North Callaway volleyball has taken strides the last few years and wants to continue this season.

The Ladybirds’ program has existed since 2014 and is going into its third year led by head coach Andrew Klein but believes this year could be a significant one for accomplishment. They are coming off a single-season program record of 12 wins and return with its more experience roster with four seniors and six juniors.

“This core group of players has played for the last two years under me,” Klein said. “There hasn’t been too much shakeup as far as who plays where and them playing together. The unity is going to be one of our strengths.”

Klein said the seniors leading the team is led by libero and reigning all-conference and all-district player Riley Blevins, who didn’t miss a single day of volleyball during the summer, and followed by defensive specialists Hayley Rothermich and Adrian Brown and middle blocker Ainsley Marx.

While this means much of the rotation is sorted out with upperclassmen, Klein said the two sophomores and seven freshmen are a talented group that could be the best junior varsity team North Callaway has ever had. This was the same group that began with a middle school program after years of not having one at North Callaway, and Klein said they finished 7-1.

“Most of our back row this year is going to be seniors so I think a lot of them have a lot to prove on JV this year as far as development and showing me they’re capable of playing varsity ball,” Klein said. “If we weren’t so loaded up as our junior class is, I think a lot of them would have more opportunity to play up.”

Alex Craighead is one of those newcoming players that might have an opportunity for more varsity minutes because of the season-ending injury to junior Bailey Hill. Klein said Craighead has the ability to play front row to fill in for middle blocker Hill after the junior hurt her knee during the summer. It is unfortunate Hill has to wait a year after setting the school’s single-season block record last season, but Klein believes she can have a complete senior season.

Some juniors who will be healthy and in position to make an impact this year are setter Jaden Smithee, who will handle the primary setting responsibilities after the graduation of all-district setter Ellie Pezold; outside hitter Natalie Shryock following a season she set the single-season kills record; Lakyn Hartley should slot in as a utility right side player; and Avis Endres is an outside/swing hitter that can fit in multiple spots on the court. Sophomore Rylee Horstman is one that can definitely play up to the upperclassmen after playing varsity last season, Klein said.

“Most of the girls have played varsity minutes now so the expectation of what varsity looks like doesn’t really need to be coached into them anymore,” Klein said. “I don’t think there will be a learning curve for them there.”

With that mind, Klein said the Ladybirds can reasonably set out to achieve more this season as “getting over the hump” will be important. The single-season wins record was set last year so North Callaway can look to do that again, for example.

Klein said North Callaway also remembers taking second in the Calvary Lutheran tournament last season so that has been circled on its calendar with the intention of taking first. Being more competitive for conference also qualifies as getting over the hump after the Ladybirds won their first Eastern Missouri Conference match in a while last season, defeating Wright City in a five-setter at home.

“It’s just taking a step in the right direction and not settling for .500 wins and losses volleyball,” Klein said. “Finishing games is going to be really key for us because we’ve been in a lot of close games on the wrong side of it. We’re going to do a lot of conditioning because, here in Missouri, we play five sets so it’s really easy to get tired.”

North Callaway begins its season at home in a 6 p.m. match on Aug. 28 against Russellville.