Volleyball schedule to resume Saturday
By Donnie A. Lucas
The Lady Lion varsity volleyball team found themselves taking an unexpected two-week break in the midst of district play thanks to the COVID-19 coronavirus.
However, the squad is expected back at full strength for its first practice on Friday, resuming the regular schedule starting Saturday in Moran at 10:00 a.m.
With only four games remaining on the regular season schedule, the Lady Lions are hoping to pick up where they left off with their winning 14-2 record, including 2-0 in District 6-2A.
Albany is also hosting Newcastle on Tuesday, Oct. 13, with the varsity playing at 6:00 p.m. following the eighth grade Lady Cubs’ game at 5:00 p.m.
While both Moran and Newcastle are technically listed as members of the district, along with three other Class 1A schools, the district’s members made a decision at the start of the season to keep the records of the 1A and 2A schools separate in case a district was forced to take a break due to coronavirus cases.
For purposes of the playoffs, the 1A and 2A move into separate brackets. Albany is joined in the 2A bracket by Ranger and Hawley.
The only 2A district game that Albany missed during the two-week quarantine was against Ranger, which has been rescheduled for Friday, Oct. 16 in Albany. The last district game against Hawley will be played in Hawley on Oct. 20.
“The positive side of being quarantined when we were, rather than later in the season, is that we still have time to make up our game with Ranger and finish district and move into the playoffs,” head volleyball coach M.J. Reneau said. “We were really on a roll before the virus hit.”
The coach said she is expecting the team back in full force.
“The girls are really ready to get back on the court,” she said. “They have been staying in touch with each other and keeping our team chemistry going. “
Another positive the coach says came from the time off is that nagging injuries some girls have had to nurse had time to heal.
The JV girls have been off the court for the most part even though they were not in quarantine. The JV teams are idle next week since neither Moran or Newcastle have JV squads.
The JV is scheduled to play in Hawley on Oct. 20, then close the season on Saturday, Oct. 24 with the JV II hosting Knox City at 10:00 a.m. and the JV I playing Rising Star at 11:00 a.m.
The first day back on the court for the majority of the varsity will be Friday. However, a few members of the team who have recovered or tested negative were expected back a few days earlier.
