Team: Oakland-Craig
Mascot: Knights
Colors: Orange and White
Class: C-2
Head Coach: Chelsey Quigley
2016 record: 8-24
Returning Starters: N/A
Overview:
The Oakland-Craig volleyball team opens its season on Thursday, August 31st taking part in the Northeast Nebraska Tournament hosted by Pender and Wisner-Pilger.
Head coach Chelsey Quigley says preparations for the year have gone well. “Practices have been going pretty good. We have a very young team this year, so it’s been a lot of catching up and learning new skills and drills,” Quigley said. “They learn really fast and they’re coming quite a ways, so I’m really looking forward to see what they can do against an opponent.”
A key loss for Oakland-Craig will be standout Dacey Nelson, who suffered a torn ACL over the summer and will miss the entire season.
Notable returners for the Knights include Natalia McNeil in the middle and Kennedy Benne, who moves from the outside to setter.
Coach Quigley said that seniors Beth Moseman and Dani Meyer have stepped into leadership roles this year. “They have just really taken on a leadership responsibility and they’ve done a fantastic job getting things done and making sure practices are always running at a high intensity,” Quigley said.
Nelson is a huge loss no doubt, but there are definitely other girls capable of stepping up and leading this team.
One player doesn't make a team, and so Oakland-Craig is going to need to come together more than ever this season.
Perhaps the Nelson injury will bring the Knights closer to each other, and make them a more tight knit group.
Oakland-Craig knows they can't rely on her production this year so perhaps the wealth will get spread around a little bit more.
Moseman and Meyer have to step up and lead this young team both with their play and actions on the court, and actions off the court as well.
The young players on this team have to step up quickly and be ready to step into game situations right away.
It very well could be baptism by fire for a lot of these young players this year as I would imagine quite a few of them will be pressed into action this season.
I think the key to the Knights' success this season will be the young players' ability to step up and develop quickly.
Maturing fast and being ready to play are going to be two very important things for Oakland-Craig, in my opinion.
Season Outlook:
Oakland-Craig looks for growth and improvement this year after going 8-24 last season. Quigley talks about what fans can expect to see from the Knights this season.
“I always like to say that Oakland-Craig is a team that hustles all the time. We never let a ball drop on the floor without making a move for it, so I expect for everybody to hopefully see that this year as well,” Quigley said. “Defensively it’s always kind of the goal for the season to get balls up. But I’m hoping just to see more excitement. That’s been a goal this year, is to get more excited for each other after every play and to just be team focused and just get excited for each other and have some fun.”
Oakland-Craig faces Lutheran High Northeast in Pender on Thursday, August 31st as part of the Northeast Nebraska Tournament.
The Eagles made state last year in D-1 so that doesn't figure to be an easy match.
The Knights had a lot of success prior to last year, and I think Oakland-Craig would like to get back to an elite level.
I think the potential is there for the Knights, the team just has to get off on the right foot and believe in and encourage one another.
Oakland-Craig has a very difficult schedule though so wins will certainly not be given to or easy for the Knights this season.
That just means Oakland-Craig will need to work that much harder to accomplish their goals, hopes, and dreams this season.
The Knights simply have to outwork, outhustle, and outplay opponents, and give 110% at all times.
Having energy and enthusiasm will be important for this team too, in my opinion.
The girls have to get excited about every big kill or big block.
Oakland-Craig has to play with mental and physical toughness, tenacity, grit, heart, fire, passion, and desire.
The Knights can't let anyone or anything get in the way of accomplishing their goals and dreams this season.
This is a very proud program, and this year's team has to live up to what past Oakland-Craig teams have accomplished.
The Knights are in Subdistrict C2-2 with BRLD, Homer, Omaha Nation, and Wakefield, and figure to have a chance to get out of that Subdistrict.
The East Husker Conference is tough, but don't be surprised if Oakland-Craig is a factor in that tournament too.
2017 Oakland-Craig Knights Volleyball Schedule:
08/31/17 Lutheran High Northeast Site: NE Neb Classsic (Host: Pender) NE Neb Classsic (Host: Pender)
08/31-09/02 (To Be Determined) NEN Tournament (2/3-Day Tournament) Wisner/Pender
09/07/17 @ Scribner-Snyder
09/12/17 BRLD Triangular (host: Oakland-Craig)
09/12/17 Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family Triangular (host: Oakland-Craig)
09/19/17 North Bend Central
09/21/17 Arlington Triangular (host: Guardian Angels Central Catholic)
09/21/17 Guardian Angels Central Catholic Triangular (host: Guardian Angels Central Catholic)
09/23-09/23 (To Be Determined) Scribner-Snyder Invite (1-Day Tournament, >4 Teams) Scribner
09/26/17 Tekamah-Herman Triangular (host: Tekamah-Herman)
09/26/17 Stanton Triangular (host: Tekamah-Herman)
09/28/17 @ Howells-Dodge
09/30-09/30 (To Be Determined) Clarkson-Leigh Tournament (1-Day Tournament, >4 Teams) Clarkson
10/03/17 West Point-Beemer Triangular (host: Oakland-Craig)
10/03/17 Douglas County West Triangular (host: Oakland-Craig)
10/05/17 Pender
10/10/17 Logan View Triangular (host: Logan View)
10/10/17 Archbishop Bergan Triangular (host: Logan View)
10/12-10/14 (To Be Determined) East Husker Conference Tournament (2/3-Day Tournament) Logan View/Logan View High School
10/17/17 @ Clarkson/Leigh
10/24/17 @ Wisner-Pilger
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