By Jeremy McDonald

jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com

TURNER, Ore.–  Some people like the offensive side of the ball, and then you get people like Cascade’s Jadyn Daviscourt who likes the defensive side of things.  

Having played Libero for the Cougars, right-back with her Club Volleyball team, the incoming junior has embraced the grit and the lifestyle that comes with playing defense.  All in the while playing like the ‘Quarterback’ on the court as Cascade held Open Gyms Tuesday afternoon.  Two months out from their season-opener against St. Helen’s on August 30.

Putting in the work through the off-season with Club, private lessons, doing beach volleyball even to work on her passing.  All to improve going into this next season with the hopes for another deep run as they did this past Fall when the Cougs won their first-ever 4A State Title.

“I absolutely love it.  I love defense.  I love digging up balls and especially serve-receives, serve-receive is definitely my specialty.  I think the position is of such a big importance on the team because it’s basically the quarterback of the entire court,” Daviscourt said.  “You’re calling out,you’re telling your setters what they need to run, you’re telling your hitters where they need to hit.  You’re telling there’s blockers up.

“You’re just commanding the whole entire backcourt and I just think it’s important and I’m really excited for next year to see if we can hopefully get back to State.  If we can pull it off and work our butts off pretty much….I think this next year is going to be really good for me because I’ve been working so hard on my passing to make it as good as it can be.”

Daviscourt, Meah Carley, Lucreatia Benolken and Annabelle Peterson all are returning from that State Championship team and are expecting to lead a young Cascade squad this Fall after the Cougars graduated eight from that State Title winning squad.  Stepping into a role of leader now with Summer League right around the corner that’ll lead into Fall camp in August.

The excitement is there of course of bringing the younger girls up to speed and teaching them how and what it took to get to the Title Game and winning it as they adjust to the big target on their backs this Fall.

“It’ll be really exciting because we’re going to bring in so many new girls, we have to fill-up our team again. I think it’s going to be good.  We’ve been in that position before and we know that it’s really hard to get there because no one thought we were going to win (last year).  We were just very excited to play…and so I think we were all very excited and we’re excited for this next season to bring on these young girls to try to win again,” Daviscourt said.

Building that trust, communicating through the ups-and-downs of the season will be crucial to bring up the younger girls to speed will be crucial points Daviscourt with Cascade opening up Summer League July 5 at the Salem Academy Elementary School Gym.

Photos By Jeremy McDonald