Many heads are better than one at the Clarkdale-Jerome School.
That is what the Mingus Rams volleyball program is banking on to get home court at State, as assistant coach Laci Brown is sharing responsibilities with Athletic Director Linda Chavez this fall.
With 55 fifth- through eighth-grade girls in the program, they have needed to be a team — especially when three teams, A, B and C, play at home.
The Clarkdale-Jerome School took the first step in that direction Tuesday, Aug. 26, capping earlier wins by the B and C teams over the Pine Strawberry Elementary School by coming from behind to triumph in three games in their home opener.
“We have a lot of girls,” Chavez said. “Our school has gotten a little larger this year.”
In fact, that total number of volleyball players in the program equals what Chavez believes the total increase is of students enrolled at the school, as opening-day enrollment was 475 compared to about 425 last year.
“We’ve gotten quite large,” said a slightly hoarse Chavez after her A team overcame a drawn-out first-game loss to ultimately beat the Buffaloes, 24-26, 25-6 and 15-12 in the tiebreaker.
“We won the second game pretty handily,” Chavez said. “We had a close third game.”
Ultimately, though, it will be that Mingus Rams A team that will have the opportunity to return home Friday, Oct. 31, for the small school state volleyball tournament, which the Clarkdale-Jerome School will host.
In order to do that, that team will need to overcome the Pine Strawberry Elementary School, Big Park Community School and other Verde Valley Conference opponents at the conference tournament Friday and Saturday, Oct. 24 and 25.
For the full story, please see the Wednesday, Aug. 27, issue of the Cottonwood Journal Extra.
