Six years ago, Winston Academy embarked on a new journey as the school took on the sport of volleyball for the first time.
Candice Cefalu was tasked to lead the program and she was flying blind early. After learning the sport herself for the first couple of years, Cefalu and her volleyball program have grown exponentially.
It started with the first win. Then the Lady Patriots grabbed wins over schools like East Webster and Choctaw County. Two years ago, the team got its first chance off the volleyball state tournament and that gave way to WA making it all the way to the state championship last year.
“Those first few years, I really think the only reason we won any games is because we had good athletes and hustled,” Cefalu said. “We had no idea how to run an offense or how to play defense, we were just hustling. Now, we have a combination of good athletes and know what we’re doing.”
The Lady Pats lost a trio of important seniors last year when outside hitter Chloe Hillyer, setter Emma Grace Loper and middle hitter Layton Nowell graduated. Cefalu said that her program is at the point of development that it is next player up.
Grace Christian transfer Caydie White is in to help replace Nowell in the middle while Brooklyn Woods will slide over as the left side hitter after spending last season on the right side. Layla Cefalu will be the setter this season.
Coach Cefalu is excited about what she has returning to go along with those three.
“I don’t have a lot of tall girls and that’s my trouble right now filling those hitting positions. Jillian Sims and Braley Dempsey will be good hitters for us. Our defense is going to be really good as well. We have a lot of young, quick girls that can move to the ball,” Cefalu said.
“I think if we can stay focused and on that ultimate goal of a state championship, we’re going to be a really good team. I scheduled really hard again this year.
The Lady Pats went to Jackson to play MRA, Regents of Oxford and Hartfield Academy last week for a warm up match and the team got a chance to get its first game action in on Tuesday of this week.
WA played Grace Christian on Tuesday and the team has a game on Friday at home against Central Hinds. Next week, it’s a matchup with Pillow Academy at home and rematch of the state title game against Regents.
District play includes Regents, Central Hinds, Heritage Academy, Hartfield, Simpson Academy, Starkville Academy and Hillcrest Christian. For Cefalu, her goal remains to get back in the big game.
“Looking at our division, we hope that it comes down to us and Regents of Oxford. They’re a powerhouse that is incredibly well-coached,” Cefalu said. “Our ultimate goal is to beat them in the state championship. We want to get back there again and beat them. I could tell last year that our girls were a little rattled. Now that they know what that feels like, I think they will control it better.”
