blocks.

By Stephen Dawkins

Jemison volleyball this season might replace experience with raw talent.

Five members of the 2009 team were lost to graduation, leaving coach Leighsa Robinson searching for replacements. Robinson thinks she has found them, but they might need some seasoning to reach their full potential.

“The girls I’ve got coming in have the potential,” Robinson said but added they are also inconsistent. “Sometimes we look like we’ve never missed a beat, and other times we look like we’re having to replace some players.”

Sophomore Haley Smitherman will likely replace scoring machine Tabatha Cork, Robinson said, when the Panthers open their season Aug. 19 at Montevallo.

“She’s got good hands and blocking ability and hits the ball well,” Robinson said.

Stepping in at middle blocker for Codi Mims will be sophomore Shelby Griffin and senior Kortney Robinson, who at 6 feet tall provides a presence at the net.

“Were going to be a much stronger blocking team because of her, and she’s hitting the ball well,” Leighsa Robinson said.

Kortney Robinson played two years ago but not last season.

Others to see significant playing time include junior Hallie Amos and freshman Denten Ellison.

Leighsa Robinson said Ellison is “showing a lot of potential. It’s a quicker pace game than what the middle school plays, and it’s just a matter of her settling in and getting comfortable with her position.”

To help with that transition, Robinson will use a libero position for the first time in her tenure as Jemison’s coach. Ellison, playing libero would be substituted for defensive specialist Tanya Liveoak, a junior, when Ellison’s position rotated to the back row. So, Ellison would be able to help the team by using her skills at the net but then let a more experienced defensive player come in to handle opponents’ serves.

“The serve receive is a lot different,” Robinson said. “Having a person that specializes in defense is just going to add to our defense.”

Using the libero will allow Robinson to keep at least two strong defensive players on the court at all times, which is significant because the other regular contributor lost from last year’s team was defensive specialist Dallis Vanderslice.

Senior Emily Smithey and junior Morgan Posey are two of the players that will be counted on to provide defense.

The most experienced player on the team will be setter Kasi Wells, both because of senior status but also because of her time spent playing club softball.

“She’s brought a lot to the table this year,” Robinson said. “We’ll be able to run a little different attack. It’s just a matter of the other people catching up.

It’s like having a quarterback that is seasoned and that knows the game. She’s able to teach others and share what she knows. Our team, I think they lean on her a lot.”

By Stephen Dawkins

If not for the relaxed demeanors on the court, Monday’s volleyball action at Jemison would have looked an awful lot like a county tournament.
Chilton County, Jemison and Thorsby, along with West Blocton, all participated in exhibition matches at Alton Cobb Gymnasium, but the intense focus usually associated with local volleyball rivalries was replaced by players smiling and coaches patiently stepping onto the court in the middle of matches to offer instructions.
“This is good for us,” Jemison coach Leighsa Robinson said. “We decided it would be good for the county, and we want to make it an annual event.
“Hopefully, we can get six or eight teams in here next year.”
The state high school athletic association allows teams in each sport a certain number of days each summer for exhibition competitions, and the three county schools are using Monday and Tuesday for two of those days.
Matches were also scheduled for Tuesday.
Coaches view the exhibitions as extra practice before the official practice period begins.
Thorsby coach Ginger Williams has to replace several seniors from last year’s team.
“The summer has gone really well,” Williams said. “They’ve worked hard.”

By Stephen Dawkins

The Jemison volleyball team might feel honored to have the coach of the University of Alabama team run its summer camp, but the players might not know that the feeling is mutual.
UA coach Judy Green last week instructed Jemison players for the fourth consecutive year.
Green has committed to Jemison coach Leighsa Robinson that Green will continue to conduct the camp as long as possible.
“This one kind of kicks off their camp season,” Robinson said, “and she said it’s hard to find other groups that are willing to work like these are, that don’t complain.”
Another reason for Green’s presence—and the players and assistant coaches that also help—might be the baskets of peaches donated by Culp Fruits each year.
Regardless, Robinson and her players agree the team is better off because of Green’s willingness to help.
“They get the one-on-one that you don’t get from a Division I coach when you go to a team camp,” Robinson said. “They work very hard because they want to make that impression on her—they have so much respect for her.”
Thirty-two Jemison players—varsity, junior varsity and middle school—participated in the camp.
One participant was Kasi Wells, a rising senior setter. Like Robinson, Wells said having Green in town benefits Jemison volleyball.
“We learn a lot,” Wells said. “She makes it fun, but she makes you learn it.”

