Photo by Erin Nelson.
Hoover's Aly Durban (4) sets the ball during a Class 7A state tournament match against Mountain Brook Oct. 30 at the Birmingham CrossPlex. Durban is one of eight seniors on a Hoover squad that possesses a wealth of experience.
The Hoover High School volleyball team continued an impressive streak last fall.
For the seventh consecutive season, the Bucs advanced to the state tournament as one of the final eight teams in Class 7A. After winning its quarterfinal match, Hoover fell to eventual champion Mountain Brook in the semifinals.
As impressive as the seven-year run is for the Bucs, the top prize of a state championship has always eluded them.
But there’s reason to believe with a full season (if the COVID-19 pandemic doesn’t alter the schedule) and health, Hoover could be back in the mix once again for a title come October.
“There’s a tremendous amount of talent, depth and leadership,” said Chris Camper, who enters his ninth year at Hoover. “We really don’t know what kind of team we have until we get some adversity.”
This year’s Hoover team has eight seniors on the varsity roster, most of them possessing a wealth of talent and experience. Gabbi Essix is a Florida commit that is an imposing force in the middle. Setter Aly Durban is a steady player who is being courted by a handful of colleges. Kendal Youngblood and Eva Guenster are defensive specialists with plenty of experience. Kayla Jemison, Melodie Jones and Sydney Melton are each dynamic players with the ability to change a match as well. Cori Shipman is also one of the team’s elder players.
The two most well known names on the Hoover squad are Essix and junior Rya McKinnon, who has established herself as one of the top players in the state as a six-rotation outside hitter.
“They handle stuff better,” Camper said. “They look more calm. They don’t get rattled. Rya was a sophomore last year and dealt with a lot of pressure as the go-to player. There were some times when she really grew. This is her fourth year on varsity, and she’s grown in her ability to handle situations. Gabbi has as well.”
One of Hoover’s critical strengths this season will be having the ability to inflict damage upon opponents via other front-row players outside of Essix and McKinnon. The onus will not only fall on those two to lead the way. Camper said Melton is one of the top outside hitters in the state in her own right, while Jones and Jemison will be impactful in the middle.
Due to the uncertainty of the season brought upon by the effects of the pandemic, Hoover will face its Class 7A, Area 5 opponents (Oak Mountain, Thompson and Tuscaloosa County) before Sept. 15. But the Bucs’ schedule features some of the top teams and events as always, with matches against powerhouses McGill-Toolen, Mountain Brook and Spain Park, and tournaments such as the Juanita Boddie (Hoover), Margaret Blalock (Homewood) and HeffStrong (Spain Park).
Camper believes his team is equipped for a strong season, but those big picture goals are put on the back burner.
“We don’t talk about the final four, we don’t talk about anybody. We’ve just got to get better,” Camper said. “That’s all we’re doing every day, is every individual player has a thing they can improve on.”
Whether the team talks about it or not, there’s no getting around the fact that the Bucs appear to be one of the state’s top teams yet again.
“If this team is healthy and plays its best at the end, we’re going to be in great shape,” Camper said. “A deep run is the potential of this team.”
