Bucs look to replace big hitters this fall

The Bucs have been on the doorstep a few times, but have yet to lift one of those state championship trophies for themselves.

The Hoover High School volleyball team scrapped to make it to the Class 7A state championship match against Mountain Brook last fall, including an extremely emotional victory over Huntsville in the semifinals. 

“They overcame a lot of adversity and the Final Four win against Huntsville was one of the best wins in program history,” head coach Chris Camper said.”

The Bucs were firmly in the championship match, but Mountain Brook prevailed in four sets.

Last year’s team could put the ball down with as much authority as anyone, but three of those big hitters graduated. The program’s depth will be tested this fall without the likes Kyra Hunter, Maya Jones and Nora Webster. 

“We’re not going to have those hitters,” Camper said. “In fact, I’ll never have a team with that many hitters the rest of my career.”

But there is one hitter that will carry a major part of the load; recent Memphis commit Paige Shaw, an outside hitter with the capability of completely dominating matches at times.

“I believe Paige is the most dominant hitter in Alabama and will be a six-rotation outside for us,” Camper said.

Brayden Williams, a middle hitter, and Shaw are the only two returning starters that saw the floor last fall. Both are seniors, along with setter Jamie Gregg, who is back after an injury forced her to miss last season.

“If she can get back and find a way to get back to that 10th grade level when she led us to back-to-back Final Fours, then we’ll be tough to beat,” Camper said of Gregg.

Amiyah King is also a setter that will see some playing time, and Camper called her a “great athlete who I think can play setter at a high level.”

Anna Marie Auchmuty and Savannah Gibbs are among those battling for time as libero and on defense. Gone is Olivia Portera, who was a Division I level libero, so replacing her will be a tall task. Gibbs has moved in from Florida.

Mackenzie Martin and Caroline Raybon are both junior hitters who have not seen much of the court yet, only because of the powerhouses ahead of them in the lineup. Camper said he expects both to impress in their first extended varsity court time. 

“We have a good group of seniors and then some really young talented players that are going to be good,” Camper said. “The question is, are they going to be really good in October or are they going to be really good in August the following year?”

The Bucs also have an eighth-grader that is expected to emerge in Rya McKinnon. Her father, Ronald, won the Harlon Hill Trophy (the Division II equivalent of the Heisman Trophy) in 1995, and spent a decade in the NFL. 

Even though there may be some growing pains, Camper is thrilled with McKinnon’s potential and said she “never misses a workout.”

Cameron Frank, Brooke Hoven, Abby Webster and Bayley Thornton will also look to make an impact for the Bucs.

The Bucs’ season begins Aug. 31, with a tri-match at Mountain Brook High School against the reigning three-time state champions and McGill-Toolen. The three schools represent the finalists in Class 7A each of the last three years.