Parker Dunn is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Horizon Honors High School for AZPreps365.com

After finishing last season under .500 with a record of 13-17, which included going 5-5 in league play, the Horizon Honors girls volleyball team looks to have a bounce back year under interim coach Amanda Bors.

Last year’s team had an interesting mix of lower and upperclassmen. There were 10 freshmen, three sophomores, eight seniors and even two eighth graders.

The youth and inexperience of the bunch seems to have played a factor in the success of the team since they went from a predominantly upperclassmen-led team the previous year to a group of primarily freshman.

This same group got off to a very rough start to the season as their record dropped 4-10 near the halfway point of the season. During that difficult stretch, the Eagles found themselves in an eight-game losing streak.

It was not until league play versus 3A Metro West opponents that the Eagles got back on track and played consistently. This consistency earned them a 5-5 record and a fourth-place finish in league.

They finished behind the always formidable Valley Christian, Odyssey Institute and Yuma Catholic (all three finished with .500 records or better). The Eagles finished above Paradise Honors and Bourgade Catholic, both of which went 1-9 in league play.

The key contributors who played a huge role in Horizon Honors’ success last season were former seniors Jordan Cook, Camryn Marshall and Madison Rowlee. The big three carried the largest load and made the biggest contribution to the team on a daily basis.

Outside hitter Jordan Cook led the team in just about every single major statistical category with the exception of digs, which was led by libero Madison Rowlee, who had 293. She finished first on the team last season with 281 kills, 35 aces and 27 total blocks.

The other senior outside hitter Camryn Marshall posted an impressive stat line of 137 kills, 28 aces and one block. The production that these three combined for is going to be difficult to replicate, but fortunately for the Eagles, they have some talented underclassmen who can pick up where they left off.

The first player to look out for is junior middle hitter Elizabeth Stover. She played very well last year, putting up an impressive 140 kills, 23 aces and 26 blocks. The other is sophomore Allyssa Gauer. The two-sport athlete played exceptional defense, which was evident through her 125 digs, which was fourth on the team.

One thing is for certain, in a season full of uncertainty, this team is looking to bounce back from last year’s 13-17 season. The Eagles look to start off the year on track on October 5 when they take on Acrete Prep.