CJ Volleyball

"Whatever It Takes"

Varsity Stats - see tab above

JV Stats (click here)

 

Post Season Honors

  • Bulldog Award: Harlee Stutesman

  • Most Inspirational: Hope Joyner

  • Courage Award: Rickie Lea Duley

  • Most Improved Player: Katie Skaggs

  • Freshman of the Year: Mackenzie Irwin

Big 8 Conference

  • Big 8 Player of the Year: Hope Joyner

  • 1st Team: Hope Joyner, Katie Eichelberger

  • 2nd Team: Emily Zimmerman, Rickie Lea Duley

  • Honorable Mention: Katie Wiele

All District

  • 1st Team: Katie Eichelberger, Hope Joyner, Emily Zimmerman

  • 2nd Team: Katie Wiele

All Region

  • 1st Team: Hope Joyner, Katie Eichelberger

  • 2nd Team: Emily Zimmerman

  • Honorable Mention: Harlee Stutesman

All State

  • 2nd Team: Hope Joyner, Katie Eichelberger

Eichelberger & Joyner named to All-State Volleyball Team

Carl Junction has landed two players on the Class 3 all-state second team selected by the Missouri High School Volleyball Coaches Association.

They are senior Katie Eichelberger and junior Hope Joyner. Coach Sarah Wall’s Big 8 Conference Bulldogs finished 28-8-2 overall in reaching the quarterfinals in the MSHSAA playoffs.

CJ Volleyball goes on to win Sectionals!

The Joplin Globe, 10/30/11

 

Carl Junction defeated Fulton 24-26, 25-21, 25-19 before losing 25-23, 25-8 to Pleasant Hill.

Carl Junction coach Sarah Wall said the Bulldogs, who once led Pleasant Hill by three points in the first game, were tied at 23 before the winner pulled out the win. “Pleasant Hill (33-2-1) was very good,” Wall said. “Our girls played hard and played with their hearts. They probably pushed too much at times and Pleasant Hill capitalized on our mistakes in the second game.

“We’re proud of our players,” Wall said. “That was our first sectional win. They represented the district very well. Our final 28-8-2 record matches our 2007 total for wins.” Carl Junction leaders against Fulton included Katie Eichelberger (30 assists), Hope Joyner (11 kills), Katie Wiele (17 digs), Harlee Stutesman (17 digs), Rickie Lea Duley (eight points) and MacKenzie Irwin (three blocks). Irwin had another three blocks against Pleasant Hill. Eichelberger had 15 assists, Emily Zimmerman four digs, Joyner five kills and Candace Tracy six points.

Carl Junction faces Fulton in Class 3 Sectional

By Anvil Welch, The Joplin Globe, 10/29/11

It’s been another successful volleyball season for Carl Junction High School. Carl Junction, 27-7-2 overall, won the Big 8 Conference at 7-0 for the second straight year. The Class 3 Bulldogs claimed their third district title in a row and fourth in six years earlier this week for Sarah Wall.

But the ninth-ranked Bulldogs are tired of losing in the sectional round of the playoffs. Carl Junction, which lost to Rogersville the last two years in sectionals, faces Fulton (19-12-2) at 4:30 p.m. today at Mountain Grove. The 3 p.m. match is Mountain Grove vs. Pleasant Hill. The winners clash at approximately 6 in the quarterfinal to determine a representative next week at Cape Girardeau.

Fulton, seeded second on its floor, defeated favored Boonville in winning District 9. Said Wall: “Fulton has a player — senior Corri Hamilton — who’s all over the place. She’s their go-to player. “But Rachelle Miller, a junior outside hitter, played very well against Boonville,” Wall said. “Melissa Hoerber, another junior, is an aggressive setter.”

Wall said the Bulldogs dedicated their season to Dr. Jeffrey Knutzen (their videographer who died suddenly on Sept. 5). “We have a good feeling about tomorrow,” Wall said Friday. “The girls have been playing well together. Everyone is having fun. We just need to play up to our capability.” Wall, who’s assisted by Amy Doennig, Chelsi Leggett and Lauren Alumbaugh, said the Bulldogs typically use nine players in a match.

