Members of the 2017 Trenton High School volleyball team include, from left, front row, Savannah Martin, Jessica Shipley, Olivia Roberts, Brittney Colston, Skylar Gott, Haylee Coplen, Kenzie Yuille, Alexis Palmer, Rachael Sibbitt; middle row, Bekah Allen, Shawna Coplen, Giley Ando, Grace Eaton, Laura Carlson, Cassidy Trump, Melea Farmer, Allena Allen, McKenna Dolan, Emily Feeny; back row, head coach Amanda King, Teresa Burkholder, Sydney Ellis, Libby Fewins, Karli Provorse, Saedee Jackson, Evy McCullough, Mackenzie Klinginsmith, Morgan Dolan, Halle Lotz and assistant coach Lysander Overstreet.
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Now, in 2017, Trenton will look to take another step forward. The Bulldogs should have the players to do just that as the majority of last year’s team is back this season. Karli Provorse, Saedee Jackson and Laura Carlson were all key players on last year’s squad and are back this season, as are Shawna Coplen, Melea Farmer, Gilcy Ando and Allena Allen. Only one player from last year’s varsity squad graduated.
“This group has been playing together for quite a while and they are all used to each other and building each other up,” King said. “They are really coming together as a team and working to create that family environment.”
Of the group, Provorse will be the leader on the floor. Now a junior, she has paced Trenton in nearly every statistical category over the past two seasons, earning all-district honors as a freshman in 2015. She had 15 aces, 78 kills and 69 digs a year ago, all tops on the squad.
“Karli is one of our stronger players,” King said “She can play all the way around and she is really focusing on her hitting approach, her serving and even her passing. Last year I had her mostly outside and this year I’m looking for other positions where we can put her and have her be just as successful.”
Trenton will lose a player in Grace Holcomb, who has moved to the golf team for her senior year, but Cassidy Trump joins the squad as a first-year player in her senior year and should provide some leadership for the team.
“I’ve seen huge improvements from Cassidy since day one in practice,” King said. “She is one who will really help with team morale and kind of fills that leadership role because she is a senior. Even though she hasn’t played before, she has done a great job with team bonding and learning the game and getting to know her teammates.”
As for goals, Trenton hopes to continue to trend in the right direction even if it means just taking baby steps forward. Getting a win at districts again is something the team is shooting for after accomplishing that feat last season. The district win marked just the third time in program history that the Bulldogs reached the semifinals in districts. The program is entering its 23rd year of existence.
“We definitely want to improve our record,” King said. “I would love to see us go .500, but even getting to 10 wins would be big for us. Then we want to perform well at districts again. Last year we got a win in our first district game so now that is something we have seen and we know we can be successful.”
COACH: Amanda King (Third Year)
CAREER RECORD: 12-40-2
ASSIASTANT COACH: Lysander Overstreet
PROJECTED STARTERS:
Karli Provorse (Jr.)
Gilcy Ando (So.)
Saedee Jackson (Jr.)
Shawna Coplen (So.)
Allena Allen (So.)
Teresa Burkholder (Jr.)