Fall Sports Preview | Spartans are reloaded — and ready — for the new season

The Bainbridge High Spartans had some serious steppin’ up to do at the start of this volleyball season.

Bainbridge lost 10 seniors from the varsity squad thanks to graduation last year, leaving Coach Dominique Atherley with a large gap in her roster.

Add to that, the team’s sole senior — defensive specialist Morgan Dierickx — is on the injured list.

The team’s only other returners from last year’s team are junior setter Paige Bouma and junior outside hitter Julia Jakubik.

Along with Dierickx, Bouma and Jakubik will serve as the team’s captains.

“They’ve just done a really good job of supporting everyone and making everyone feel like a part of the family and a part of this program,” Atherley said of her captains.

“That’s kind of fun to see on the court. Because when people get down, they are like, ‘No, let’s just keep working on it and we’ll get there.’”

Both Bouma and Jakubik played for last year’s squad (11-9 overall), but will be more featured players in the Spartan lineup this season, Atherley said.

Joining the varsity squad this year is Isabella Brown (Jr./S), Sophia Byron (Jr./OH), Hope Griffiths (Jr./MB), Mariko Ronan (Jr./OH), Nikki Tye (Jr./L), Lauren De Gall (So./RS), Olivia Van Ness (So./OH), Ava Targett (Fr./MB) and Allie Wildsmith (Fr./MB).

The team is inexperienced, but the coach said she’s seen good signs so far in the team’s first outings in a non-league game against Bellevue and at the recent Sterling Classic at Auburn Mountainview High.

“I was really looking forward to Bellevue early,” she said, noting that the Spartans rarely play KingCo teams.

“We don’t get to see those teams very often until Districts. And sometimes we don’t even play them at Districts.

“There were fun to play; they pass really, really well. I don’t think they let anything touch the ground,” Atherley said of the Wolverines.

Those early tests have been helpful for her squad of Spartans, she said.

“We’ve got a lot of really young players and so getting the tournament and a couple of games under our belt is getting us more experience. They are starting to learn the faster pace,” the coach said.

“They are super positive; they are learning a lot,” she added. “They just keep trying, which is awesome.”

Atherley is in her second year as head coach at BHS, and is now guiding a reloaded team rather than one of returning varsity veterans.

“The advantage to having a younger group is they don’t really know what their limits are, and so they are just going to keep working. I think we get stuck in our heads sometimes when we’re playing other teams, ‘Oh, they are really good, so maybe we can’t compete.’

“And these girls just want to compete. Because, why not? Right? That’s what we’re here to do,” Atherley said. “We’re here to play; we’re here to compete.”

With the returners in the setter, defensive specialist and outside hitter positions, that means there’s two freshmen — Targett and Wildsmith — in the middle blocker positions.

“We are just working on getting them up to tempo for blocking and hitting right now,” Atherley said.

This season’s schedule includes the usual rough spots.

That’s Eastside Catholic (fourth place at the 3A state championships last year) coming in a road matchup Sept. 24, with the home meeting against the Crusaders in Paski Gymnasium on Oct. 15.

Also upcoming, two games against Holy Names Academy, another state team from 2017, and the second end of the split with Lakeside, who advanced to the second round at state last year.

“I’m excited to play Lakeside. Last year when we played them, we just sort of mentally beat ourselves. I’m excited to see the difference this year. They are a competitive team, but I think we can compete with them.”

Atherley also has her eyes on the Panthers.

“I think Seattle Prep will be a lot stronger than they were last year,” she said.

In the 2017 campaign, the Spartans split with Holy Names and Bishop Blanchet, and Atherley hopes Bainbridge will at least do as well this year.

“I think we’re going through Metro and trying to take wins where we can get them. And just going from there,” she said.

The big goal for the girls this year is to make it to the district tournament.

But more immediate goals loom.

“Their goal right now is focusing on more communication, then part of being like a family. So were kind of focusing right now on the team dynamic,” the coach explained.

“Then, mid season, more consistency. Consistency with serving, strong passing overall, and then being able to get more first ball side outs, and then going into postseason, it’s focusing a little bit more when it’s tight situations, focusing on their endurance, and then finishing strong.”

The Spartans’ passion for the game is the team’s biggest strength so far, Atherley said.

“They are a good group of kids and I’m excited to work with them and see how the season goes,” she said.