The Heartland and Hampton girls celebrate a point during the Centennial summer league earlier this month. Both schools are ushering in a new era on the court this fall during the inaugural year of a co-op as the H&H Bearcats – photo by Christian Horn News-Times
York News-Times Reprint
Written by Christian Horn
HENDERSON — From a record standpoint, the 2024 season was not particularly kind to either Heartland or Hampton on the volleyball court.
The Huskies went 4-25 last fall and the Hawks finished 6-25, but part of the trouble for both schools was a lack of depth.
In an effort to remedy that problem, the two schools are joining forces this fall as the H & H Bearcats. The co-op will be in effect for every sport except football in 2025-26 before transitioning to an all-sports partnership next year.
“I think the girls have done an awesome job with this process. We have great attitudes and everyone is excited to play together,” head coach Kayla Gaughen said. “I think upperclassmen have shown a lot of kindness and willingness to get to know each other.”
Heartland was a veteran-laden group in their final season as the Huskies last fall, graduating six seniors. Hampton was likewise heavy on the upperclassmen, with four of their nine athletes on roster being seniors.
Had the Hawks remained solo, Gaughen estimates they would have about eight girls to work with this season.
By joining forces with Heartland — which currently has 21 athletes working with the team this summer — the overall number jumps up to almost 30.
It’s also not an exact number, as Gaughen said there are some girls who aren’t playing this summer, but should be in the fold by the time the season rolls around.
“I think our girls are doing a good job in the weight room and our skills sessions are continuing to get better,” she said. “I think their grit and toughness when they are challenged has really improved.”
Gaughen is familiar with the Hawks’ contingent, as she graduated from Hampton and has been the head coach of her alma mater for the past three seasons.
Because Gaughen is a familiar face, it has helped the transition go more smoothly than it might have been had the coaching staff been completely new.
Sophia Schulze, a senior at Hampton, gets her hands on the ball for a block during the Centennial summer league. The Hawks are joining forces with Heartland this fall and will co-op as the Bearcats – photo by Christian Horn News-Times
Also making things easier for the Heartland and Hampton girls is the fact that the Huskies’ head coach last season, Ashton Brown, is still on staff this fall as an assistant.
Still, there’s been a little bit of a learning curve as Gaughen and the Heartland kids get comfortable with one another; the inverse is true for Brown and the Hampton contingent.
“It has been so fun getting to know Heartland girls. They have been open and welcoming,” Gaughen said. “Our skills session in the morning has allowed me to have some one-on-one time to get to know them, and they have been very responsive to learning new things!”
The schedule will also look a little different this fall. Hampton played in the CRC, but the co-op will be part of the Southern Nebraska Conference, of which Heartland is a member.
While playing an SNC slate, Gaughen also said they expect to take on a few CRC schools as well, allowing for a good blend of the two conferences.
A lot of the focus this summer has been on big-picture items as the transition from the Hawks and Huskies to the Bearcats takes effect, but there have still been things to fine-tune on the court as well in preparation for the upcoming season.
In particular, Gaughen said the girls are placing an emphasis on their serving and their passing, working to shore up any deficiencies in both areas.
In addition to their camp schedule, the Bearcats are also getting extra reps in every Monday night in July when they travel to Utica for the Centennial summer league.
By the time the season rolls around in the fall, the Bearcats should have some strong veteran leaders to lean on.
Incoming senior Riley Quiring was Heartland’s top attacker a year ago, leading the Huskies with 107 kills. She also crushed 15 aces and collected 166 digs as a junior, the third-most on the team in both categories.
Classmates Laura and Grace Splinter, as well as Hallie Tessman, provide a strong senior core from the Heartland contingent. Laura Splinter was third for the Huskies in kills with 78 winners.
The Hampton crew includes a trio of seniors in Sophia Schulze, Ava Hurt, and Jaylah Gross, giving the Bearcats a strong class of seven experienced veterans to rely on this fall.
Kayla Gaughen has been Hampton’s coach for the past three seasons and will helm the inaugural season of the co-op between her alma mater and Heartland. Here, she gives instructions to her Bearcats team during the Centennial summer league – photo by Christian Horn News-Times
That’s a good thing for the co-op, because Gaughen noted there is a youth movement coming behind them with a nine-woman freshman class ready to hit the ground running.
“They are energetic and eager to get better. I love that they will be challenging our upperclassmen as a whole,” Gaughen said. “We are just really excited to take advantage of having more numbers and competing at a higher level!”
