Girls volleyball: Season preview

A three-sport athlete for almost all of her life, Kennedy Urban is plenty familiar with most of the players she’ll share the volleyball court with this fall.

The senior setter is hoping that those connections will help the Grizzly Cubs embark on the type of deep tournament run that has thus far eluded them.

Urban was in uniform when Franklin’s girls basketball team advanced to the Class 4A state championship game a year and a half ago, and she was a fixture in the lineup for a tennis team that reached the state semifinals this past spring. Volleyball is her main sport, however, and she’d like to go out a winner there as well.

“A state championship would be great, but definitely — Franklin hasn’t won a sectional in a minute, so a sectional title would be great.”

The Grizzly Cubs, who last claimed a sectional crown in 2011, were on the brink of capturing one last fall, taking the first two sets against host Columbus East in the title match. Urban, though, injured her ankle and wound up on the sideline as the Olympians rallied for a five-set victory.

Franklin coach Patrick Carlson said he didn’t see many tears after that defeat — probably because most of the players knew they’d have a chance to run it back.

Senior Scarlett Kimbrell, the Daily Journal’s Player of the Year last season, is again the headliner on offense, but she’s far from the only weapon; the returning Grizzly Cubs accounted for all but 37 of the team’s 1,100 kills last fall. Fellow seniors Veronica Weaver and Brooklyn York had 216 of those, while junior Aubrey Runyon had 198 and sophomore Rose Mahin collected 264.

At the center of it all is Urban, who assisted on 897 of those kills while committing just 11 ball-handling errors.

“Me and Scarlett especially have a very good connection, just because we’ve been playing together for a really long time,” Urban said. “Even our freshman year, whenever we came in, my go-to was just always Scarlett. But Brooklyn, Rose, Aubrey, Brooklyn Hudson, Veronica, all of them — we all have developed a really good connection.”

Carlson adds that while Urban isn’t the tallest player out there, she is “super skilled and understands what we’re trying to run.”

“The hitters love hitting off of her,” he said.

Urban’s game isn’t limited to passing, however. She ranked third on the team in 2022 with 240 digs, and she also delivered 27 service aces.

Carlson would like to see Urban take those aspects of her game to an even higher level this season.

“You can watch her set and get her 900 assists that she got last year, but I really care more about her defense and her serving than I do anything,” the coach said. “The setting will always be there for her.”

The keys to being a successful setter, Urban says, are being smart and quick to the ball — attributes that have no doubt been further strengthened by her experiences on the basketball and tennis courts. But while she enjoys pulling triple duty for Franklin, Urban sees volleyball as her meal ticket going forward. She’s narrowing her list of college choices in hopes of deciding on one by the end of August.

Not surprisingly, one of the prime factors in her decision will be how well she feels she can blend in with a new team.

“I’m still trying to figure out what’s too far, what’s too close for me,” Urban said, “and what’s a good fit team chemistry-wise, because that’s a big thing for me in this recruiting process.”

Once that process is behind her, Urban can focus her energy on steering the Grizzly Cubs as deep into the state tournament as they can possibly go. The success she’s tasted in her other sports has only made her hungrier for it now.

We have high expectations for this year,” she said. “Hopefully, we live up to those.”

SCOUTING THE COUNTY

Center Grove Trojans

Coach: Jennifer Hawk

Last season: 19-16, won county and sectional championships; lost to Floyd Central in Class 4A regional semifinal

Key returnees: Emma Leavitt, Ava Mardis, Sophia Sabol and Sheridan Young, seniors; Reese Dunkle, Maddi Higginson and Ellen Zapp, juniors

Top newcomers: Ava Beecher, senior, Annika Alvey and Savannah Cook, juniors; Natalie Vance, sophomore; Anabelle Schembra, freshman

Outlook: Now in her third season, Hawk feels like she’s established a culture within the program — and with a more experienced and balanced team than she’s had previously, she’s eager to hit the ground running and build on the momentum that the Trojans generated with county and sectional title runs late last fall. Sabol and Zapp are back as the cornerstone outside hitters, and Northwestern recruit Dunkle should play a larger role up front as well. With what Hawk says “feels like an old team,” Center Grove could be equipped to make its deepest tourney run since advancing to the semistate four years ago.