By Stephen Dawkins

JEMISON – It wasn’t a storybook season for Kasi Wells but a memorable one nonetheless.
Wells missed three matches during the regular season with stress reactions in her shins, and Jemison’s season ended with a sub-state playoff round loss (at home, no less) with Wells playing at only about 75 percent.
But the junior setter—and The Clanton Advertiser’s Volleyball Player of the Year—kept plugging, something coach Leighsa Robinson would expect nothing less of from the most crucial component of a team Robinson said set itself apart with hard work.
“I really felt like this year our team worked harder than any team I’ve coached,” Robinson said. “They set a standard.”
And the Panthers won 34 matches, more than any other Robinson-coached team has won.
“This year was different than last year just in how hard we worked and how bad we wanted it,” Wells said. “And we were close this year.”
Robinson raved about a team that would beat her to practice and stay afterward for extra work, but the setter, which Robinson described as quarterback of a team, became limited in how much she could do.
Wells’ shin problems began in September. She would be held out of matches (“It was torture trying to sit there,” she said) and practices and wear a protective boot for two months. Even now, Wells has a stretching routine she must perform, pads she must wear in all her shoes and a support sleeve to wear over her legs during practice.
Robinson credits Wells’ teammates for being good passers because the setter couldn’t run as far for balls because of the pain.
Wells was still able to record 415 assists—and that wasn’t all. Showing her ability as an all-around player, Wells also had 111 kills, 83 aces, 45 digs and 35 blocks.
Wells was named the Most Valuable Player of five tournaments.
“A lot of Kasi’s success is her hard work and the fact that she had good teammates,” Robinson said. “She’s good for our program and good for our team.
“I’m glad I have her for one more year.”
Also see last Weekend’s edition of The Clanton Advertiser for the all-area team.

By Stephen Dawkins

JEMISON – Both Jemison’s and Thorsby’s volleyball programs were knocked out of the sub-state round of the playoffs last week, but that was about the only similarity.
Jemison was a veteran team playing and home and expecting to advance to the Elite Eight state tournament this week at the Pelham Civic Complex. Thorsby, meanwhile, had never before made it so far in the playoffs and was playing at Leroy.
The Panthers fell to visiting Andalusia 3-1 (25-20, 22-25, 25-8, 25-18) on Oct. 22.
“When you get to this level, you’ve got to play more consistent,” Jemison coach Leighsa Robinson said. “We made too many errors back-to-back and didn’t correct ourselves.
“Our girls have played hard all year, we just didn’t come through today.”
The Panthers (34-11) dug themselves a hole in each set: They trailed 6-0 in the first set, 5-1 in the second, 15-1 in the third and 7-0 in the fourth.
Still, the hosts looked to be a match for Andalusia (25-13) as the squads split the first two sets.
But any momentum was squandered as Jemison couldn’t get Andalusia senior Amber Anderson off the service line to begin Set 3. Anderson served for 14 consecutive points.
Anderson was also part of an imposing Bulldogs offensive attack that rained down kills seemingly from the rafters.
Jemison’s defense was solid as always-Emily Smithey and Tanya Liveoak led the effort with 14 digs and 12 digs, respectively-but its offense was too spotty. Jemison recorded 31 kills but made 25 attack errors.
Tabatha Cork recorded 11 kills to go along with four assists. Kasi Wells filled up the stat sheet to the tune of 20 assists, nine digs, four kills and two blocks.
Whitney Childress had five aces.
The Rebels, unfortunately, played like a team in unfamiliar territory—both the gymnasium and the place in history.
Thorsby fell at Leroy, 3-0 (25-15, 25-17, 25-20).
“We played nervous, being our first time there,” coach Ginger Williams said. “We’re extremely proud of them, anyway. This team has really done a lot.”
Thorsby was put on the defensive most of the night, so there were plenty of digs to be had. Brittany Maddox had 12, Desiree Evans had 10 and Holly Smith had 8.
Maddox also had four kills.
THS finished the season with a 20-20 record.

By Stephen Dawkins

The historic seasons for Jemison’s and Thorsby’s volleyball programs continue.
Thorsby on Oct. 17 earned a berth in the sub-state round of the playoffs for the first time in school history. Jemison will host a sub-state match for the first time in coach Leighsa Robinson’s four seasons.
The Panthers (34-10) finished second in the Class 4A, Regional B tournament. Jemison was the host school but chose to play the tournament at Calera.
JHS defeated both Oak Grove and Elmore County High 3-0 (25-19, 25-17, 25-10 and 25-22, 25-21, 25-19) but lost to Alabama Christian, 3-0 (25-11, 27-25, 25-18) in the championship match.
“We played just good enough to win, and, when we got to the championship match, that wasn’t good enough,” Robinson said.
The Panthers on Thursday play Andalusia with a berth in the Elite 8 tournament in Pelham on Oct. 28-30 on the line. The Panthers’ last Elite 8 appearance was in 2004.
The match at Alton Cobb Gymnasium will begin at 4 p.m., and admission will be $6.
In the regional tournament, statistical category leaders were: Emily Smithey with 37 digs, Whitney Childress with eight aces, Kasi Wells with 31 assists and seven blocks, and Tabatha Cork with 19 kills.
Thorsby, meanwhile finished third in the Class 2A, Regional B tournament at New Brockton. The Rebels (20-19) defeated Zion Chapel, 3-2 (18-25, 25-15, 26-24, 24-26, 15-9) and lost to No. 3 Ohatchee, 3-0 (25-11, 25-8, 25-3) and Isabella, 3-1 (25-18, 17-25, 25-19, 25-15).
“At the end of last season, [assistant coach Keith Williams] and I began telling the returning seniors every chance we got that it was up to them to start a tradition,” coach Ginger Williams said. “We wanted them to leave a legacy for future teams.
This year, we have a great group of seniors. They are wonderful leaders on and off the court. They have become very competitive, and they continue to want more out of themselves and their teammates. For these seniors and this team, I hope that they are very proud of everything they have accomplished this year, but I hope that they are not satisfied. They have the potential and the chance to do more.
“For the program, this season sets a precedent for next year’s team and the teams after that, hopefully starting a tradition for Thorsby volleyball.”
The Rebels visit Leroy at 1:30 p.m. Thursday.
During the regional tournament, statistical category leaders were: Brittany Maddox with 23 digs, 15 kills and six blocks; and Holly Smith with 43 assists. Both Smith and Kendra Dawson had five aces.

