HEALTHY WILLIS A BOOST FOR NORTHSIDE LADY BEARS

An encouraging sign for Northside volleyball coach Matt Waack going into the upcoming season has been the return of his senior middle hitter, Nakiah Willis. Willis missed the latter part of her junior season with an injury to her right knee. That included having to sit out the Lady Bears’ 7A State Tournament opening round match, when Northside was defeated by Rogers. However, she is back to her old form, especially on Tuesday when the Lady Bears took part in a team camp held at Southside. “The last match we played (against Van Buren), she had three or four hits to the left,” Waack said. “Nothing hard, just putting it right where the defense isn’t, so that way they can’t get it and I love having that with her out there.” Willis, who recorded 128 kills and blocked 27 shots prior to the injury, said it was frustrating not getting to help out the Lady Bears down the stretch a season ago. It was even more difficult for her not getting to play in the state tournament. “It was really hard, because I had such high expectations for my team going into (the postseason), but me not being able to play (was tough). ... Years before, we hadn’t been to the state tournament at all, and having a chance to get to go again, not a lot of teams get to do that so it was very sad sitting on the bench, but I was rooting for them 100 percent,” Willis said. But over the course of the off-season, Willis made the necessary steps in order to have a healthy return to the court. She said she is 90 percent, but added she feels no after-effects of the injury whether she elevates at the net or goes after a ball. “Recovering wasn’t that long and when I felt like when I got back out there, I really got back out there, I didn’t feel like my knee was holding me back at all,” Willis said. “So I just played like I knew (how to play) and what coach Waack taught me. “It doesn’t hurt at all when I play, it’s times when the weather changes, so it kind of gets a little bit stiff and hard to move, so I just go ice it and take some ibuprofen and I’m good to go.” However, because of the injury, Willis said she has had to pull back at times. “I’m a little more cautious when I hit, but I think it helps in the end and I think more about what I want to do,” Willis said. “At first, I felt like I wasn’t thinking and I just go; now I just think about what I need to do and I do it.” Waack, though, is just thrilled to have Willis back in the fold, as she will be a focal point for the Lady Bears this season, including another returning middle hitter Nicole Medlin, a junior. ?(Willis’) demeanor out there on the court is irreplaceable,” Waack said. “She knows where she’s supposed to be, she plays real steady. ... You can tell she’s played for me for several years, so her emotions don’t get involved really. “She is really good at seeing what the defenses give her and just putting the ball where they’re not. ... (Nicole is) super explosive, and the more we get in rhythm with her, she’ll just be hard to stop because she can really hammer the ball when she needs to and adding a little bit of finesse to her game is really going to move her up to the next level I think.” Waack went on to note he was pleased with the Lady Bears’ performance on Tuesday, as he had felt they were not playing up to their potential the previous couple of weeks. “We’re still getting used to our roles that a lot of players had to take on and I don’t know if we’ve necessarily settled on a lineup yet, I’ve got a lot of (defensive specialists) that can come in and contribute as needed. ... (K’zaria) Fisher, Taylor Pate, Maddy (Worden), they’re all just doing a really good job; I can kind of put any one of them in at any time,” Waack said. “Our middles (Willis and Medlin) are really strong, and I’m really happy with them. “Our serve-receive has been better this year than I’ve felt like it’s been ever, so that’s really nice because when we can be in system, that helps a lot.” The Lady Bears will hold their annual Red-White intrasquad scrimmage on Aug. 14 and will also be at home on Aug. 16 for a benefit match against Southside. Northside then plays several consecutive matches on the road, including the first two in the newly formed 6A-Central conference.

HEALTHY WILLIS A BOOST FOR NORTHSIDE LADY BEARS

BUCK RINGGOLD

Times Record | 8/2/2018

PHOTO CREDIT: Brian D. Sanderford