In what marks the biggest roster church in recent program history, the Lady Indians have their work cut out for them. A TFS team that just won the State Championship two seasons ago returns two starters – Rebecca Heyl and Chesney Tanksley.
“We will have many shoes to fill; a couple are big shoes,” says coach Matt Heyl, who enters his seventh season with the program. “The big shoes are Addy McCoy, who scored points with her attack and her serve being the best TFS server ever, and Kataria Foskey, who scored points with her attack and block. Between those two, they scored a very high percentage of our points. We also lost five other seniors who provided very solid all-around play and were instrumental to our success last season and filled pretty much the rest of the starting positions. We also lost two rising juniors. Kate Gary, being one of those, was a key player heading up our defense as Libero last season. This program will be losing nine players altogether. The most we have lost in one single season since I have been here.”
Nevertheless, the expectations remain high for a Lady Indians team that has won back-to-back Area Championships and have tallied 30 wins or more in each of those seasons. The young squad will feature Becca Heyl and Tanksley, along with junior additions from Spain — Libero/OH Laura Rendon and S Margalida Sanchez. Incoming freshmen Lily Smith and Ca’Rin Swinton will dive right in, as well as sophomore Shelby Whisnant.
“This year will be the youngest makeup of players we have ever had for a varsity team,” adds Heyl. “This young trio (Smith, Swinton, Whisnant) will be an integral part of the varsity core. Leading this group will be returners Chesney and Becca. Chesney was the setter running one of the best offenses TFS has ever had last year. Becca statistically was our most versatile player, being in the top three in every major statistical category last season. She will need to carry a lot of the load, but we have some help coming in with Rendon and Sanchez.”
This also marks the first year for Tallulah Falls in GIAA after making the move from GHSA.
“Journeying into a new athletic association this coming season will be a learning experience to see what the competition is like,” states Heyl. “The goal is always excellence. With the commitment I’ve seen in our players this summer, we will continue to grow throughout the season, and who knows what they might be capable of by the season’s end. I look forward to seeing what they will achieve. A push toward the State Championship is always the ultimate goal. We still have two lone players, Tanksley and Heyl, who know what it takes to win at that level. I’m sure these ladies will lead us well!”
The Lady Indians open the can on the 2024 season on August 13 at Lumpkin County in a tri-match against the host team and Habersham Central. The home-opener is slated against Athens Christian and East Hall on August 19. Senior night is scheduled for September 26 versus Bethlehem Christian and Rabun Gap, with the Region Tournament two days later.
