PREP NOTES: Hendrix’s sets make Albemarle go

Albemarle High’s volleyball team isn’t just winning matches right now — they’re dominating them. The Patriots (12-0) have lost just three games in matches this year behind the heavy-hitting attack duo of Kara Elder and Laura Gomez.

That’s 33 game victories to just three losses, and while Gomez, Elder and junior Hannah Lawson are finishing things off most of the time, a fiery setter seems to be the one who is making the Patriots’ offense click.

Junior Abby Hendrix dished out 77 assists in three matches as Albemarle rolled to a title in the Albemarle Invitational, shutting out Stonewall Jackson, Franklin County and Fauquier. Hendrix’s grittiness as Albemarle’s point guard during basketball season is well documented, and that approach seems to be working well on the volleyball court, too.

“She brings a level of intensity that makes everybody play at a different level,” Albemarle coach Mark Ragland said. “She’s placing the ball really well.”

With Hendrix and fellow junior and defensive specialist Meg Carpenter manning the backline, Albemarle has options at the trigger point offensively. If Hendrix has to take the initial hit, Carpenter is more than capable of moving the ball to Albemarle’s front line of Hannah Lawson, Elder and Gomez. Carpenter also leads the Patriots in service points.

“Our offense is doing a nice job, we’re attacking really well,” Ragland said. “They are a confident bunch, they’ve done a good job of fighting back. Several times we got behind in games and they’ve rallied.”

Albemarle has already knocked off Commonwealth District rival Colonial Forge — a squad that always boasts a number of six-footers along the front line — and will soon enter the second half of the round-robin Commonwealth schedule. The Invitational title will likely help the Patriots though, as they’ve now seen where they measure up with a lot of the top teams in the Northwest Region.

“I think it does help us quite a bit — there are some teams out there we haven’t seen that are in the upper echelon like Osbourn Park, Forest Park and Patrick Henry,” Ragland said. “But as long as we can keep progressing and keep playing hard I think we can do well.”

The Patriots’ senior leadership core, including Emily Strauss, Elder and Gomez up front has also been a big factor for the Patriots.

“I think they’re the difference,” Ragland said. “Their determination and desire to win has really made a difference. They lead more by example than anything else, they’re always encouraging and setting the tone for the way things need to go in practice.”

The Patriots take on North Stafford at home this Thursday, and if the Patriots can make it through this week unscathed, it’ll go a long way toward setting up a chance at a Commonwealth title.

Western gets started on road to 7th straight title

One of the three teams to win a game off of Albemarle is Western Albemarle, a squad that has dropped just two matches themselves this season en route to a 9-2 record.

The Warriors, who have won six straight Jefferson District titles, have taken care of business early in district play with victories over challengers Fluvanna County and William Monroe. Western’s players have

embraced a defense-first philosophy this year, a necessity with the Warriors’ lack of height.

“We’re small and we’re not going to outblock you, so it takes a much bigger defensive effort,” said Western head coach Lance Rogers. “It’s going take three or four rallies instead of one or two to win a point. The language we use with our [backline] players is ‘Let’s keep giving our hitters opportunities.’”

This weekend, Western will get a big test when the Warriors head north to take on Loudoun Valley.

William Monroe takes control of second place

Standing in Western’s path way are William Monroe and Fluvanna County, though neither proved ready to dethrone the Warriors in the squads’ first meetings.

Monroe did get a critical 3-2 win over the Flucos last week at home to take sole possession of second place in the Jefferson.

“I was a little surprised that they knocked off Fluvanna,” Western’s Rogers said. “But Monroe didn’t graduate any of their key players and their seniors are quite experienced.”

Monroe and Western lock up Oct. 7 in the teams’ second meeting. The Warriors won 3-0 in the first contest.

Private schools enter state football polls

Several area football teams have made their way into this week’s VISAA poll. In Division I, Fork Union is fifth, following a loss to a very good Loyola Blakefield (Towson, Md.) team. Unbeaten St. Stephens (3-0) has the top spot in the poll.

In Division II, Blue Ridge, which is coming off a big win over Randolph-Macon Academy, is fourth, followed by Covenant (sixth) and St. Anne’s-Belfield (eighth). Atlantic Shores is No. 1 in the poll.

Fanning named ACC Performer of the Week

Tasmin Fanning, a senior at Virginia Tech and Western Albemarle alum, has been named the ACC Women’s Cross Country Performer of the Week after winning her first race of the season on Sept. 19.

The 2007 cross country All-American took first place in the VT Alumni Invite, setting a new school cross country course record with a time of 15:53.3. Fanning won the 4.6-kilometer race by almost 30 seconds.

Friday’s run was Fanning’s second and final meet on the VT Cross Country Course. Fanning finished her career undefeated at the course, winning the Virginia Tech Invitational as a freshman in 2005.

Fanning’s effort helped the Hokies to a runner-up finish behind Florida State. Her sister, redshirt senior Jessica Fanning, placed fourth.

The Virginia Tech cross country squads will be back in action on Oct. 3 at the Highland Duel in Boone, N.C.