Last year the Newberry and Branford volleyball teams had a special season with a run all the way to the final four.
Branford defeated Newberry in the Class 1A state semifinals before falling to Baker in the title game.
The Bucs and Panthers are two of six teams from the Mainstreet Daily News coverage area who will compete in the Crafty Gemini Preseason Showdown next Thursday at Legacy Park in Alachua.
The tournament, which is presented by 399 Sports and Recreation, will kick off with the first games starting at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 15.
The third place and championship games are at 7 p.m.
Admission is $10 for adults and $7 for students, making it an affordable evening of competitive sports for the whole community.
“We are excited to host such a prestigious event and bring together some of the best high school volleyball teams in the area,” said Brandon Wilson, President of 399 Sports and Recreation. “This tournament is a fantastic opportunity for the teams to prepare for the upcoming season and for the community to come out and support these talented athletes.”
Santa Fe, which finished 21-9 and lost at Bishop Moore (Orlando) in a Class 4A-Region 2 Final, will join them, along with Buchholz, The Rock, Union County (Lake Butler), Lafayette (Mayo) and Forest (Ocala).
“As a fan I would love to see all the teams play,” said Newberry coach Hank Rone. “For Newberry, this is an opportunity to take on a great Union County team and Tifani (Knox) has done a great job since she took over at Union. We can see what we need to work on, and this preseason classic is one of the best in the area. We are excited to partner up with 399 sports and looking forward to kickstarting the season.”
The Panthers, who moved up to Class 3A this season, lost some key seniors in Hailey Tharp (359 kills), Sarah Watson (157 kills), and Hanna Templeton (789 assists). The trio will be playing college volleyball this year.
However, Newberry does have two four-year starters coming back, including one of the top liberos in the state in senior Malana Kennard (612 digs).
“She will solidify our defense and senior Chloe Jones (192 kills) has really worked hard on being a consistent outside hitter and middle back attacker for us,” Rone said. “I expect her to pick right up where Hailey Tharp left off.”
While there are some holes, Rone is expecting to fill them.
“We have to replace setter Hanna Templeton, but senior Sarah Priester has had a great summer and didn’t miss a summer workout,” he said. “She will start off as our number one setter. We will also use a very talented athlete who is becoming a solid volleyball player in junior Meadow Moses. She will set some and hit front row.”
During the regular season, the Panthers will compete in 3A-District 5, which includes Keystone Heights, Palatka, Crescent City, and Interlachen.
“Our goal is to make the district championship game,” Rone said. “We make that game, then we will set new goals from there.”
While Branford coach Mendy Sikes is looking forward to the opportunity to compete next week, she noted that Hurricane Debby, which made landfall in the Big Bend Region, has affected the Bucs’ preseason preparations.
“I am very excited to see what this new team can bring,” Sikes said. “This is a great opportunity to see what changes we need to make and areas that need major improvement. This team has worked very hard, and I believe they have the grit to fight for their goal. However, with Debby hitting our area so hard, we have not been able to get back to work and I’m not sure when we will. I know several other teams are in the same situation, and our priority is to make sure our community is safe.”
Branford, which will compete in the new Rural classification in 2024, but the 25-5 Bucs lost outside hitters Kennedy Walker (289 kills) and Jadyn Mosley (238 kills) to graduation.
“I was truly worried about how we would fill those positions,” Sikes said. “I am very optimistic that this team will do very well. We had two new transfers (Addison Folsom from Lafayette and Haidyn Markham from Columbia) that will definitely help fill those gaps. My three returning seniors (Madison Ward, Andi Sabourin and Erika Rioux) are everything that a coach would want. They have the talent, leadership and are just amazing young ladies.”
As good as last year’s team was, Sikes is very optimistic about her 2024 team.
“Our three returning underclassmen (Kayley Johnson, Anabella Dicks, and Ryland Roush) are stepping up and showing some amazing growth,” Sikes said. “I truly believe that this could be one of the best teams that I have ever coached. Wins are the goal, and I believe they can, but ultimately developing great women is more powerful than what the record will show at the end. We will continue to focus on one game at a time.”
For more information about the Crafty Gemini Preseason Showdown, please contact 399 Sports and Recreation at 399sportsrecreation@gmail.com.