Kee volleyball team looks to build on last season’s postseason momentum as Julie Hawes takes over the head coaching helm


2018 Kee volleyball ... Front row: Kristina Dibert, Macie Hill, McKenzie Hawes, Matteson Weymiller. Back row: Jada Mitchell, Meredith Gruber, Michelle Walleser, Macy Manning, Alexis Johnson. Not pictured: Neve Goetzinger, Heather Mooney, Photo courtesy of the Kee High School Yearbook.

The 2018 volleyball season will mark the beginning of the impact felt by graduation of the most decorated and historic senior class in the history of Kee girls athletics. Although just three seniors were lost from last season’s net squad that pieced together one of the most successful season’s in Kee volleyball history, the fact that trio took with it the top statistical numbers in nearly every category from last fall’s 21-15 campaign, including the top three totals in many categories, will leave some considerable shoes to fill for the 2018 Lady Hawks.

Helping fill those graduation voids will be a large class of returning experience that teamed up with that graduated senior trio to help the Kee volleyballers play their way to the brink of State Tournament qualification, perennial power Tripoli ultimately ending the Hawks’ season in a rare Kee appearance in the regional championship round of postseason tournament play. The road to get to that championship bout was filled with a pair of marathon nailbiters that, themselves, should provide a strong experience base upon which to continue to build for this year’s Kee netters, including an upset of 10th-rated Dunkerton on the Raiders’ home floor.

A majority of this season’s squad will hold a pretty good familiarity in returning to the court, learning from the leadership efforts of that graduated senior trio and bonding together in that effort. The newest piece of this season’s puzzle will come at the coaching helm, where both head coach Julie Hawes and assistant coach Amy Peterson will be assuming the reins for guiding this season’s squad.

2018 Kee Volleyball Schedule

Date    Opponent/Site    Time
8/28    at Turkey Valley and vs. New Hampton    5 p.m.
8/30    at De Soto, WI and vs. Seneca, WI    4:30 p.m.
9/6    at Turkey Valley    5:30 p.m.
9/8    Crestwood Tournament (Cresco)    9 a.m.
9/13    vs. North Fayette Valley    5:30 p.m.
9/15    Waukon Tournament    9 a.m.
9/18    at Central Elkader    5:30 p.m.
9/27    vs. West Central    5:30 p.m.
10/2    at Clayton Ridge    5:30 p.m.
10/4    vs. South Winneshiek    5:30 p.m.
10/6    Riceville Tournament    9 a.m.
10/9    vs. Postville    5:30 p.m.
10/11    at MFL/Mar-Mac    5:30 p.m.
10/16-10/30    Class 1A Regional Tournament    TBD
11/7-11/9    Class 1A State Tournament    TBD

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