Carson volleyball ready for season

While the Carson High volleyball team always has the goal of making the state championships, the Senators will be looking to build for the near future with a young team this season.

With only one senior, Carson is hoping to make a run for state berth this year, but has also has an eye to build for a state appearance next season as well.

It will also be tougher than ever for the Senators to make a run at a state berth since the top three teams from the north last year who made the state tournament - Fallon, Galena and Douglas - all plan on a return trip this season.

But Northern Nevada will only receive two berths to the state tournament this year. Douglas appears to have established itself as the early favorite in the north with a win at defending state champion Fallon on Tuesday.

Carson opened with a win at Elko and should find out where it stands when it hosts Fallon today.

"They're good," Carson coach Daryl James said. "They're going to be just fine. It will be a good test for us."

James noted that Fallon has one of Northern Nevada's top setters in Tristin Adams.

He also said Douglas has a talented team. "In my opinion Douglas has a real good shot at winning state this year," he said. "On paper, Douglas looks like the team to beat."

But James said don't count his team out. "We're hoping to maybe sneak in there," James said.

"I would hope we could be up there battling those guys," James also said about Northern Nevada's top teams. "We'll see if we're ready to pick it up against the better teams.

"I'd like to see this team grow. If the kids grow this year, that will make me real happy."

James said his team shouldn't be sold short talent-wise. "I think we're very athletic," he said. "I think we're more athletic through the whole roster than we were last year.

"This team is very athletic. They're a lot of great athletes. I like the athleticism of this team."

Carson will be led by senior middle blocker Megan Anderson. Among the outside hitters will be Rachael DeRiemer, who James said "should be a force in the league." Another outside hitter will be Shannon Devereaux, who James said has improved greatly.

Other outside hitters include Kaitlin Brush, Colleen Doyle and Rosie Nunez. Joining Anderson as middle blockers are Terry Niederer and Alyssa Wilson.

Setting up the attack are Tabitha Adams and Talia Joyce, who will also be a back row specialist along with Kaitie Lawson, Jessica Smallman and Samantha Silvestri.

Charles Whisnand is the Nevada Appeal Sports Editor.