NTL VOLLEYBALL: YOUTHFUL CANTON LOOKS TO MAKE SOME NOISE IN 2024 (2024-08-21)

BY CHRIS MANNING
Northern Tier Sports Report
Things are one day at a time for Canton volleyball early this season. The tragic loss of Vayda Bryan just before camp started sent shock waves through the program, but the team has continued to move forward as coach Jackie Thompson keeps things positive.

“They’ve all been working really hard and trying to pick everything they’ve been through and using it to the best of their ability,” she said. “They’ve actually had a really good mindset, so I can’t ask for anything more from them.”

Coming into the season they have plenty of motivation after watching two teams they beat last year - South Williamsport and CV - face off in the District IV, Class A final with the Mounties coming out on top.

Thompson called watching the final ‘frustrating’ as they just missed districts last season.

“That was pretty hard,” Addie Pepper said about that final.

The Class AA champions from a year ago, NEB, moves down to Class A, but the Warriors remain undeterred as they return most of last year’s key players like Pepper (172 assists, 114 digs), libero Kendall Kitchen (316 digs), and hitters Tara Gilbert (97 kills), MaKenna Seachrist (66 kills), and Cailyn VanNoy (60 kills).

“We had a new group last year, so it was really nice getting to know all of them,” Pepper remarked. “I think that we have all learned to work together as a team, and I think this year’s going to bring a lot of opportunities for us.”

They were a different team by the end of last year, and they’re also excited about the newcomers up.

“The upcoming freshman class is even bigger,” said Kitchen. “So we’re a much bigger team than we were last year.”

Thompson, though, knows there’s still much more work to be done if they’re going to get back on top of the division and district, and she believes the girls know that, too.

“They come in ready to work, they know what to expect,” Thompson said. “I know what they have capabilities of doing, and we don’t have a lot of refreshing. We can pretty much get in, and get started where we left off.”

Canton knows that if they’re going to reach their potential they’re going to have to get it done at the defensive end.

“We’re not the most strong offensive team, so we’ve been putting a lot of work into defensive drills throughout the postseason,” Kitchen said. “I think it’s going to pay off.”

“We lean on her a lot defensively,” Thompson said about Kitchen. “She is a staple for us. She picks up a lot of balls that most kids won’t get to. It’s just awesome having her confidence on the floor, and she knows where everyone should be, and that’s very helpful as well.”

Offensively Thompson likes what she has seen from her three big returning hitters.

“They’ve all stepped up,” she said.

Gilbert looks to be the centerpiece of their offensive attack coming off a strong sophomore season.

“I think she has a lot more confidence,” Pepper said. “So that’s going to come in really handy.”

This is essentially year two for everybody and Thompson likes how things have been progressing.

“I like how I came in with a brand new group of kids, a young group of kids to learn,” she said. “They didn’t have expectations. I had expectations, but didn’t have super high ones knowing we had such a young group coming in. I think it was good for everybody that we started off on the same foot together.”

Their biggest motivation, though, will be playing this year for Bryan.

“She loved volleyball through and through,” Kitchen said. “I think all of us know that she’s cheering us on no matter what, and we’re just trying to take it game by game, and see what happens.”

ROSTER

Kendall Kitchen

Addilyn Pepper

Tara Gilbert

Abbey Marbaker

Allyson Marbaker

Katelyn Barry

Alyssa May

Lydia Roupp

Makenna Seachrist

Ashley Valera

Cailyn VanNoy

Neveah Vroman

Danah Wesneski

Danika Burgess

Adelynn Cardona

Maci Colton

Lydia Mead

Emilia Pepper

Summer Route

Jericka Strozyk

SCHEDULE

Aug. 27 at Wellsboro, 7 p.m.

Aug. 29 vs NEB, 7 p.m.

Sep. 5 vs Cv, 7 p.m.

Sep. 7 at Williamson Tournament

Sep. 9 vs Athens, 7 p.m.

Sep. 10 vs Williamson, 7 p.m.

Sep. 11 vs Troy, 7 p.m.

Sep. 16 vs South Williamsport, 7 p.m.

Sep. 17 at NEB, 7 p.m.

Sep. 19 at Sayre, 7 p.m.

Sep. 24 vs Williamson, 7 p.m.

Sep. 26 vs Wyalusing, 7 p.m.

Oct. 3 at CV, 7 p.m.

Oct. 5 at Troy w/Loyalsock, 10 a.m.

Oct. 7 at South Williamsport, 7 p.m.

Oct. 8 vs Towanda, 7 p.m.

Oct. 15 vs Athens, 7 p.m.

Oct. 17 vs Sayre, 7 p.m.

Oct. 22 at Wyalusing, 7 p.m.

Oct. 24 at NPL, 7 p.m.

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