They include four seniors in setter Katie Eichelberger, middle hitter Rickie Lea Duley, defensive specialist Harlee Stutesman and outside hitter Emily Zimmerman. Rounding out the nine are junior outside hitter Hope Joyner, sophomore libero Katie Wiele and three ninth-graders in middle hitter MacKenzie Irwin, outside hitter Brenlee McPherson and defensive specialist Candace Tracy.

“We also have a great bench,” Wall said of five more players who’ll complete the sectional roster. “Most of them have varsity experience and have played in big matches.” They are junior setter Ashley Eichelberger, sophomore outside hitter Kaycia Feller, sophomore setter Kendall Goodyear, sophomore middle hitter Katie Skaggs and sophomore defensive specialist Shelby Wilson.

Statistical leaders for the Bulldogs include Katie Eichelberger (588 assists), Joyner (245 kills), Irwin (46 blocks) and Wiele (227 digs). Wall also said Zimmerman has 142 kills and Duley 41 blocks. Wall lauded the improved serve reception by Stutesman and Zimmerman. “They’ve made our offense so much better,” Wall said.

Wall, who played volleyball for Joyce Woods at Joplin Parkwood, attended Missouri State before securing her undergraduate degree from Missouri Southern. She also has a master’s degree from Pittsburg State.

 

Coach Wall's comments following District win:

"We won districts!  I am so proud of these girls.  This is the 3rd consecutive district title these young ladies have won. Our coaching staff has done such a good job with these girls from 7th grade on up and when its time to play, the bulldogs never let up. Its so exciting to be a part of this community and this program. We had a great crowd and a great following all year. The score was 25-21, 25-23. We were down 14-20 in the second set, but our seniors were determined to win and our younger girls played their hearts out for their teammates and  this program. This is also the third time we have beaten Mt, Vernon this year which is a very difficult thing to do in one year.  The players broke down their final huddle with J.O.K. in memory of Dr. Jeffrey Knutzen. The girls know he is a driving force for them and they also know how proud he would have been of them. We will play Saturday at 4:30 (site and opponent yet to be deturmined), when we win that match, we will play in the sectional finals at 6:00.  The Final Four is the November 4 & 5 in Cape Girardeau."

 

Bulldogs capture district
The Joplin Globe, 10/26/11
SENECA, Mo. — Carl Junction won the Class 3, District 11 championship for the third year in a row by defeating Mount Vernon 25-21, 25-23 Tuesday night. Hope Joyner, a junior, led the Lady Bulldogs with nine kills and four blocks. Katie Eichelberger, a senior, had 16 assists and senior Emily Zimmerman had three aces among her nine service points. Carl Junction, 27-7-2, advances to the first round of the state tournament at 4:30 p.m. Saturday against the winner of District 9 at a site to be determined. The quarterfinals are scheduled for 6 p.m.

 

Carl Junction wins bronze division in Ozark volleyball tournament

The Joplin Globe, 10/16/11

Carl Junction defeated Marshfield 25-13, 25-22 and West Plains 25-14, 25-21 to win the Bronze division in the Ozark Grand Slam Volleyball tournament. In the pool, Bulldogs lost to Fayetteville, AR (ranked #38 in the Nation) 25-15, 25-13; lost to Winona (ranked #1 in Missouri Class 1) 25-14, 25-21; split with Boliver (ranked #9 in Missouri Class 3) 18-25, 25-21; and beat Monett 25-10, 25-7. Tournament leaders for the Bulldogs (23-7-2) were Katie Wiele with 37 digs, Emily Zimmerman with 18 aces, Hope Joyner with 29 kill, Katie Eichelberger with 68 assists, and Rickie Lea Duley with six blocks.

