Okay, so we know that the 2019 volleyball season just wrapped up, but it is always fun to look ahead and ponder what might be during the 2020 season. Could it be the season that Caldwell County finds its way back to the state tournament, or does Henderson find a way to pull it off again? Will UHA reload for another special season, or is there a dark horse team that makes big strides to come from out of the blue to contend? Going to be a great deal of fun speculating.
1 – Caldwell County (22-14) – The Lady Tigers came up just short in 2019, falling in a brutal five set match to Henderson County regional semis. While the losses of Savanna Tays and Addi Perkins will be felt, the cupboard is quite full for the Lady Tigers in 2020. Four seniors, Olivia Mitchell, Abby Griggs, Kendyll Prowell, and Riley Thomas will form the core of a strong regional contender.
2 – Henderson County (23-12) – The loss of seven seniors is huge, make no mistake about it. However, the queens of the region have to be considered close to the top until someone rips their crown away. Could 2020 be the year the streak ends? That will have to be seen next fall. But, until they are beaten when it counts, Henderson County is still Henderson County.
3 – University Heights (30-6) – Losing five seniors who contributed to the program will hurt. Evelyn Morales and Beth Peebles will be the core the Lady Blazers look to build around in 2020. Freshmen to be Sara Peebles and Julia Thomas should also see bigger roles in 2020. How well a couple of other slots fill out will go a long way to directing the season for UHA.
4 – Christian County (10-22) – Coach Rick Erickson spent much of the season working to get the program back on its footing. With Macy Baker and Lainey Bivins returning in 2020, that is a good core to build on for the season. There is some nice upcoming talent on the way for Christian County. The loss of Lindsie Oden and Jaquavia Bailey will be felt going ahead.
5 – Madisonville (16-20) – Losing Madison McCabe will be tough for the Lady Maroons. However, there is some young talent ready to step in and make Madisonville a player in the region again. How that talent progresses during the off season could be big for the program. Keep your eyes on Natalie Collier and Amya King for the 2020 season.
6 – Crittenden County (15-18) – Bayley McDonald did a super job in her first year at the helm of the Lady Rocket program. For 2020, she returns high flying Lily Gardner and some pretty good young talent to once again appear to be the class of the 5th District. After picking up the program’s first regional tourney win, can they progress enough in 2020 to take the next step?
7 – Hopkinsville (12-17) – Big graduation losses for the Lady Tigers after the 2019 season will have an impact, of that there is no doubt. The core of the 2020 team will center around Alyssa Bearns and Hailey Hancock, who will be looking to lead the Lady Tigers back to the regional tournament. Still, there will be some holes in the lineup that Coach Jessica Shepherd will need to fill to contend for a district title and to make a stir in the region.