Edinburgh Lancers

Coach: Kristi Allen

Last season: 20-11, won sectional championship; lost to Indianapolis Lutheran in Class A regional final

Key returnees: MacKenzie Bieker, Zoey Sida, Kyah Streeval and Jessica Walsh, seniors; Mia Dodson, junior; Kenna Streeval, sophomore

Top newcomer: Lexi Riley, junior

Outlook: Just a handful of years removed from not being able to field a team in the postseason, the Lancers put together a Cinderella run to the regional title match, winning a sectional for the first time in 11 years. With five of her six starters back, Allen is hopeful that Edinburgh can do that again and more. Kyah Streeval is fully recovered from a knee injury that cost her this past softball season, rounding out a deep senior class that has helped put the program back on the map. Another 20-win campaign is a distinct possibility.

Franklin Grizzly Cubs

Coach: Patrick Carlson

Last season: 21-10, lost to Columbus East in Class 4A sectional final

Key returnees: Brooklyn Hudson, Scarlett Kimbrell, Addie Reed, Kennedy Urban, Veronica Whitaker and Brooklyn York, seniors; Maggie Doty, Kate Pinnick and Aubrey Runyon, juniors; Rose Mahin, sophomore

Top newcomers: Lucy Jenkins and Addi Sanders, seniors

Outlook: The Grizzly Cubs were on the cusp of their first sectional crown since 2011 when an ill-timed injury to setter Urban helped doom them to a five-set defeat against the Olympians. With almost all of last year’s team back, hopes for ending that drought are extremely high. Kimbrell is the reigning county player of the year, but she’s far from the lone weapon at Urban’s disposal; Mahin, Runyon and Whitaker each had well over 100 kills last season. Pinnick, who had 510 digs last fall, leads the way on the back row.

Greenwood Woodmen

Coach: Zach Mackie

Last season: 19-11, lost to Center Grove in Class 4A sectional opener

Key returnees: Brooklyn Bell, Amy Luttrell, Katie Newett, Addison Whitecotton and Abby Willham, seniors

Top newcomers: Karissa Harris, Keyara Johnson and Lillian Wells, juniors; Victoria Ortman, sophomore

Outlook: With Mya Ayro now at the University of Connecticut, the Woodmen will need others to step in to larger offensive roles. The good news is that there is a solid nucleus of returning players to build around — and, for the first time in a few years, a bit of coaching continuity. Mackie, who took over unexpectedly early last fall, has had the benefit of a full offseason and he’s eager to “unleash” some of the talent that’s been waiting in the wings. Whether Greenwood can contend for conference or sectional titles remains to be seen, but it should have a good team on the floor again.

Greenwood Christian Cougars

Coach: Grace Woolsey

Last season: 12-12, lost to Indianapolis Lutheran in Class A sectional final

Key returnees: Savannah Danielson, Naomi Hillenburg, Milana Schundelmier and and Ellie Sloan, seniors; Faith Kresge, junior; Aiva Kresge, sophomore

Top newcomers: Addisyn Yoder, junior

Outlook: With most of last year’s team back, including a pair of strong outside hitters in Schundelmier and Faith Kresge and a veteran back row anchored by libero Hillenburg and Sloan, the Cougars should be able to get back above the .500 mark and contend for a sectional title. Aiva Kresge will help Danielson out with the setting, while Yoder, a Center Grove transfer, is expected to bolster the middle.

Indian Creek Braves

Coach: Daisha Holt

Last season: 16-13, lost to Northview in Class 3A sectional final

Key returnees: Grayson Burkett and Faith Wiseman, seniors; Jasmine Day, Kendall Eden, Mattie Key, Ava Myers and Amelia Woodke, juniors; Gabie Francis and Adriana Williams, sophomores

Top newcomer: Alexa Sichting, sophomore

Outlook: Holt, the JV coach a year ago, inherits a deep roster loaded with experience and talent. Wiseman was the team leader in kills (285) and blocks (102) last fall, while Williams and Key both added over 100 kills, so Burkett should have a wide array of options to set for. Myers should again head up the back row. Indian Creek should be in the thick of the Western Indiana Conference title chase, and a sectional crown is also quite a realistic goal.

Whiteland Warriors

Coach: Jennifer Munn

Last season: 10-19, lost to Columbus East in first round of Class 4A sectional

Key returnees: Amber McClung, Kennedi Morrison, Ashlyn Ricketts and Addie Stoll, seniors; Kiley Sullivan and Mia Waltz, juniors; Sophia Dyer, sophomore

Top newcomers: Lily Bedel, junior

Outlook: First-year coach Munn has been impressed with the talent level she’s inherited, particularly within a deep and experienced senior class led by Morrison (176 kills, 49 aces). The Warriors haven’t won more than 10 matches in a season since 2018, but with the top three hitters returning and McClung back at setter, there’s reason to believe that a winning record is within reach.