KFHS leads volleyball conference honors
Published 10:06 pm Tuesday, November 18, 2014
King’s Fork High School led all schools in the conference with 12 volleyball players selected for all-conference honors, six boys and six girls, and the boys’ team swept both of the top individual honors.
Senior outside hitter Brandon Hall was named the Ironclad Conference boys’ volleyball Player of the Year, and first-year King’s Fork head coach Angelique Gatling was named conference Coach of the Year.
![King's Fork High School senior outside hitter Brandon Hall, No. 9, goes for a kill. His proficiency on offense was something opposing coaches came to respect greatly, leading to his selection as Ironclad Conference boys' volleyball Player of the Year. (Caroline LaMagna photo)](https://www.suffolknewsherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2014/11/DSC09713.jpg)
King’s Fork High School senior outside hitter Brandon Hall, No. 9, goes for a kill. His proficiency on offense was something opposing coaches came to respect greatly, leading to his selection as Ironclad Conference boys’ volleyball Player of the Year. (Caroline LaMagna photo)
Of Hall, Gatling said when it came to kills, “He was our leading guy.”
She said opponents will remember him because of his effectiveness on offense.
Gatling said he received honorable mention last year. Accounting for what made his jump up to Player of the Year possible, she said Hall has exercised some control in his play, as well as hard hitting.
The Bulldogs went 18-7 this year overall and 12-0 against conference opponents, finishing as both the top conference team in the regular season and the conference tournament champions.
Describing her reaction to being named conference Coach of the Year, Gatling said, “I’m very honored and very humbled about it. I wasn’t expecting it at all.”
Commenting on why opposing coaches selected her, she said, “They probably saw how we were more gelled as one,” and they saw her intensity on the sideline.
Gatling served as an assistant coach for King’s Fork previously before taking over as head coach for Joseph Burns this year.
She said when she learned that her team led all conference schools with three first team all-conference selections and with six total conference honors for players, she said she was very proud.
Making the first team in addition to Hall were seniors Cal Bailey and Cole Bailey.
King’s Fork players selected to the second team included senior Aireon Leary and junior Chris Roscoe. Junior DreQuan Wilson earned honorable mention.
Lakeland High School and Nansemond River High School each had four players honored, and each had one player on the all-conference first team.
Making the first team were Cavaliers senior Irvin Ashburn and Warriors senior Malcolm Nurse.
Lakeland players selected to the second team included seniors Wesley Arrington and Kenyon Strickland. Nansemond River players selected to the second team included senior Ben Leonard and junior Davontrez Wallace.
Cavaliers sophomore Kyle Stuart and Warriors senior Lam Be received honorable mention.
King’s Fork’s girls’ volleyball team led all conference schools with four first team selections including senior Tiffany Cox, juniors Jazlyn Dunn and Latonia Thomas and sophomore Cydney Nichols.
Lady Bulldogs senior Taylor Harrell made the second team, and sophomore Nia Nickerson received honorable mention.
Nansemond River’s girls’ volleyball team had two representatives on the first team in the form of juniors Camryn Holt and Maddie McGrath.
Lady Warriors players making the second team included senior Morgan Lowers and sophomore Madison Rhoads. Sophomore Kelly Lafferty received honorable mention.
Lakeland’s girls’ volleyball team had two conference honorees as junior D’Jannay Patterson made the first team and junior Madison Davis received honorable mention.