RACHEL RUSSELL, a senior on the Mancos High School varsity volleyball team, gets ready to bump the ball during a preseason workout held recently in the Mancos Performance Center. The Blue Jays, who were a surprise by making Regionals last season, could be one of the favorites this season to battle for the Class AA San Juan Basin League title.

BY JIM THOMAS
Journal Sports Writer

Last year they were the surprise team of the Class AA San Juan Basin League. The Blue Jays advanced to Regionals before being eliminated. However, this year it will be a big surprise if Mancos High School doesn’t do well this season.

"I think we should do very well this season," Shepherd said. "We certainly have the potential to do well everyone back. We expect some great things from this group."

Everyone, with the exception of one senior who did not play much a year ago, is returning for second-year head coach Mona Shepherd. The eight seniors who are returning are Katie Paxton, Lacy Morris, Rachel Russell, Katie Rosso, Amy Smith, Angela Hall, Jolene Thomas, and Cassie Coppinger. All of them played extensively last season.

The starters this year will include lone junior Jori Yeomans plus veterans Rosso, Russell, Morris, Paxton, and Hall. Yeomans, Rosso, Russell, Morris, and Paxton all started a year ago with Hall joining that group this season. However, Thomas, Coppinger and Smith all have experience. Brittany Aspromonte, Kassi Paxton, and Tiffany Crites are juniors who could see some varsity playing time early in the season and perhaps later on if need be.

Shepherd has been pleased with practices so far during the preseason.

"The girls are doing real well. We are already ahead of where we were last season at this time. They are working hard. I had 25 girls go to (summer) camp, so that really puts us up on where we were a year ago before I got sick and we couldn’t do much. We had open gym all summer and a pretty good turnout of girls who showed up consistently," she added.

But Shepherd said she does have a concern. Morris hurt her thump on her right hand last spring but continued to use it and not give it some rest. She said Morris, who is the starting setter for the 5-1 offense, will have her hand taped all season. Coppinger, who is a good defensive player, will also do some setting.

Hall has good hands and will be opposite the setter. But Hall has never run the offense.

Russell will handle middle blocking duties. Katie Paxton, who played left a year ago, will be a middle. Paxton likes to run quicks. Between Russell and Paxton, Mancos could have a good middle. Both are good hitters. Rosso and Yeomans wil be on the left. This is change for Yeomans who played opposite a year ago. Smith and Thomas are defensive specialists. Kassi Paxton and Crites may develop into a force. Aspromonte, a setter for the JV, could get in a few times because she will likely move to varsity next year.

How does the league stack up?

"Dolores didn’t lose anybody except for some backcourt seniors. Telluride lost a setter and head coach. I don’t know how we will stack up but we should be right there at the end of the season. I know Norwood lost four seniors and Nucla lost some, too. Dove Creek has a new coach and should come along but it had no development over the summer. I’m certainly looking for us to be among the top three," she said.

The Blue Jays open the 2001 season at Montezuma-Cortez High School JVs on Sept. 6. They return home Sept. 8 to host the Lady Jay Invitational in the Performance Center. Monticello, Utah; league rival Dolores, and Bayfield are coming. The Jays then open league play at Nucla Sept. 15 and at Dolores Sept. 18. They play at Bayfield Sept. 20 and then return to loop action at home against Telluride Sept. 22, at Dolores County Sept. 25, and home to Norwood Sept. 28.

MHS takes a short break from league by hosting Piedra Vista (Farmington) Sept. 29 and Monticello Oct. 2. The Jays go back to league by visiting Nucla Oct. 5, and hosting Dolores Oct. 9, visiting Telluride Oct. 12, hosting DCHS Oct. 16 and going to Norwood Oct. 20.

District Pigtail game is set for Oct. 24 with the District III Tournament at Telluride Oct. 27. Regionals will be at Palisade High School Nov. 3 and State in Denver Nov. 9-10.