By Amanda Perkins (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Hailey Beazley returns for her third season as West Plains volleyball head coach with a talented crew of experienced athletes.
The Lady Zizzers got a slow start last season with six straight losses, but they ended in the district championship against Camdenton with a 14-17-2 record – twice as many wins as the previous year.
West Plains lost two key contributors on both sides of the ball to graduation: Mackenzie Brunson (Second team All-District and Second Team All-Ozark Conference), an athletic outside hitter and key defender, and Myah Mayfield (Second Team All-District and Honorable Mention All-Ozark Conference), a versatile outside hitter.
Ashton Judd had a big junior season with 254 digs, 31 aces, 114 kills, and 429 assists to be a first team All-District and first team All-Ozark selection. “We have ran a 5-1 offense the last two years with Ashton, but this year we are going to shift to a 6-2,” said Beazley. “We are excited to be able to use Ashton more on offense.”
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Junior Mia Thomas is a versatile player who picked up 57 kills, 25 aces, and 50 digs last season. “She can swing from anywhere, play defense, and set,” said Beazley.
Senior Savannah Smart will play libero, and has played well this summer per her coach. Last season, she added 212 digs and 16 aces.
Judd, Thomas, and Smart will be the three court leaders for the Lady Zizzers. Senior Kennedy Bergman and sophomore Madi Hughston will also return. Bergman added 66 blocks and 43 kills in 2020 as a middle blocker. Hughston will play a combination of outside and opposite for West Plains.
New faces for the varsity team include Kiersten Mahan, a senior playing opposite, and Lily Wiedemann, an incoming freshman who will play outside.
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Coach Beazley said her team’s strength is versatility. “Almost everyone can play more than one position,” she said. “It’s nice to know if we are struggling we can change things up if we need to.”
“We are so excited for this season,” she added. “We ended the summer meshing so well. This group is capable of big things and we are looking forward to seeing what we can accomplish this year.”
The Lady Zizzers open their season against the Mountain Home Lady Bombers August 31. Their Jamboree is slated for August 24 at Glendale vs. Glendale and Branson.