By Stephen Dawkins

Jemison on Saturday won its fifth county volleyball tournament in seven tries since the tournament’s renewal in 2003.

The Panthers defeated defending champion Isabella in what amounted to a championship match, 25-13, 25-16. It was the last contest of a round robin tournament, and both teams came in unbeaten on the day.

“They wanted to prove a point,” coach Leighsa Robinson said. “Thorsby is the most dangerous team in the county, they beat us twice, we lost to Isabella once and Clanton took a set from us.

“Our whole county has just grown. The skill level has improved across the whole county. It’s good to see.”

The Panthers broke a huddle following the tournament with the cry, “The plaque is back!” The winner of each tournament has its name and year inscribed on a plaque, which is kept by the winning school until the next tournament.

Jemison also defeated host Chilton County High (25-22, 25-18) and Thorsby (25-21, 25-15). The Mustangs also defeated both CCHS (25-18, 27-25) and Thorsby (25-18, 21-25, 15-4).

Thorsby topped the Tigers to earn third place in the tournament.

Jemison’s Kasi Wells was the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. Wells recorded 38 assists, nine kills and six digs in three matches. She did not miss a single serve in 36 attempts and had six aces.

Tabatha Cork (21 kills, 12 assists and no missed serves) and Whitney Childress (10 kills and eight aces) also made the all-tournament team.

The Panthers were good on 138 of 147 serve attempts on the day, or about 94 percent.

Michelle Hendrix was Thorsby’s all-tournament selection. She finished with 14 digs and three aces and passed the volleyball exceptionally well, coach Ginger Williams said.

Brittany Maddox accounted for 23 digs, 11 kills and five blocks, and Stephanie Moore had 10 digs, seven blocks and six kills.

By Stephen Dawkins

JEMISON – The Jemison and Thorsby volleyball teams will have much different tasks in front of them next week at their area tournaments.

Jemison will host its tournament because it finished area play unbeaten with wins over Calera and Holt on Monday. The Panthers have hosted in each of Leighsa Robinson’s five seasons as coach.

The Rebels, meanwhile, will try to advance in the state playoffs though playing their area tournament at county rival Isabella, which has won 11 consecutive area championships.

Jemison (26-8, 5-0 area) on Monday tuned up for the playoffs with a 3-1 (25-16, 26-24, 23-25, 25-17) win over Calera and a 3-0 (25-11, 25-17, 25-20) win over Holt.

Jemison seniors Whitney Childress, Codi Mims and Dallis Vanderslice—playing in their final regular season home matches—said they didn’t feel pressure to continue the streak of hosting area tournaments but instead are focused on the team’s postseason potential.

“We work well together,” Mims said, and Childress added “We have faith in each other to pull through.”

Vanderslice may have summed it up best when she said that, though they have been a part of successful squads in the past, “this has been the best season so far.”

The Class 4A, Area 7 tournament will begin at 3 p.m. on Oct. 13, with Calera, Bibb County High and Holt visiting Alton Cobb Gymnasium.

The other Jemison seniors recognized Monday between the two matches were Holly Barton and Tabatha Cork.

Robinson said the group’s willingness to work has set it apart.

“Our seniors have provided great leadership and played hard,” Robinson said. “They’ve been fun to coach.”

Against Calera, the seniors were productive as always: Vanderslice had 12 digs, Cork had eight kills and five digs, and Mims had six kills.

Emily Smithey posted nine digs and five aces. Kasi Wells contributed eight assists, seven kills, four digs and three aces. Shelby Griffin had four blocks.

The Class 2A, Area 6 tournament—which will include Isabella, Thorsby, R.C. Hatch and St. Jude—will begin at 5 p.m. on Oct. 12.