SENIOR VOLLEYBALL SEASON OFF TO GOOD START FOR CHARLY JOHNSON:

GOOD HOPE: Now she is in her senior season playing volleyball for Good Hope High School, Charly Johnson has shown how important it is to her in playing well.  One week into the 2023 AHSAA schedule, Johnson has been one of several that have given their very best with the No. 8 team in Class 4A off to seven wins in eight assignments. By being seen by WKUL FM in every match she has played thus far, Johnson has earned the prep athlete spotlight. Good Hope opened the new season August 24 in a hard fought triumph two games to one against Curry at Good Hope Gymnasium.  Johnson accounted for four kills, five service points ad a block.  Seven points on serve, plus solid play near the net from Johnson, factored in for Good Hope to sweep East Lawrence in the evening time of the tri match. She scored the first five points in the 2nd set that allowed Good Hope to go on to victory 25 to 16 and a sweep of the visitors from Lawrence County. Two days later, Johnson and her Lady Raiders rolled out the welcome mat for the Good Hope Invitational.  A quality event being hosted by the squad, Good Hope passed the test of being challenged in winning Pool A with a 2 to 0 sweep of Montevallo and then defeating Sylvania and Decatur that went into a decisive 3rd set.  Coosa Christian got put away when the tournament segment begin in straight sets.  Onward would be two battles vs. teams also ranked in the Top 10 to start the new 4A poll released by the ASWA. Taking on 10th ranked Brooks in the semifinal, Johnson raised her level much higher with a few kills in the tiebreaking set as Good Hope won 15 to 9 to take the match two games to one. No. 3 ranked Madison County was next up with the battle of unbeatens to finish a long but enjoyable day of early season tournament volleyball.  Madison County ran off to a fast start in winning the first set 25 to 10, needing just 14 minutes to get the lead.  Johnson and the Lady Raiders set their sights on trying to send the match into a 3rd set. Good Hope was up late in Game 2 with a 22 to 20 score. However, the Lady Raiders could not keep the momentum and Madison County rallied for a 25 to 22 verdict and the tournament championship trophy went with them back into the Gurley area of Madison County.  The Lady Raiders had lost for the first time in match play this season.  But with Johnson making contributions throughout six assignments on August 26, the team is starting to gel with Good Hope wanting to continue success that Johnson was a part of in 2022 with 36 wins in 50 matches and a berth into the AHSAA North Regional in Huntsville  Good Hope gets to have a rematch with Madison County, playing the Lady Tigers in a tri match August 31 in Gurley. The other opponent will be DAR. Good Hope has shown it is ready for 4A opposition in beginning the new AHSAA season with three wins in four tries. The Lady Raiders made it be known, how tough they are when the match goes into a tiebreaking set, they were 4 & 0 during opening week. Good Hope will be out to threepeat in Cullman County volleyball when the tournament arrives in early October from Lane Horton Gym in Hanceville.