J. EDMUND BARNES

PHOTO: Atina Porter and DHS Coach Calvin Ike look forward to a successful volleyball season. (Staff Photo by J. Edmund Barnes) DESTREHAN – Destrehan High School head volleyball coach Calvin Ike is pleased with his team. In a year that has seen nearly every River Parish high school volleyball program describe itself as “rebuilding,” Ike can point to a group of dedicated seniors and juniors with plenty of prep experience and know his team is ready for the season to begin. Recently the team showed just how ready it was by sweeping Higgins High School in two games, shutting out the Hurricanes in the first game and holding them to six points in the second. The Fighting Wildcats moved into a new volleyball district this year. The Wildcats are now in a six-team district, whereas last year they were in a three-team district. This means playing new teams like East Jefferson High School and Bonnabel High School, but it also means the end of a heated district rivalry. With the move, Hahnville High School is no longer a district opponent. “We came in second (to Hahnville) last year. This year we’re in a bigger district,” Ike said. “It should make for an exciting team this year.” The coach can count on three players to be the dominating force this year: Atina Porter, Jessica Johnson and Rachel Rodriguez. Porter and Johnson are veterans, but Rodriguez is new to the area. Rodriguez moved to Destrehan from Oklahoma over the summer and recently became eligible. With this newcomer on the team, Ike said he now has the key player missing from the team last year – a setter. In Johnson, Ike has a player who an excellent outside hitter. Last year Johnson spent most of her time setting, but with Rodriguez in place Johnson can go back to doing what she does best, being an outside hitter. In Porter the Wildcats have an amazing talent who gives the team the ability to be dominant at the net as well as serve and play in the back court. The addition of Rodriguez has made Porter even more of a factor on the offense. Porter, who has a 25-30 inch vertical leap, according to the coach, will likely be utilized to kill as many balls as Rodriguez can set. “(AAU volleyball) taught me a lot of forms and stuff,” said Porter. “We’re coming out strong this year. We’re holding back nothing.” Ike said the biggest challenges the team faces this year are staying positive and keeping focused. “The girls are hustling, but I want them to hustle more. (We have to keep) making sure the girls stick together and believe in each other,” Ike said. “Right now they’re playing well because of last year.” The coach said he has to make sure each and every day the players come to practice to get better. “To practice is to get better,” Ike said. Even with the redistricting the Wildcats will face the Hahnville Tigers once in the regular prep season. While it will not carry the importance that a district game might, Ike and the players are looking forward to meeting the team’s arch rivals. “We’re still looking forward to playing them,” Ike said. Ike still has memories of losing the district title to the Tigers last year. “We’d like to show them what we can do,” he said.