RHS girls ready to get new year started

RANDOLPH — Optimism is a lovely thing for a team and when it comes hand in hand with growth amongst the group, it can only spread like a cure for any type of lull.

That’s why the Randolph Lady Cardinal volleyball team is looking to senior Keely Pinkelman to step up this campaign as an outside hitter after a strong summer and preseason.

Randolph head coach Rob Engel cited the growth of Pinkelman at the pins as a key component for a “balanced team that has a lot of players that will contribute.”

Fans can get a first look at the Lady Cardinals Thursday at a triangular in Homer that will also feature Cedar Catholic.

Then Saturday, the Randolph squad heads to Howells-Dodge for a quad featuring the hosts, the Lady Cardinals, Winside and Hartington-Newcastle.

“Our first couple games will be a good challenge. With all the good stuff I have seen of our team, I am excited to see how we do against these teams that also have very good athletes,” Pinkelman said. “Especially this week, we’ve been playing at a higher level that I’ve seen in the four years I’ve been playing volleyball.

“I know a lot of those girls on the Hartington teams and I played with some of them on club volleyball, so I am friends with some of them and they are all good athletes also. We’re having fun this year.”

Speaking of a higher level, the 5-foot-5 Pinkelman has found a way to raise her game literally to play at the pins despite not having the stereotypical banger’s size.

“They’ve always told me I have had a good vertical and as the years have went on, I have learned to focus on the ball more and making contact,” she said. “It’s about focusing on the basics and that’s mainly improved me. The line shot has always been my go-to, so I’ve definitely been working on getting that cross down and running more quicks or throwing in a short, outside quick there to throw out some variety. That’s all seeing improvement.

“Having the setters also want to be better also helps a lot. In the open gyms, they wanted to stay longer and practice. Our whole team wants to get better so almost every day everyone wanted to go overtime in practices and that’s what helps.”

Of course all that is fine and dandy when Pinkelman can jump through the roof.

“We haven’t tested it, but I can get about probably halfa-foot over the net,” she said. “Being 5-foot-5, vertical is important and needed. In junior high, I was pretty set on being a setter, but Rob really wanted me as a hitter after seeing my vertical.”

Leaping back to a year ago, Randolph beat Homer and went the distance with Cedar Catholic before falling.

But the quad wasn’t welcoming.

“We had an off day at the quad last year and were swept by all three teams,” Engel said. “We would like to see the team apply what we have been working on in practice and just come out and play together and show the teamwork we have been seeing so far in practice.”

Homer is expected to bring some long, athletic players to the triangular and Randolph will have to play “smart to match last year’s result,” Engel said.

“Cedar Catholic always has tough teams and I’m sure they will be fundamentally sound,” Engel said. “We need to be able to hang around and give ourselves a chance at the end.”

Then comes the busy weekend.

“The Howells-Dodge quad is filled with tough teams, and we need to come out mentally ready to play after the long bus ride Saturday morning,” Engel said. “H-D has a couple of bigtime players we will have to really raise our game to stay with them. Hartington has had our number lately and we need to be at our best to come out with a win.

“Winside was our nemesis last year and we need to be ready for their outstanding floor defense and serve and pass game to come out with a win against them.”

The preseason work his girls have put in has given Engel a sense of optimism that continues to grow each day.

“We are really excited about the growth of all of our players from last year to this year,” Engel said. “We expect to have great depth this season and on any given night anyone could step up and lead the team.

“We are really excited to be back on the court, all of the uncertainty of the COVID situation has been tough mentally, but once we get back out on the floor, all the hard work will be worth the wait.”

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