Rogers High Boasts Strong Senior Class

 STAFF PHOTO JASON IVESTER Jena Breedlove, Rogers High coach, talks with her players during practice Tuesday at the school.
STAFF PHOTO JASON IVESTER Jena Breedlove, Rogers High coach, talks with her players during practice Tuesday at the school.

ROGERS -- Winning in the 7A-West Conference is difficult with a roster full of underclassmen.

Rogers High learned that lesson last fall as the Lady Mounties volleyball team missed out on the postseason after finishing 9-18-2 with a roster full of juniors and sophomores. That won't be the case this year as Lady Mounties coach Jeana Breedlove expects to have as many as six seniors on the court this season.

Rogers High Lady Mounties

Date^Opponent^Time

Aug. 22^at Paris (Benefit Game)^5:30 p.m.

Aug. 25^Van Buren^5 p.m.

Aug. 26^at Alma^6 p.m.

Aug. 28^at Siloam Springs^6 p.m.

Sept. 4^Springdale High*^6p.m.

Sept. 6^Little Rock Spikefest^TBD

Sept. 8^Greenwood^6 p.m.

Sept. 9^at Fort Smith Southside*^6 p.m.

Sept. 11^Bentonville*^6 p.m.

Sept. 16^at Fayetteville*^6 p.m.

Sept. 18^at Fort Smith Northside*^6 p.m.

Sept. 23^Springdale Har-Ber*^6 p.m.

Sept. 25^at Rogers Heritage*^6 p.m.

Sept. 27^Carl Junction, Mo. Tourney^TBD

Sept. 30^at Springdale High*^6 p.m.

Oct. 2^Fort Smith Southside*^6 p.m.

Oct. 9^Fayetteville*^6 p.m.

Oct. 11^Hollister, Mo., Tourney^TBD

Oct. 14^Fort Smith Northside*^6 p.m.

Oct. 16^at Springdale Har-Ber*^6 p.m.

Oct. 21^Rogers Heritage*^6 p.m.

*7A-West Conference Game

Rogers opens the season Aug. 25 when it host Van Buren.

"I think with six seniors, we will probably win some that we didn't win last year," Breedlove said. "We will have a lot of leaders on the court at the same time. So, we are not as young as we have been in the past. We will have a little more experience on the floor. All six of these seniors will garner playing time throughout the season.

"It's a good thing, and hopefully, it will be enough."

The conference is welcoming back Fort Smith Southside and Fort Smith Northside into the league, which will make an already tough conference even tougher. The two Fort Smith schools replace Siloam Springs and Van Buren in the eight team conference.

"Southside and Northside will be strong," Breedlove said. "We really will have our job cut out for us to try and capitalize on the weaknesses of the other teams. Some teams don't have very many weaknesses."

Tops on the list of returnees for Rogers is senior libro Kimi Davis. Davis (5-foot-7) recently verbally committed to play volleyball at Arkansas.

"Kimi is a really dynamic player," Breedlove said. "Other teams, their strategy is to play keep away from Kimi. That is what other coaches tell me. I think having her on the back row anchoring our team has given us opportunities to swing at the ball. This year our goal is to be more offensive minded and just put the ball down.

"Having a D-1 player on the back row gives the rest of the team confidence."

Davis was a ball girl for the Arkansas volleyball team when she was in the sixth through eighth grade and it has been a long held dream to play for the Lady Razorbacks.

"I always watched them, and I always wanted to be a Razorback," Davis said. "It's a big commitment to be a D-1 student- athlete. I know that I will have to be focused as a student and on the court."

Hitters Emily Sherill (5-10) and Shannon Orlopp (5-10), defensive specialists Audrey Kelley (5-4) and Miriam Gonzalez (5-4) and Madison Van Allen (5-7) round out the senior class.

"Audrey was real strong behind the service line for us last year," Breedlove said. "I haven't decided to how I am going to use Madison. She is a more versatile player. She can hit for me, or she can set for me. It depends on what offense we run as to how I will use Madison."

Juniors Hannah Loyd (5-9), Audrey Herrera (6-1) and Samantha Lassiter (6-2) are expected to play key roles after seeing considerable playing time last season as sophomores.

Sports on 07/30/2014

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