It’s that time of year again. School’s very much back in swing and so, too, are fall sports. Volleyball is one of North Atlanta’s strongest fall sports and the team is facing what could be its toughest season yet, given a change to a new highly competitive region.

Team members have been training and working since the summer to get ready for this year’s campaign. The team endured heavy conditioning along with dramatically early wake-up calls for practices that started at 5 a.m.

The team has seen changes since last year. “We lost two major seniors but fortunately we have a really big team so some younger players will have the opportunity to step up and make a great impact,” said junior defensive captain Adenike Makinde.

Stepping up is what this team will have to do in order to make a run at playoffs this season. The team of 15 players will face some of the best competition in the state now that North Atlanta has moved up to the 6A region. Schools like Harrison, the reigning state champs, and Alpharetta are some of the teams the varsity Warriors will face this season.

During the first three games of the season, players Emma Muckenfuss and Arielle Lestandie made major contributions. Early in the season the Warriors bested teams like Maynard Jackson, Creekside, Sprayberry, Galloway and Fayette County. These early-season victories buoyed team spirits and confidence. No matter how tough the region competition, the Warriors plan on spiking their way to success.