Hazelwood West Wildcats Volleyball, Softball Look to Contend for Conference Titles

After winning back-to-back Suburban North Conference and MSHSAA Class 4 district  championships, 's girls varsity volleyball coach Michael Vaughn believes his team is ready to take the next step.

The Wildcats have been without a doubt the best volleyball squad in all of North County the last couple of years, but Vaughn says his group is ready to move into the realm of best programs in the entire area.

“We had a talk just yesterday, that we have to start buying into the fact that we’re a good team,” Vaughn said, during a recent practice. “We have to change the culture of how we do things, so we can get to that next level.”

Part of that change for West High has been more intense practices where precise defense and deft passing have been of great emphasis.

Vaughn has also asked the Wildcats to communicate more with each other on the court, and demanded that they not be afraid to encourage and correct each other when mistakes are made.

“We play a very tough schedule,” Vaughn said. “We play a lot of GAC schools. Last year, we played in the Springfield Classic, which had a lot of top teams from the state in it. The big thing has been trying to get the team to believe we’re at the same level as (some of the teams we play).”

Back to lead the Wildcats on the court this year is standout senior middle hitter Sara Gregor.

Last year was her first with the Wildcats after transferring from Duchesne High in St. Charles. Gregor led West in hitting and blocking with 144 kills and 34 total blocks, and earned first-team all-conference honors at the end of the season.

Joining Gregor on West’s imposing frontline will be fellow seniors Megan Tarrant and Theresa Marischen, and juniors Kaylin Perkins and Sarah Woll.

Junior Missy Long returns as West’s top defensive player. She led the Wildcats with 273 digs last year, and ranks as one of the conference’s top defenders overall.

Also back this year, but new to the starting lineup will be senior setter Courtney Bolds, who behind all-Suburban North setter Sarah Delashmit, was second on the team with 198 assists last year.

West will open the season on Monday, August 29, with a match against Francis Howell Central High, at 5 p.m.

The Hazelwood West varsity girls softball team will begin its season on Monday.

That night, the Wildcats will take on DeSoto High at 6 p.m., in the first-round of the Parkway Softball Tournament at the Ballwin Athletic Association.

Leading West on the field this year, will be returning all-Suburban North Conference performers Alex Linck and Hunter Bright.

Linck was one of the top freshmen in the area last year, leading the Wildcats in several offensive categories, including home runs, 3, RBIs, 25, extra-base hits, 14, runs scored, 25, and slugging percentage, .761.

Bright was West’s leading hitter last year, with a .437 batting average. She also had 17 RBIs and scored 16 runs.

The Wildcats first home game will be August 26, against archrival Hazelwood Central. First pitch that day is at 4 p.m.