This year’s Ashland’s volleyball team is the first team in school history to win a regional championship.
But the VolleyCats won’t be the first team from Ashland to advance to the State Volleyball Tournament.
In 1979, the Kittens, as they were known then, played in the inaugural state tournament after finishing second to Rowan County in the region.
It was the first year of volleyball being a Kentucky High School Athletic Association sanctioned sport and eight teams participated. It was played at UK’s Memorial Coliseum.
For the Kittens, the trip to the state tournament was nothing short of miraculous.
The team, because of financial problems, wasn’t even formed until about a month before the postseason began. It played in only two matches and a scrimmage game before stepping into the State-At-Large Regional Tournament on the campus of Morehead State.
Rowan County defeated Ashland 15-8, 15-7 in the finals. The Lady Vikings took a 20-0 record to the state tournament.
The Kittens defeated Fairview twice and Huntington East once prior to the tournament.
Martha Hughes was Ashland’s coach and her six starters were Lori Alexander, Kelly Collinsworth, Jessica Taul, Sue Nunley, Maggie Menshouse and Mary Mulholland, who was the only senior. Barbara Garskey was the top reserve. Kristy (Henderson) Wilcox, an English teacher at Blazer and the wife of baseball coach Jeff Wilcox, was also a junior reserve.
Volleyball has come a long way in 30 years since that first state tournament was played.
By the way, Notre Dame Academy won the first state title in 1979.
Estep update
Many have called or e-mailed wanting news about Greg Estep, who went to the Cleveland Clinic last week after being diagnosed with cancer.
Greg is back at home and receiving treatments.
Estep, a former Tomcat two-sport star from 1972-74, also was a JFL coach at Ashland who helped develop many future stars.
A Web site at CaringBridge has been created by his wife, Pam, to allow friends and family to follow Greg’s progress.
Visit the Web site at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/gregestep for updates.
Calling all Lady Lions
Boyd County Lady Lions will be have an alumni basketball game at 6 p.m.on Nov. 14 at Boyd County Middle School.
Former players may call coach Pete Fraley at 922-0703 if they would like to participate.
MARK MAYNARD can be reached at mmaynard@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2648.
