Shoes need filling, but solid core returns
Having graduated only a couple months ago essentially a starting lineup’s worth of talent, and with one key up-and-comer from 2023 still recovering from injury, Jennifer Seibel knows that a replication of last fall’s history-making run to the CHSAA Class 2A State Volleyball Championships could be a lot to ask of a reformed roster.
But with official practices at Ignacio High beginning Monday, Aug. 12, the second-year skipper may be even more eager than her returning – and incoming – players to see exactly what she and her staff will be working with in ’24.
“Mancos, Ignacio, Dove Creek … that was pretty amazing, seeing that all three of us made it up to State – and turned some heads at State. That was really cool,” she recalled, saluting her fellow 2A/1A San Juan Basin League rivals’ presence at the same Championships. “So, I see this year as a great challenge for me. The girls are coming in with that passion to play and that passion to grow, and they’re very coachable.”
“I’m excited because I think we can work really hard and get to some of our goals – and that’s the ultimate goal, making it to State – but I’m more focused on just continuing to grow them for years to come. Pushing that and continuing to build them into what they’re going to become.”
Gone, sadly, is the talented, demonstrative nucleus of Solymar Cosio, Kacey Brown, Maci Barnes and Darlyn Mendoza-Lechuga, which powered the Volleycats to a third-place (behind runner-up DCHS and champion Mancos) 8-3 mark in SJBL play, the Region IX title up in Edwards, and – after going 2-2 inside the Denver Coliseum – an outstanding 21-8 overall record.
Back in the fold, however, is a smaller but no less seasoned varsity core led by now-senior outside hitter Ollyvia Howe, who will almost certainly be counted upon to be something of a Cosio-like presence at the net. Sophomore setter Kelly Sirios, Seibel’s daughter, should be able to build upon a solid freshman campaign of directing the offense, and senior Marissa Olguin – capable of playing defensive specialist, right-side or outside – is also expected back for one last run.
“Marissa, she’s been out since Mother’s Day with an (ankle) injury, so … she’ll be continuing physical therapy, getting strong and rebuilding muscle,” Seibel said. “But she’s cleared to play.”
Howe and Olguin are at present the only two seniors returning from last year.
“We have a few that were on JV last year. I’m not sure where they’ll end up, but returning varsity … it’s just those two,” said Seibel, noting sophomore Lily Quintana, who emerged as Ignacio’s regular libero in ’23 but then missed most of the winter basketball season due to injury, could be cleared sometime in September to resume duty. “We are very young, I would say. But we’ve gained about five incoming freshmen who are all going to be battling for spots, you know?”
“We’ve got a lot of open positions and a lot of girls that are going to be really pushing for those. So I’m excited.”
And if the first week of drills doesn’t give the boss a good indication of who will earn roles, Pagosa Springs’ annual preseason Pirate 4 Corners Scrimmages, slated for Saturday, August 17, probably will.
“Who makes varsity has that mindset of ‘Every day I’m here to get better’ …. We’re focused on being better than we were yesterday, taking it one step at a time,” Seibel said. “Pagosa, Centauri, Bayfield, Ignacio … and there’s going to be other schools too; it’s going to be a really good reality check of where we are against those bigger schools, and where we need to go. Being challenged in the early season kind of gives you an idea of what you have; you see their grit and their growth.”
The ’Cats are presently scheduled to begin the 2024 grind Tuesday, August 27, at non-league Montezuma-Cortez, with the Lady Panthers (3-20 overall in ’23, 0-8 3A Intermountain) having nowhere to go this year but up. Ignacio will then visit non-league Del Norte (11-13, 5-2 2A Southern Peaks) on the 29th, then begin SJBL work on the 31st at Ridgway.