Pennridge head girls volleyball coach Brandon Johnson knows he will have a relatively young team this season.
Last season, Johnson decided to abandon his initial plan with five seniors in the fold to shift gears to a youth movement. The club finished with an overall 7-13 mark.
This season, Johnson continues to watch the evolution of a budding class of sophomores, and he has drawn some comparison to prior successful teams in 2019 and 2020.
In 2020, the Rams had a 12-0 regular-season slate, and the previous team in 2019 went 19-3 overall.
“This team can be a special group,” said Johnson, who is in his seventh year at the helm. “More and more, I can compare them to the 2019 and 2020 teams.
“This team has the same work ethic as the 2020 team. We had a very good offseason. Many of them played club volleyball. They have really worked to pick each other up, push each other, and build a great team environment.”
Sophomore captain setter Delaney Schwind has helped create a productive environment. Schwind was named to the Suburban One League’s second team last season.
“She has really worked hard and became a leader,” said Johnson. “She has improved a ton from last season. As a setter, she really has been influential.”
Fellow sophomore outside hitter/right side Melissa Hinkson and sophomore outside hitter Caitlyn Kuntz also have been an integral part of the team.
Johnson has looked to senior middle blocker Samantha Lipp and outside hitter Paige Lipp along with middle blocker/right side Zoey Pennie as stabilizing forces on his maturing club.
“All three of them have roles to play on the team,” added Johnson. “They have experience, and have brought a sense of stability to the club. With a young club, we’ll look for them to guide our younger players.”
Johnson believes sophomore libero Shannon Leo can be one of best at the position in ensuing years.
“We have big hopes for her,” said Johnson. “She is one of the most talented liberos that I have worked with. She works very hard, and she can bring so much to her position.
“But she has to work to stay strong mentally and overcome some nervousness out there.”
Johnson was pleased with his team’s performance in their scrimmages, the last one at Mount St. Joseph’s.
“We held up well,” he stated. “It was a good test for us. We’re playing well together, and I’m excited to see how far we can go.”
Pennridge (0-2) fell to Perkiomen Valley 3-0 in the Aug. 29 season opener and lost to Abington 3-1 Tuesday. The Rams will try to get their first win of the season at Plymouth Whitemarsh Thursday.
Even though Johnson can draw some comparisons to his last two teams, he is staying cautiously optimistic.
“I don’t know if we can win the conference,” he said. “We will do our best to do whatever we can for every practice.
“We need to play our best volleyball in October. We have a great sophomore class, and we’ll work to try to get back to the postseason.”
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