 

Coach Wall's comments: "We had a very good day. We played the best competition we have ever played in one day since I have been a coach at Carl Junction. This was the best thing for our program. Our girls knew that they didn't play their best in these matches, but by the end of the day, they were playing better than I have seen them play all year. They were sticking passes, playing as a team, and having fun. Harlee Stutesman-who had her best day ever on defense and serve receive, and our 3 other seniors Emily Zimmerman, Katie Eichelberger, and Rickie Lea Duley stepped up and became leaders today. Hope Joyner is hitting the ball harder than anyone we faced. Katie Wiele our sophomore libero played better today than she ever has. Our freshmen - Brenlee McPherson, Candace Tracy, and Mackenzie Irwin played like they have been playing this game forever. Shelby Wilson has improved so much on serve receive and defense and Ashley Eichelberger, Kendall Goodyear, and Katie Skaggs played as well. This was such a great tournament for our girls right before district play. I expect great things for this team in the near future. Our girls are doing "Whatever It Takes" at this point in the season and will focus on one match at a time from here on out.  We would like to invite everyone out to watch some very exciting volleyball!!!"

CJ plays for the conference championship this week- at East Newton on Tuesday and hosting Aurora on Senior Night on Thursday. The Lady Bulldogs are seeded first in the District with their first match scheduled for 8:00 pm at Seneca on Monday, October 24 vs. the winner of the Monett/Aurora match. The finals will be played Tuesday Oct. 25 at 7:00pm at Seneca. The winner advances to sectionals on October 29.

 

Dr. Jeffrey Knutzen CJ Classic wrap up

The Joplin Globe, 9/25/11

The Joplin High School volleyball team, winning its second tournament of the season, claimed the Dr. Jeffrey Knutzen Classic on Saturday. The Eagles beat Carl Junction 25-17, 25-22 to reign in the Gold Bracket of the 12-team event. Joplin, which finished 1-0-2 in the White Pool, defeated Nevada 25-20, 25-23 in the Gold Bracket before beating the Bulldogs. The Eagles improved to 13-3-3 overall in avenging their season-opening loss. Carl Junction, which was 3-0 in the Black Pool and beat Mount Vernon in a Gold Bracket opener, fell to 14-5-1.

Said Joplin coach Staci Saunders: “We put it all together in that second game against Carl Junction. It was a great team effort. Our girls really fought back. We had some good play off the bench out of some junior varsity players.”

Said Carl Junction coach Sarah Wall: “We had too many unforced errors in the first game (against Joplin). We had a 14-7 lead in the second game, but Joplin fought hard and kept plugging away. They never quit. They had some key blocks. Danielle Walker had some strong hits. Today, they were the better team.”

Walker, a senior, was named the tournament most valuable player. Her statistics included 23 kills in the tourney. Hope Joyner, who had 38 kills, represented Carl Junction on the all-tournament team. Joplin also received 72 assists from Chloe Hadley, 22 digs from Bayley Strella, 21 kills from Kellie Stringer and 13 blocks from Olivia Hampton. Carl Junction also got 78 assists from Katie Eichelberger, seven blocks from Emily Zimmerman and 42 digs from Katie Wiele.

 

College Heights Christian posted a 1-3-1 record in the classic. Webb City beat CHC 25-17, 25-20 in the Bronze Bracket final. Carthage hurdled Branson 25-20, 25-17 to claim Silver.

Carl Junction prevails
The Joplin Globe, 9/16/11
The Bulldogs notched victory No. 10 by defeating McDonald County 25-22, 25-12. Katie Eichelberger collected 15 assists and four aces among 10 service points for Carl Junction (10-2-1). Darrian Kelley had five kills and two stuff blocks, Katie Wiele made five digs, Emily Zimmerman had eight points, and Mackenzie Irwin had four kills. Darien Stancell had seven kills and five digs for the Mustangs (3-6-2). Preslea Reece added seven points, and Dani Pierce had five assists.
 

