Iron Horse girls volleyball motivated to return to state championship

The Philip Simmons High School girls’ volleyball team set a school record with 38 victories last fall while winning the Region 8-AAA championship with a perfect 8-0 mark.

 

Still, coach Jay Watterworth might have sounded a bit like Mick Jagger when it came to the satisfaction quota. The Iron Horses’ goal every year is to win the state championship, and 2022 was no exception. 

 

The Iron Horses reached the Class AAA title game, but were no match against a Wren squad that bowled over the Iron Horses, 3-0. The score wasn’t close as Wren posted a 25-12, 25-11, 25-12 decision at Dreher High School.

 

“We’re motivated to start the season,” said Watterworth, who has been coach since 2017 when the school first fielded a varsity team. 

 

“We have something to prove after last year. We’ve toughened up the schedule, playing tougher teams and playing in elite tournaments. We were overmatched in the state championship last fall, and it was a case of learning – and moving on.”

 

The elusive state title is about the only thing out of the Iron Horses’ grasp. The team has a 131-45-4 record since its inception, with 22 of the losses coming in the program’s first two years. The team has been elite since the 2020 season, compiling an 83-11-3 record.

 

The Iron Horses went 15-2 in 2020 and lost in the third round of the Class AA playoffs. In 2021, the team was 24-7 and lost in the third round to North Central. Last year, the Iron Horses played for all the marbles in Class AAA, but their bid for a first state championship eluded them again.

 

Nine players return from last year’s team, including five seniors. Eight freshmen could contend for spots on the varsity roster. The team held tryouts July 28.

 

Watterworth said he gets excited at the start of every season, and this year is no exception.

 

“We will work together for the one goal,” Watterworth said. “Most of our seniors have that game experience. Couple that with some new faces, and we’re very excited about this season.”

 

The team took part in the Georgia Southern team camp to conclude its summer workouts. Now, it’s time to combine the talent and chemistry into a team.

 

Librero (defensive specialist) Peyton Tribolet is seeking to repeat as an all-state selection after a solid season last fall in which she led the state in digs, regardless of classification. She is only 73 digs shy of 1,000 for her career. She recently committed to play for Coker University.

 

Junior Jaiden Rohs has the potential to be all state as a middle hitter after earning all-region accolades as a sophomore last fall. Bridgit Fei is one of the more talented outside hitters in the Lowcountry. Watterworth describes Fei as a “steady player who doesn’t get nervous.”

 

Catherine Futch heads up the talented freshman class. She was the only eighth-grader on the roster last fall and saw extensive playing time in the state championship against Wren.