This is part of a series of team previews for the fall season. Here’s the complete list.
Cross Country | Football | Golf | Soccer | Softball | Swimming | Tennis | Volleyball
Coming off a 26-win season, Republic volleyball coach Allison Davis maintains a focus as much on her program’s culture as on the wins that have been piling up. That’s because, Davis said, one leads to the other.
“The goal for this group is to continue building the culture of this volleyball program.” She believes success in recent years has come from “building those positive relationships with each other on and off the floor.”
While the departure of three key seniors might have left a leadership void, Davis is confident in a new group of leaders — players who had already begun taking on some of that role as juniors. “We had three great seniors that led us well, but we also had some juniors that were leading us just as well last season. I know that they’re ready for this season.”
The seniors on this year’s team are Brooklyn Claxton, Addison Fanning, Rilynn Finley, Aubrey Haynes, Lexi Mitchell, and Alaina Norman. “These six seniors have played together since they were little, and they are seeing it through to the end,” Davis said.
Much of the attention of opponents this year will be on Finley, who has verbally committed to play volleyball next year at Missouri State University. She gives the Lady Tigers a front row presence that spills over to the rest of the court, causing teams to scheme ways to work around her powerful swing. A new weight program implemented at Republic has made her even stronger going into her final season. “She’s just a beast,” Davis said. “Even this summer, she’s just getting stronger.”
The challenge is to maximize Finley’s talent as other teams try to stop her. “We try to utilize her the best we can. There are going to be teams that have game plans to go against her specifically, and she’s such a versatile player that we can move her around,” Davis said.
Finley said she’s most looking forward to being on the court as a senior with her friends in the program. “I feel like our team all meshes really well together, so it will be a lot of fun. I’ve been on varsity four years, so I feel like I have experience knowing what to do, so I don’t feel as pressured.”
The versatility of Finley’s teammates will help the effort to respond to whatever opponents throw at the Lady Tigers. Alaina Norman is one of the players who will provide that versatility for Republic. She contributes not only on the right side, but wherever she is on the court. “Alaina Norman does an amazing job. She was a fierce right side for us. Plus, she plays a great back row. She throws her body into everything and goes all out,” Davis said.
Addison Fanning, who was second on the team in blocks last year, is back, and Davis said she’s stronger and faster than a year ago. She’s also adaptable, and excels in the middle “because of her quickness to get to the pin blockers (on the outside) and help close those blocks.”
Senior Brooklyn Claxton will play a big role in getting the ball where it needs to go among Republic’s many options. Although Davis said she could easily be a defensive specialist, Claxton is more valuable to the team in her role as setter. “She’s not a kid that gets down easily,” Davis said. “She’s mentally strong, she’s physically strong, and she’s got strong hands. She’s just a smart player and she knows where the ball needs to go.”
Claxton said after last year’s successful season, she’s ready to see the team take another step forward with wins over the big-name opponents who’ve been road-blocks so far.
“I’m looking forward to our bigger games, because I really want to beat Nixa and Kickapoo this year,” she said. “I’m excited for this team because everyone’s a really hard worker. We might not be the biggest team, but… everyone’s going to hustle for everything, so I’m excited for that.”
Because Claxton played a lot with this year’s current junior class growing up, Davis said she has a camaraderie with that group that is evident on the floor. Those juniors include Adison Gibbs, another well-rounded player who has excelled in the middle and served as a setter at times, but who could see time on the front row. Reese Frey helped run Republic’s 6-2 offense along with Claxton during the summer, but “plays a great right side and outside position,” according to Davis. Neveah Ghan may see time on the front row. “She puts up a good block and she’s worked hard in the off-season and club,” Davis said.
With so many players able to play so many positions, Davis said her biggest task may be putting the puzzle together. “I have so many kids that are so talented in so many different areas, (the challenge is) trying to find a spot for everybody because there are so many good options,” she said. “It may be a challenge, but it’s also exciting that I have so many possibilities.”
However those puzzle pieces come together, it will go back to character and relationships for Davis. And she likes what she’s seen of the character of her 2023 team. Beyond wins and losses, she wants to see her team exhibit the fight it has shown during points in the off-season.
“I love scrappy teams. Those are the teams that make me nervous — not necessarily the ones that have a huge threat on the front row, but the scrappy teams that don’t want to stop. That’s what I really want to focus on this season, is being that scrappy team that refuses to stop, that goes all out and doesn’t quit. And this summer, I’ve seen a lot of that happening, and that excites me.”