Hayes, Eighth-Grader, Factor In East Hamilton Win

CLEVELAND, Tenn. – Madison Hayes, one third of East Hamilton’s volleyball youth movement, turned in a strong overall performance Tuesday night, helping the Lady Hurricanes knock off Bradley Central, 3-1, in a hard-fought District 5-3A action at Jim Smiddy Arena.

The game scores were 25-18, 25-21, 18-25, 25-22.

Hayes, along with Hillary English and Jordyn Griffith, were called up to the varsity by coach Kristy Lenoir almost two months ago and have been working into more responsibility ever since.

All three players are eighth graders.

On Tuesday, Hayes contributed 13 kills, 20 digs and three aces. English put up two kills, eight digs, one assist and three aces. And Griffith had 1 kill and a shared block.

“They stepped up to the plate tonight,” said Lenoir, whose Lady Hurricanes are 17-10 overall and 5-6 in district play. “They were needed on the varsity and that’s why I called them up. It’s a bigger responsibility for them, but they’ve done well and I’m proud of all three of them.”

Hayes was active, efficient and a thorn in Bradley Central’s side at different points in the match.

“She’s a phenomenal athlete,” Lenoir said. “She plays three sports and whatever she decides to do long-term she’s going to do a great job. Madison is ultracompetitive, a great kid with a great family.”

Mix the youngster’s performance with veterans Emma Lenoir and Tori Harris, and East Hamilton came up with the winning formula against the Bearettes (12-11, 2-7).

Lenoir led the Lady Hurricanes with 21 kills, 13 digs, two assists and two aces while Harris added four kills, five digs, 28 assists and two aces.

She didn’t mind heaping praise on the big lift the team got from Hayes.

“I thought Madison played really good,” Lenoir said. “She held up her position and considering she’s only an eighth-grader filled some spots for us. It kind of surprises me she’s playing so well, but at the same time it’s rare to have an eighth-grader that athletic. She’s really competitive, too.”

Hayes has routinely made her most significant contribution as a middle hitter. But, Tuesday she moved to the outside and was slamming away at the Bearettes.

“We had a varsity girl quit (Monday),” Kristy Lenoir said, “and we moved Madison to the outside. The girl quit, that opened a door for Madison and she filled some shoes.”

In Game 2, Bradley Central worked into a 17-15 lead, but the Lady Hurricanes outscored the Bearettes 10-4 down the stretch to take a 2-0 advantage in the match. In the 10-point run, Hayes recorded a winning slap shot and three kills. The only miscue in the spree for Hayes was a kill that sailed long that enabled Bradley Central to pull within 24-21.

Hayes made up for that with a game-clinching kill.

“I was excited the way I played tonight and happy I could carry my team at times,” Hayes said. “I think this was my best game.”

Hayes was almost excited as the day she was moved up to the varsity.

“I was excited then, too,” she said. “I was glad to get on the varsity because I’ve worked really hard. I’ve only been playing volleyball for three years. My coach is helping me, teaching me a lot of things, and I think I can help the team the rest of the season.”

In the third game, the Bearettes had a 9-7 lead, but Hayes scored four straight points – a slap, an ace and two service points – to give the Lady Hurricanes an 11-7 advantage. Bradley Central regained the lead at 14-11 on back-to-back tips by Julia Gaither and Monica Johnson, a Hannah Calfee kill, Emma Lenoir’s shot that went wide and Savannah Carroll’s service point.

Lenoir’s tap gave East Hamilton a 17-16 lead, but the Bearettes came back with another five-point burst coming on a Lady Hurricanes error, Gaither’s left-handed slap, Gabby Ghassedi’s service point, Natalie Jennings’ tap and another East Hamilton misplay.

Bradley was up 21-17 at that point.

East Hamilton scored on Bradley’s long serve, but the Bearettes scored the last four points – two on Jennings’ kills – to win the game.

