WILLIAMSBURG – The Raider volleyball team is very young this year and has only one senior.
That athlete is Kalon Spratt, who participated in the softball team’s run to the state championship.
Spratt will be the Raiders’ libero this season, an important position for any team.
“Our team is led by Kalon,” said Brittni Powell Powell, head coach of the Williamsburg volleyball team.
Spratt’s leadership will be important for a team with many new faces.
“We have a very young but very talented team this year. We have four returning key players, but the rest of the team is very fresh,” Powell said.
Other key players returning for the Raiders this season include Clarissa Suhr, Ava Hocker and Averi Nielsen.
Williamsburg’s Bailey Von Ahsen (7) and Clarissa Suhr defend the goal in a game against Gladbrook-Reinbeck last season in Williamsburg. Suhr is one of the Raiders’ best returning players this season. (File photo)
Suhr is the player with the most kills and blocks. Last season she had 81 and 58 respectively.
Hocker had 44 and 49 assists respectively last season, while Nielson led the team with 318 assists.
After a 6-26 season, the Raiders don’t have an easier schedule this season, but they enter the season full of excitement and confidence, Powell said.
“We will face a lot of tough opponents this year, but we finished our team training camp with nine wins from 12 games, which gave us a huge boost to start the season,” Powell said.
“I see a lot of good things coming from this young group of girls in the coming years.”
Powell is in her second season as head coach and her third as a member of the coaching staff.
The Raiders open their season on August 27 with a tournament in Lisbon.
