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Cape Central VB Preview: A new era leads to new hope
New times at Cape Central.
A new head coach, Sommer McCauley-Perdue, the former two-time Southeast Missouri Female Player of the Year in 2003 and 2004 at Notre Dame High School (volleyball and basketball), is in to rejuvenate a program that has been in the middle of the pack in the SEMO conference for over a decade.
A fairly new lineup. The Tigers lost six seniors this offseason, including Avery Criblez, who led the team with 386 assists last season, but are fortunate to retain the heart of their production.
After pacing the team with 197 kills and 2.5 kills per set in 2023, Piper Underwood returns and will be one of the premier outside hitters in the conference. Ella Hukel led the team in five statistical categories last season, including digs (282) and serving aces (56), and is primed for a huge senior campaign. A pair of veterans in Nalaiya Furlow and Sydney Miller round out the crop of top returning talent for Cape Central and will continue to be integral parts of the lineup.
When asked about underclassmen who have an opportunity to make a lot of noise in 2024, Perdue said that Layla Burgfeld will be a name to know ahead of the season.
“She showed a lot of promise and hard work this summer,” Perdue said. “I pulled her up and she’s got some shoes to fill, but she's doing really well. That'll be the person to watch for next year.”
Even with the talent retention, rebuilding a program takes time and patience. Perdue said that the first order of business is to eliminate bad habits and the old culture.
“When people are used to doing things over and over again, they get used to that. I think that's been it for the most part of it. The kids have bought into what I'm trying to offer and what I'm trying to do for them.”
Perhaps the one area to be most excited about as a Cape Central fan is participation. The turnout of 33, which is very good for a program that’s lacked depth in years past, shows remarkable interest in volleyball at a program that finished with a .500 record in 2023.
“As far as our tryouts, it was the largest ever to come out this year,” Perdue said. “So we actually had to make cuts, but we still offer players to stay and do a developmental year or even be a manager because we can't just look for this year. We’ve got to look for the next year.”
With expectations not being as sky-high compared to neighboring programs, such as Jackson or Notre Dame, Perdue said the primary focus will revolve around getting better every day.
“Progression,” Perdue said. “If you are not seeing any progression, you're not doing anything. I believe that every day should be something that you're getting better at and working on. If you’re coming into the game and you didn't learn from the last game, that means we're doing the same thing. You need to learn from every experience.”
Cape Central
Head coach: Sommer McCauley-Perdue (1st season)
Assistant coaches: Robin Foote (JV coach), Miguel Valdez (freshman coach)
2023-24 results: 14-14-2
Key losses: Six seniors
Key returners: Piper Underwood (Sr.), Ella Hukel (Sr.), Nalaiya Furlow (Sr.), Sydney Miller (Jr.)
Top newcomer: Layla Burgfeld (So.)
Season opener: Hillsboro Invitational, Aug. 31
Match to watch: vs Jackson, Sept. 17