Lady Hounds build on experience

FORT MADISON - Fort Madison High School’s volleyball team is “young, but not inexperienced,” coach Kelly Knustrom said, a sign that the foundation that Knustrom has built heading into her fourth season as head coach is starting to take hold.
The Bloodhounds lost plenty of production from last year’s team that went 6-32 overall, but 4-5 in the Southeast Conference. But Knustrom still has a core of returning players that has picked up on what she has been teaching.
Knustrom saw that when she took the Bloodhounds to a team camp in Nebraska this summer.
“They’re really willing to try things, try new things, and I just really liked that they were willing to jump in, take new experiences, and put them into use almost immediately, ” she said. “We would drill in the mornings, then play in the afternoon and evenings, and they were trying those things they learned almost immediately. So I really enjoyed seeing that.
“They’re just willing to learn, right out of the gate.”
The Bloodhounds lost several key seniors, including Taylor Johnson (180 kills, 40 blocks, 76 digs), Ajia Jenkins (122 kills), Lauryn Helmick (105 kills), Elle Ruble (390 digs) and Amy Yasenchok (204 digs).
But Fort Madison brings back junior Dayonna Davis (141 kills) and sophomore Sydney McEntee (120 kills), along with junior Mara Smith (601 assists, 169 digs) and senior Brylie Lorence (11 kills, 8 blocks). Junior Kenzie Huebner will move into the libero spot.
“Dayonna put in a lot of work in the offseason,” Knustrom said. “Sydney will be there in the middle for us. Brylie got some time last year — she came into some big games and really helped us. Kenzie didn’t get a lot of game time in last year, but she was huge for us in practice, and I think she’s going to do some really good things this year.”
Knustrom only has four seniors, but the rest of her roster has benefited by all of the work in practice last season.
“We practice varsity and (junior varsity) together, and those younger kids were really pushing the older kids,” Knustrom said. “So there were a lot of kids behind the scenes who were helping us out, and now they’ll see bigger roles this season.”
Davis’ experience has helped her move into more of a leadership role, Knustrom said.
“She has that willingness to work with her teammates,” Knustrom said. “I’ve seen her open up more at practice. She and I communicated a lot in the offseason, and I think those benefited her and they’ll benefit the team. I really see her stepping up as a leader, in general, and that’s going to make us a lot better.”
Knustrom said she is seeing the roots she has established in her time with the Bloodhounds.
“I think there’s more work to be done, but I see more of our principles coming through,” she said. “When we talked to the sophomores this year, they reminded me that I coached them in sixth grade. It doesn’t feel that long ago, but now we’re starting to get kids who have been around me for a while. I saw it the last couple of years, but now I’m seeing a lot more of those core foundations coming through.
“These are extremely athletic and talented kids, and I think figuring out how to come together and play as a team will be a key for us. This is a really good group, and I’m looking forward to seeing what they can do.”