JOLIET — The Joliet volleyball team has some fresh faces, graduating a core group of seniors that helped bring home three trophies from the State B tournament in four years. The J-Hawks haven't experienced much of a drop off, though.
“You’re seeing girls that have been underneath them growing to be as good as they were because they got to play with them all those years. I don’t think you ever replace a group of girls. You just fill in the holes, but every girl brings something special to the team,” head coach Colette Webber said.
Joliet plays in one of the most competitive districts in the state, as rival Huntley Project met the J-Hawks for the district, divisional and state titles last season. Project is the premier Class B volleyball program, and despite two losses to the Red Devils this season, that’s still Joliet’s measuring stick.
“It’s definitely a fun competition. If we’re at their level it just makes the game even more fun. We definitely try our best to compete with them,” said senior Kyelynn Coombe.
“I’d watch what they do. What kind of offense they were running. It took a while to figure out stuff on my side of it, too. But playing good teams just makes you better,” Webber said.
With so many new faces in the rotation for Joliet, there were expected to be some bumps in the road throughout the regular season. As the postseason approaches, though, Joliet should be rounding into championship form.
“Because it’s a young team, I’ve got two seniors, I expect them to be phenomenal by the end because we have lots of growing to do,” Webber said.
Joliet undoubtedly has its sights set on the State B tournament next month in Bozeman.
