Lady Mohawk volleyball schedule set

The Piggott Lady Mohawk volleyball team is set to begin practice Monday, with an eye toward the season opening jamboree at Westside, scheduled for Aug. 19. The Tribe, coming off a rebuilding season, does have a full roster for both the junior and senior high program, with 16 players on the varsity squad and 17 dressed out for the junior high team.

This year longtime coach Melissa Williams also welcomes a new assistant coach, as Jenna Weeks has taken the position after coming to Piggott from Armorel. Weeks and Williams were basketball teammates at Williams Baptist, and she has already been attending camps and learning the ropes during the offseason.

Last year was a down year for the program, long considered a 3A powerhouse and a perennial state tournament qualifier. Despite the leadership of senior Kelsey Nagy, who appeared in the state all star game back in June and has accepted a scholarship to play volleyball at Williams Baptist, the Lady Mohawks struggled last fall. This year they're reloading with a strong group of young players, and a little more size along the front line.

The conference has also changed, with recent state champion Brookland moving up to 4A where they'll be contending with the likes of Westside and Valley View--two teams that have wrapped up most of the 4A state titles the past few years.

Gone this year, after a one-year experiment, is the process of determining the district qualifiers at a tournament rather than by regular season conference records. Coaches voted to return to the old way after last year, and that should improve the Tribe's chances for a trip Hot Springs and the state tourney.

Along with the Lady Mohawks, this year's 3A Northeast conference includes Crowley's Ridge Academy, Harrisburg, Hoxie, Walnut Ridge, Ridgefield Christian, Cedar Ridge and Bay.

Following the jamboree at Westside Aug. 19, the Mohawks will visit Paragould Aug. 24 for a non-conference tune-up. The conference opener will be against the Falcons of CRA at Piggott High Aug. 31. They'll host Walnut Ridge Sept. 2 and will visit non-conference Pocahontas Sept. 7.

The Tribe will visit Harrisburg Sept. 9, and will travel to Harrison for the Slamfest beginning Sept. 11. They'll host Bay Sept. 13 and then have seven road matches in a row--traveling to Cedar Ridge, Hoxie, playing in the Valley View tournament, and making stops at CRA, Walnut Ridge, Ridgefield Christian and the ASU Playday.

The Lady Mohawks return home Sept. 30 for a match with the Lady Mustangs of Hoxie and the junior team will play in a tournament at Brookland Oct. 2. The girls will play home matches with Cedar Ridge, Harrisburg and Ridgefield Christian in early October, and will visit Bay and Greene County Tech Oct. 12 and 14.

The junior high tournament will be played Oct. 16 at Harrisburg, with the senior team set to close out the regular season with a match at Brookland Oct. 18 and and a home match for senior night against Trumann Oct. 19. The state tournament for the senior Lady Mohawks will be played Oct. 26 to 30 and this year will be in Hot Springs.