Erin Nelson Photo by Erin Nelson
Spain Park’s Cailyn Kyes (12) celebrates with her teammates after blocking a hit during a match against Chelsea in the Class 7A, Area 6 tournament at Oak Mountain High School on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
Spain Park High School’s volleyball program has ascended to be one of the most respected in the state under Kellye Bowen.
Bowen is now at Jasper, and Justin Kisor is the new leader at Spain Park. He and his wife, Ashley, inherit a program in good standing, looking to help the Jags take another positive step in 2024.
“We just go one day at a time,” Kisor said. “They’re learning me and seeing how I react to things. It’s been a learning experience, but it’s been really good and really positive so far.”
Kisor comes to Spain Park from Fort Payne, where he led the Wildcats to the Class 6A state tournament in 2023, taking the program from 18 wins in his first year to 38 last year.
He has high hopes for his 2024 team at Spain Park, which features three seniors in Alexa Benda, Reagan Gilbert and Grayson Hyde.
Benda recently played in the AHSAA North-South All-Star Game in Montgomery in July, as one of the top rising seniors in the state. Gilbert has long been one of the top outside hitters in the area, and Hyde is moving to the right side, after previously playing in the middle.
“The three of them, they all bring different aspects to the game that really help us,” Kisor said.
Kisor has given the keys to the offense to junior setter Cailyn Kyes. He prefers to run a system where the setter is given plenty of responsibility, and believes Kyes has more than proven capable of handling that so far.
“She’s really good, and it’s helped me give her the reins quicker than normal,” Kisor said.
Benda will be a force in the middle, with Ja’Niyah Mosley also at that position. On the outside, Gilbert will be joined by junior Bea Wiggins. On the back row, eighth grader Camdyn Kyes has earned the libero position at the season’s outset.
“She’s little, but she plays big,” Kisor said of the younger Kyes sister.
Phu Vo is a defensive specialist who will also play on the back row, and Kisor also mentioned Hollyn Oliver as a versatile front row player. Peyton Harrington and Ayu Sudarsana will also be in the mix for playing time for the Jags.
Even though Spain Park dropped down to Class 6A this fall, things certainly don’t get any easier for the Jags. They are now playing in an area consisting of Pelham, Helena and Chelsea, three programs that have equally high expectations.
In addition to playing in Hoover’s tournament, the Jags will play in tournaments at Guntersville and in Tennessee, in addition to hosting their own in September.
Regular season highlights for Spain Park include matches against McGill-Toolen, Shades Valley, Hoover, Thompson and Bob Jones.
Cailyn Kyes believes people are overlooking her team this year. The Jags were a bit of a surprise state tournament team last year and could very well get back to that point again this season in 6A.
“The underdog mentality has struck us in a way. No one expects anything from us, and not having that pressure has helped us a lot,” she said.
