Team: Oakland-Craig
Mascot: Knights
Colors: Orange and White
Class: C-2
Head Coach: Chelsey Boden
2017 record: 9-25
Returning Starters: N/A
Overview:
The Oakland-Craig Volleyball Team looks to have a successful season this year.
Returning players include Dacey Nelson who missed all of last year with a torn ACL, Natalia McNeill, Josie Richards (SO DS), Mya Guzinski, Makenna Pearson (5'10, SO MH), and Ashten Rennerfeldt (OH).
The Knights are without Kennedy Benne (5'5 SR S/OH), who tore her ACL in Basketball last year.
Head Coach Chelsey Boden, formerly Chelsey Quigley, says Bailey Helzer is a freshman who could make an impact.
She adds the team is healthy right now outside of not having Benne.
The Knights have had a tough go of things the last couple of years, but I think fortunes could change for Oakland-Craig this season.
As long as the Knights can stay healthy and perform at a high level they should be fine.
It doesn't appear Oakland-Craig has a ton of height so going up against taller teams could be an issue for the Knights this season.
Oakland-Craig also has a tough schedule, but I think they have the talent necessary to be among the elite teams in the area.
This program has won over 20 matches in recent past, and I don't see why the Knights can't get back to that once again this year.
Oakland-Craig is a very tradition rich and proud school when it comes to athletics, and Volleyball is no exception.
I think the Knights could surprise some teams this season, and make some noise.
I think Oakland-Craig will find ways to win matches throughout the East Husker Conference and in Tournaments.
It will be interesting to see what the Knights bring to the table this season.
Not having Benne definitely hurts, but these girls are great athletes and basketball players, and I look for them to have a successful Volleyball season as well.
I think this Volleyball season could sort of set the stage for what figures to come in Girls Basketball later this year and into next year.
Season Outlook:
Oakland-Craig has a very tough schedule this year with matches against the likes of Howells-Dodge, Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family, North Bend Central, GACC, Stanton, West Point-Beemer, Fremont Bergan, DC West, Wisner-Pilger and Clarkson/Leigh.
There's no reason to think the Knights won't get off to a good start seeing how experienced they are.
Oakland-Craig opens up the season at home on Thursday against Howells-Dodge. Boden says she's not sure what to expect. "It's hard to say. We have not seem them at all this summer or anything to know what is really going to be coming at us, but I am confident that we will be able to compete and it will be fun to see how we compete against another team at this point with just having practices up until now."
The Knights have a tough sub-district as they're in there with GACC, Wisner-Pilger, BRLD, and Omaha Nation.
Boden feels her team can be a factor in the postseason. "We always seem to pull some pretty good teams there, but I'm confident that if we work hard and we keep making adjustments throughout the season that we'll be one to compete against."
I think Oakland-Craig has a good chance to do some damage and make some noise this season.
The Knights ought to be feeling optimistic about things and their chances of being good and competitive this season.
Oakland-Craig has to play with fire, pride, passion, tenacity, heart, toughness, grit, and determination.
The Knights also have to dive after balls and be scrappy.
Oakland-Craig has to execute in the serve receive, passing, hitting, blocking, and serve game.
The Knights have to dream big and go out there and make their dreams come true.
The ultimate goal has to be to get to Lincoln, and Oakland-Craig has to try and get in a Sub-State Match if possible.
I think the Knights could do enough throughout the course of the regular season to get there, but it won't be easy.
Oakland-Craig has to keep getting better and progressing as the season goes along, and has to peak and play their best Volleyball at the right time.
The Knights have to play with a spark, and give it their all at all times.
2018 Oakland-Craig Knights Volleyball Schedule:
08/23/18 Howells-Dodge
08/30-09/01 (To Be Determined) Northeast Volleyball Classic (2/3-Day Tournament) Wisner-Pilger/Pender
09/08-09/08 (To Be Determined) Boone Central Invite (1-Day Tournament, >4 Teams) Boone Central High School
09/11/18 @ Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family
09/13/18 Yutan
09/18/18 @ North Bend Central
09/20/18 Arlington Triangular (host: Oakland-Craig)
09/20/18 Guardian Angels Central Catholic Triangular (host: Oakland-Craig)
09/25/18 Tekamah-Herman Triangular (host: Stanton)
09/25/18 Stanton Triangular (host: Stanton)
09/29-09/29 (To Be Determined) Clarkson-Leigh (1-Day Tournament, >4 Teams) Clarkson
10/02/18 Douglas County West Triangular (host: Douglas County West)
10/02/18 West Point-Beemer Triangular (host: Douglas County West)
10/04/18 @ Pender
10/09/18 Logan View/Scribner-Snyder Triangular (host: Archbishop Bergan)
10/09/18 Archbishop Bergan Triangular (host: Archbishop Bergan)
10/11-10/13 (To Be Determined) East Husker Conference Tournament (2/3-Day Tournament) TBA
10/16/18 Clarkson/Leigh
10/23/18 Wisner-Pilger
10/25/18 BRLD
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