FALL SPORTS PREVIEW: Faith Christian volleyball

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on August 17, 2017 6:00 AM

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By RUDY COGGINS

rcoggins@newsargus.com

Step into the Faith Christian gymnasium.

Depending on your view, you'll see a knight dressed in armor brandishing a jousting pole and riding a horse covered by a kelly green and gold renaissance-style blanket on the far back wall.

Just to his left are five banners.

The Conquerors won the N.C. Christian Schools Association 2-A state title in baseball (2003) and boys' basketball (2007). The other three represent crowns claimed in softball from 2006-08.

Additional banners documenting the school's postseason success -- in baseball, softball and boys'/girls' basketball, to be exact -- on the NCCSA scene hang behind the rickety, wooden bleachers on the home and visitors' sides.

Something's missing.

There's no mention of volleyball.

Former head varsity coach Jamie Conlon speculated that the school may have reached the postseason during its membership in the now-defunct Mid-Atlantic Christian Athletic Association.

As far as the NCCSA, she's not sure due to the coaching turnover the program has experienced over the past decade. New varsity head coach Kasey Perry, a 2004 grad who played for Conlon, is confident the Conquerors can start a new era this fall.

"I'm excited to work with the girls," Perry said. "We have some girls who are individually talented, but one thing we're focusing on this year is to really make sure that we put our best six on the floor at any time."

Four starters return -- senior Jordan Lawhon and the junior trio of Reagan Baumgarner, Emma Meador and Chloe Mills. Baumgarner and Mills are middle hitters, while Lawhon is expected to terminate points on the outside.

Meador is the floor general.

"She really pulls the team together as far as her attitude and her work ethic," Perry said of her setter. "(In past years) we've had one or two that kind of stand out, but we're pretty spread out this year talent-wise. (Last year) we didn't have all of the elements together."

The final two starters?

Perry is going to depend on young underclassmen -- eighth-graders to be exact, who haven't appeared intimidated by the more-experienced and "bigger" girls during preseason open-gym play.

"The ones coming off the bench are going to hold their own," Perry said. "They're younger, but they're very competitive and they want to be on the floor. They're going to work hard for us, so it's exciting to have that."

It's a learning curve, no doubt.

Conlon, who took over the JV reins, have the same focus -- team first. That component is crucial when you've got an opponent on its heels.

FCA can swing and serve well.

The Conquerors' downfall has been their defensive play and the passing game, either in serve receive or when they fail to pick up a transition ball when the other team falls out of its offensive system.

"Our main focus has been passing, passing, passing and just the attitude of wanting to win," Perry said. "We're really trying to push these girls. We've always had enough talent to get us there, our problem is attitude and that drive.

"We'll get ahead and they're like 'oh great, we're ahead', but then there's no push there to want to win. We're pushing that competitive streak that has been lacking in the past."

Perry's 12-member squad launches its NCSAA 2-A District 4 schedule Aug. 22 at Bethel Christian. Faith Christian plays its first home contest Aug. 25 against Greenville Christian.

Also on the docket is a single-game home contest against perennial powerhouse Wilson Christian.