Carl Junction triumphs
The Joplin Globe, 9/14/11
The Bulldogs’ 25-23, 23-25, 25-13 nonconference victory over Neosho boosted their record to 9-2-1. Carl Junction received 22 assists from Katie Eichelberger, 10 kills from Hope Joyner, seven digs from Katie Wiele, two stuff blocks from Rickie Lea Duley and three aces among 12 serving points from Emily Zimmerman. Cheyanne Crandall stood out for the Wildcats with five in three categories — kills, blocks and digs. Neosho (3-6) also got 13 assists from Tori Eads and six blocks from Paris Bunch.
 

The Varsity Team took 1st Place in the Branson Invitational Tournament. Tournament totals: Darrian Kelley 44 digs and 44 points 21 kills; Katie Eichelberger 115 assists 41 points 15 aces; Hope Joyner 44 kills 7 stuff blocks; Emily Zimmerman 26 kills, 27 digs; Katie Wiele 42 points 10 aces, 33 digs; Harlee Stutesman 22 digs; Mackenzie Irwin 23 kills, 10 stuff blocks; and Rickie Lea Duley 25 kills

 

Season Preview

Jasper County Citizen, 8/10/11

After one of the most successful summer programs to date, the CJHS volleyball team is prepared to start working their way towards State. The team has adopted the motto "Whatever it takes" said Coach Sarah Wall, and they take that seriously.

Wall said she has a lot of talented athletes that have fixed their sights on conference and district  championships. "Then we head on to the State quarterfinals and hopefully a State championship," said Wall.

Wall has a problem every coach would like to encounter; she has so many talented athletes that it is hard to predict who will earn a starting varsity spot. "We will pick the best six, that give us the best shot at winning," said Wall. She said the team is behind the philosophy, as they are all working hard to build a championship team and become stronger individual athletes at the same time.

Wall is seeing the rewards of a strong club volleyball program in the Carl Junction area. Wall said the youngest girls from the first club volleyball team are now sophomores and she is excited about the prospects. In addition, the program seems to gain momentum every year, and the future is looking bright for them.

Wall said there are several strong, experienced players who will return to the lineup. Harlee Stutesman, a defensive specialist, returns for her senior year. The team will benefit from the leadership of several seniors this year. Emily Zimmerman, outside hitter; Rickie Lea Duley, middle; and setter Katie Eichelberger are among those in their final season. Johanna Lingner, a solid outside hitter will be back. Wall said she also saw good, strong play from senior Darrian Kelly during the summer leagues.

The varsity girls won the Spike Wars series over the summer. They also competed in a summer league with many talented bigger programs. The team was able to split with Ozark, a very strong program, and beat Kickapoo in a league at Springfield.

Wall was also very pleased with her team's victory over St. Theresa's Academy out of Decatur, Ill. Wall said the Lady Dogs were able to best the prestigious volleyball team in play at Rolla over the summer.

In addition to the seniors, Wall said the team would be looking to junior Hope Joyner, who saw a lot of success last season. Another strong player, Katie Wiehle, returns as a defensive specialist. Wiehle saw extended varsity play in 2010 as a freshman. Wall said she and Stutesman will likely be in competition, or rotating at the libero position. "Either way, if you are able to get either one of these girls on the back row, its gonna be next to impossible for anything to get by them. They are two very tough defensive players," she said.

Jalee Dollarhide and Kendall Goodyear, sophomores have really stepped up over the summer, said Wall. She said she has also liked what she has seen from Katie Skaggs. Skaggs, also a sophomore, has played up over the summer and Wall said she expects big things from her this year. "Once she gets used to the quickness of varsity play, she is going to do really well," said Wall.

Wall said she is also looking forward to seeing what one of the youngest players, Mackenzie Irwin, is able to accomplish.

"There is just so much talent. There are so many kids that we could pull up. We just have to figure out how to pick the best six. It is a problem every coach hopes to have," Wall said.

Wall will be joined at the high school level by assistants Amy Doening and Chelsi Leggett.