“I was a little slow at first,” said Jennings, who was credited with 11 digs, 13 kills, 4.5 blocks, 11 assists and two aces. “As the game went on I started moving and blocking and hitting. My passing was not good tonight and (McElhaney) moved me off the back row.”

Reagan Morrison was credited with 7.5 blocks while Jennings and Johnson each had 4.5. That trio helped stuff Lenoir five times.

“Down at their gym we might have gotten her one or two times,” Jennings said. “We definitely did a lot better tonight.”

With renewed vigor in the fourth game, Bradley Central jumped out to a 10-4 lead – Johnson had four points – and still had an eight-point bulge at 14-6. Two Bearettes shots drew net and then Lenoir had two kills; Harris added a service point and Lenoir came back with another kill. Hayes’ shot zipped out of bounds to the right to stop the streak.

East Hamilton eventually outscored Bradley Central, 11-4, the last two points coming on a Lenoir ace and a Hayes kill, for a 17-16 lead.

The game was neck-and-neck and tied 22-all. Bradley gave up the Lady Hurricanes’ 23^rd point on a serve into the net, Kayli Jones scored a service point and Lenoir’s 21^st kill ended the match.

“I thought we did good tonight,” Lenoir said. “We had energy and worked together as a team. We have our moments and when we play with energy we do good and feel like we’re improving. We’re working hard and hopefully we can do good the rest of the season.”

Kristy Lenoir was beaming after the victory for various reasons.

“Having a starter quit is always a big thing,” she said. “Anytime you’re in that situation with a lot of emotion involved, you can be fragile. I’m very pleased the girls came through that and played hard. We had girls that stepped up.”

The opening game was tied 5-5 when the Lady Hurricanes, who swept the Bearettes, 3-0, earlier this month, exploded for a 14-2 run and built a 19-7 lead. English had three service points and Lenoir tossed in a slap and kill.

The Bearettes were able to trim their deficit to 21-17 with a nice 8-1 run. Near the end, however, Hayes’ kill gave East Hamilton its’ 24^th point and Lenoir sent a rocket shot toward the middle Bradley Central couldn’t handle and the Lady Hurricanes took a 1-0 lead.

“We’re down a few players and trying to get our rotations together,” Bearettes coach Christie McElhaney said. “A lot of our girls are still playing, but they’re not in their usual spots and not playing to their potential.

“We’ve got potential, but we have to leave it out on the court. New players are holding back and playing timid. You can’t do that. You just have to go do it.

“When we got the ball to Natalie, she played well. We have trouble getting our setters the ball efficiently so we can run stuff.”

STATISTICS

East Hamilton

Tori Harris – 4 kills, 5 digs, 28 assists, 2 aces

Hillary English – 2 kills, 8 digs, 1 assist, 3 aces

Kayli Jones – 1 kill, 1 dig, 3 aces

Emma Lenoir – 21 kills, 13 digs, 2 assists, 2 aces

Madison Hayes – 13 kills, 20 digs, 3 aces

Jordyn Griffith – 1 kill, .5 blocks

Jillian Myers – 9 digs, 1 ace

Bradley Central

Gabby Ghassedi – 14 digs, 1 kill, 18 assists, 2 aces

Allison Burger – 2 digs, 5 assists

Julia Gaither –17 digs, 2 kills, 9 assists

Emily Peterson – 1 dig, 1 kill, 3 assists

Breelee Arms – 5 digs, 10 assists, 5 aces

Reagan Morrison – 4 digs, 1 kill, 7.5 blocks

Monica Johnson – 5 digs, 8 kills, 4.5 blocks, 1 assist

Savannah Carroll – 13 assists, 7 digs, 1 kill, 1 ace

Hannah Calfee – 8 digs, 2 kills, 14 assists, 4 aces

Hayley Pell – 2 digs

Natalie Jennings – 11 digs, 13 kills, 4.5 blocks, 11 assists, 2 aces

(E-mail Larry Fleming at larryfleming44@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @larryfleming44)