Lady Mustangs ready for action

The Hughes Springs Lady Mustang volleyball teams kicked off the fall campaign at the beginning of August and will have a couple of tune up games against Redwater and Rivercrest before they embark on a series of tournaments that will toughen them up for a district that is comprised of teams like, Daingerfield, Paul Pewitt, Linden, Chapel Hill, Queen City and Mt. Vernon.

Coming into this season, Coach Thompson will take the reins of head coach. She was cohead coach last year, but this year it is Coach T who will guide the still young but tested group of ladies. With 6 starters, Coach Thompson feels good about coming into the season with this group. “This group is highly competitive and they work hard, I feel good about our experience,” said Coach Thompson.

With familiar names returning to the court like Peyton Blythe, Cypress Wright, Charlie Mae Reeves, and Kennedi Northam, the ladies are primed to make some noise. But let’s not forget about Laken Smith, who comes back for her senior year and plans to add to her stats from last year, where she is the leading returner with 59 blocks. Not to be outdone will be the leader in returning kills, Zoe Lanier. Northam had an astonishing 405 digs last year, and looks to vacuum up all of the opposing spikes again this year. Blythe returns with a great all around effort from last year with, 116 kills, 50 aces, 252 assists and 152 digs. Reeves, who is a junior this year, returns with solid stats as well. She had 34 aces, 39 kills, and 151 digs.

The ladies have some newcomers to the varsity squad as well, sophomore, Pearl Perry, and Haylee Wilson will provide extra depth and even more athleticism to the lineup.

Coach Thompson did feel that the team needs to work on getting better at blocking and passing. She also added that they needed to find a secondary setter before district play.

With many of these ladies coming into their junior year, and most having two years of learning the ropes, and being very comfortable with each other, this year seems like a year that the ladies can contend for a playoff spot.

Hughes Springs has a great group of girls year in and year out, and just to further that point, Hughes Springs standout and graduate, Breanne Gunn will be starting her sophomore season at Wiley College. This just will provide proof that these ladies are primed and ready for the big world when they graduate from Hughes Springs, and can do anything they set their minds to.

Here’s to a great season of Lady Mustang volleyball, so let’s pack the stands for the ladies. They were in action August 16 at home. Before that was a Redwater tournament August 11 through 13, in Redwater. For those who don’t know when the ladies play, keep in mind, they play primarily on Tuesdays and Fridays. Stay up to date with your social media on Facebook, and right here at the Bee for all your Lady Mustang volleyball scores and schedules.