Hagaman commends growth after volleyball season ends

A disappointing volleyball season came with a silver lining for Mackenzie McClain and Ella Icenhour. The Longhorns seniors were named to the All-Three Rivers Conference team following last week's season-ending loss to Greeneville in the first round of the District 1-AA tournament. "I'm really thankful to have received all-conference this year," said McClain, who kept balls alive as if they were loved ones. "It means a lot to me, and I know I wouldn't have been able to do it without my teammates and all the support they've given me throughout the season." McClain led the Longhorns with 229 digs. Icenhour tied fellow senior Addy Snyder for the team lead with 1.6 kills per set. "It was an honor to play with this team this year," Icenhour said. "I have enjoyed every second of it, and I hate to see this season go." Snyder received all-conference honorable mention, as did seniors C.J. Lipford and Summer Wells. First-year Johnson County coach Kris Hagaman commended her quintet of seniors. "These honors are a reflection of their hard work and contributions to our team throughout the season," Hagaman said. Wells piled up a team-high 327 assists. She also led the 'Horns with 29 aces and was second on the team with 138 digs. Lipford led the Longhorns with 29 blocks and was third on the team with 71 kills. "I want to give a shout-out to Summer for her dedication to the team," McClain said, "and to C.J. for all her hard work and the amazing blocks she had this season, which definitely made my job a little easier." Snyder led the team in kills (109). "Addy Snyder and C.J. Lipford both improved greatly this year," Icenhour said. "Addy Snyder switched positions this year, and she really stood out as an outside (hitter) this year. C.J. had some really great blocks and swings, which helped us." Johnson County (4-20) fell 25-9, 25-16, 25-12 to Greeneville at Chuckey-Doak on Oct. 5 in its final match of the season. Snyder and Icenhour led the way with four and three kills, respectively, while McClain (10) and Icenhour (eight) were digging many Greene Devils attacks. The junior varsity Longhorns were eliminated by Chuckey-Doak. "Although the results were not what we had hoped for in the tournaments, I am extremely proud of the growth and improvement both teams demonstrated throughout the season," Hagaman said. "The JV team made tremendous strides in developing fundamental skills, learning to compete together and gaining valuable match experience. These players are the future of our program, and I am excited to see how they continue to develop in the coming seasons. "Our varsity team also showed significant growth over the course of the season. We had a group of players who worked hard, continued to learn and grew together as a team. Each player contributed to our success in her own way, and I am proud of the commitment and effort they demonstrated throughout the year. While we faced challenges along the way, I believe the experience gained this season will help us continue to build a stronger program moving forward." Coaching changes always provide challenging adjustments, although players routinely attested to the value of Hagaman. "I'm really grateful I got the chance to play for Coach Hagaman this year," McClain said. "I just wish I could've had more than one season with her because she really made my senior year special." Icenhour echoed such sentiment. "Playing for Coach Hagaman was definitely an adjustment," Icenhour said, "but it was an adjustment I was willing to make to perform better this season." Thirteen players received TSSAA academic awards for maintaining a GPA of 3.5 or higher. Jeymi Castro-Gomez, Macie Farrow, Karlie Fletcher, Lauren Henley, Icenhour, Jennings, Lipford, Marley Matheson, Rayley Matheson, McClain, Snyder, Reese Wells and Summer Wells all earned that distinction. "I am especially proud of these student-athletes for their dedication to academic excellence," Hagaman said, "while balancing the demands of being part of a high school volleyball program."