Upward Trend: Parkview Baptist’s Volleyball hopes to improve on last year’s semifinal appearance
by: William Weathers // GeauxPreps.com Contributor
For the first time in four years, Parkview Baptist found itself in the Division III state semifinals, dropping a 3-1 decision to E.D. White.
First-year coach Allison Leake, who previously built St. Amant into a consistent winner, guided the Lady Eagles to a 32-8 record with an eye toward greater promise in the future.
“Our E.D. White game, we did as much as we could that day,” Parkview junior middle blocker/outside hitter standout Jana Thymes said. “I also feel that maybe we could have performed a little bit better. I recall our blocking wasn’t that strong until maybe midway through the game.
“If we could have initially started the game with stronger blocking, I think we would have had a much better chance of moving on,” Thymes said. “That makes me think that from here on, it’s important and that we can’t gloss over things and that everybody contributes in some way. That game made me realize how important it is to be on top of things.”
Parkview Baptist graduated three seniors – a pair of outside hitters and setter – but with the return of Thymes, the Most Outstanding Player on the Baton Rouge Advocate’s Small Schools team, and four seniors led by LSU commitment Laurel Cassidy, the Lady Eagles are once again trending upward.
Both Thymes and Cassidy were selected by the state’s coaches to join the All-State Division III team.
Parkview Baptist takes part in the St. Michael the Archangel Jamboree on Aug. 29 and hosts Country Day to open the 2024 season.
“I think anything’s possible,” Leake said. “When you have successful programs, they just reload. They can take those younger players and have them ready for that varsity time. I want our kids to believe that we can win, and that’s going to take some time. I want to see their confidence grow throughout the season. If we can do that through having harder practices than we do our games, and if they believe in each other, I think the sky is the limit for this team.
“Just having an idea of knowing what the (state tournament) environment looks and feels like and sounds like, is a big piece for our younger players,” Leake said. “We had a lot of younger players last year that played in the state tournament and that always helps coming into the following season. They’re a little bit experienced, a little bit seasoned. The nerves will always be there and that’s not and that’s not a bad thing.”
Parkview last advanced to a semifinal in 2019, losing in three games to Lafayette Christian Academy. The Lady Eagles won the last of their three state championships in 2005, reaching the quarterfinals four times and semifinals on three opportunities until last season.
“We lost in the semifinals last year,” Leake said. “It’s a place where we want to get past to the next round. In going through our goals with the girls this season, the one thing they talked about was to focus on each playoff game so we’re not looking too far ahead. We know what we have to do. Let’s get past this day and then we’ll worry about tomorrow.”
Coaching Change Agrees with Parkview
With long-time coach Becky Madden retiring, Leake was the logical choice to move into the team’s head coaching role. After her lengthy stay in developing St. Amant into a Division I staple, Leake spent two years under Madden before moving over to a chair on the team’s bench.
Parkview Baptist didn’t appear to skip a beat. Leake’s experience was the perfect match for a program that caught fire in the second half of the season and won 18 of their last 22 matches.
“It wasn’t a huge transition,” Thymes said. “Her coaching style was a little different, but it’s how you prefer to be coached. It helped me.”
Leake said her previous two years with the team proved invaluable when it came to relationship building. It also helped to have several players as part of her Ignite Volleyball Club in the summer.
“They already kind of knew the expectations I had of them, and they were willing and ready to do what was needed,” said Leake, last year’s All-Metro Coach of the Year.
Thymes, the daughter of former LSU track standouts Derrick and Debbie Parie-Thymes, literally made a big leap during her sophomore season after first cracking the team’s starting lineup midway through her eighth-grade season.
She compiled a team-high 481 kills, 95 total blocks, and 27 aces to earn All-Metro honors. She was joined by Cassidy, and seniors Brooklyn Phillips and Charley Knost, on the honorable mention squad.
“I think I’m going to get a little more back row play than in the past, maybe a mix of middle and outside,” said Thymes, who had 17 kills and eight blocks in last year’s semifinal game. “I know I’m going to have to be serving a lot this year. I’m going to get those extra reps when I can.
“With how I’ve been performing, even though if I don’t consider myself more of a speaking leader, I’m more of someone who leads by example,” Thymes said. “I’m going to go full out every single time.”
Leake said that after two years as libero/defensive specialist Cassidy will transition to an outside hitting role this year.
“I think people are going to be surprised when they see her hitting,” she said. “She’s powerful, knows the game, and will be a big piece of our offense and defense. She has an amazing vertical, great arm swing, and knows the game.”
New Pieces to Assemble
Libero Ava LeBlanc, defensive specialist Sela Alwood and middle hitter Riley Hauk join Cassidy as part of Parkview’s senior class. Aside from Cassidy, this year marks the first season for the other three seniors to be in the starting lineup.
Junior Aadyn Polk makes the transition from the team’s junior varsity setter to varsity, with junior defensive specialist Kennedy Otwell also handling some setting duties.
“She’s going to have to step in and really be able to run the court,” Leake said of Polk. “She’s still learning the process, learning what everyone’s capable of which is fun. I love to train setters. We’re training a few others with her.”
Freshman middle blocker/outside hitter Marin Price, who gained considerable experience as an eighth grader, will be counted on even more this season. She’s grown three to four inches over a year ago, Leake said, and should have an even greater presence at the net.
“That’s impressive to play varsity as a ninth grader at the level we’re playing at.” Leake said. “We knew we were asking a lot of her (in 2023), and we knew it was a learning year for her. This year we’re expecting a lot more from her and she knows that and she’s ready and willing to be that person.”
Thymes said the team’s hard work in the offseason has been noticeable in the ramp-up to the season.
“We had some hard workers on our team, especially with our seniors,” she said of the 2023 team. “They set the tone for us as well. We know we’re going to have to put in a lot of hard work to get back to that same point. They made us realize what our team could be.