The result may have been the same for the Blair Oaks Lady Falcons, but there was tangible improvement from one week to the next. “The first time we played them, we had 38 turnovers. Tonight, we were under 20 turnovers,” Blair Oaks coach Ashley Agee said following the Lady Falcons’ 54-26 loss Thursday night to the St. James Lady Tigers at Blair Oaks High School.
A total of 11 area players were selected to the Missouri High School Volleyball Coaches Association all-state team earlier this month. The Jefferson City Lady Jays and the Blair Oaks Lady Falcons each had three all-state honorees. Helias, California, Eldon, Southern Boone and Versailles each had one player named to the all-state team.
The Jefferson City area had a pair of All-American volleyball players this fall, the American Volleyball Coaches Association announced last Wednesday. Blair Oaks right-side hitter Autumn Bax and Helias libero Izzy Herrbold were two of 200 high school girls volleyball players from across the country who were selected to the AVCA All-American team.
The Blair Oaks volleyball program has been talented for several years. For years, 20-win seasons, and even 30-win seasons, have been the norm for the Lady Falcons. Winning conference championships one year after another were practically a given. Those are all nice and well, but those aren’t at the very top of the list of the team’s season goals each season. Winning district championships, getting to the Final Four, those were the ultimate goals.