By Neill Kirkpatrick
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October 5, 2026
By Neill Kirkpatrick Special to the HSSR Moncks Corner – The St. John’s Christian Academy finished 14-9 last season earning a trip into the second round of AAA SCISA playoff but they also graduated five seniors so with just two returning players new head coach Trenton Eden knew this would a rebuilding year for the Cavaliers. “My goal as a coach coming into a new program is to always keep expectations at a minimum since it is hard to understand exactly what you will be inheriting. One of the things that I knew would be unavoidable to expect was the idea that a new culture was inevitably going to be created with the addition of three new coaches in myself, Dan Owens, and Dr. Madeline Pinson. We all knew early on that this would be a growth year, and a true test of how the girls would create a cohesive unit and come together, even when the odds were stacked against them,” said coach Eden. Coach continued, “I think one of the most difficult things for us this season is that we have many girls across different grade levels and it has made it a challenge to communicate and form our identity as a group. I have constantly reiterated the need for grace and communicating with a proper tone and it is something the girls are still working on.” Juniors Lily McKnight and Raleigh Jackson are the only two players that returned to the varsity lineup from last year. They were voted as the teams captains by their teammates. McKnight, an outside hitter, is a returning all-region performer. Last season she finished the year with 26-kills, 31-assists, 14-blocks, and 72-digs. “Lily has been a cornerstone of the team for culture and for performance. She carries herself with a stature of fearlessness and leadership. The other girls like to emulate her in execution and work ethic,” coach Eden said. Jackson is coming off a solid sophomore season where she 18- kills, 26- assists, 17-blocks, and 23-digs. She stepped up to take over the setters role and showed her leadership skills by mentoring the Cav’s younger setter Lily Brindel. She is also an outside hitter. “ Raleigh embodies passion, and grit,” coach Eden said. The rest of the starting lineup consist of middle hitter Allie Sherrill, right side hitter Kyndree Dinkens and libero Nola Hill Sherrill is the team’s most improved player. She has given the Cav’s a presence at the net has been a huge asset. “Allie is eager to learn the game, constantly asking how she can improve, and her attitude has created a position where she is emerging as a natural leader,” says coach Eden. Coach said of his team, “The biggest thing that we need to work on is playing together as a team: understanding that we are not individuals on the court and when we are at our best, we are cohesive and not divisive. I think one of the most difficult things for us this season is that we have many girls across different grade levels and it has made it a challenge to communicate and form our identity as a group. The girls' have every capability and the right toolset to win. They have been prepared and they put in a lot of hard work every week.”
