St. Mary's Chargers Dominate SSCAC Girls Volleyball Undefeated With 8-0 Mark

ALTON - The St. Mary’s Chargers eighth-grade girls’ volleyball team has won another championship in the Southern Springfield Catholic Athletic Conference (SSCAC), going 8-0 in regular conference play.

St. Mary’s has won its conference, the conference tournament, or both, in six of the last seven seasons, not including 2021 when there was no conference winner due to the pandemic.

“This team has been together since the fourth grade, and they continue to grow and improve. This year represents the work they have put in over these years,” Head St. Mary's coach Chris Marshall said. Chris has three daughters who have played at St. Mary’s.

As an assistant, he helped guide the Chargers to a conference championship and a tournament title in 2019, when his daughter, Hanna, played. In 2022, he assisted when his daughter Melanie was on the team that won the tournament. He is now the head coach of his daughter Charlie’s team. “It’s been great to coach my kids in volleyball. I will miss it when it’s over.”

The players on the team are: Ava Holt, outside hitter; Angie Phillips, outside hitter; Leena Walker, defensive specialist; Charlie Marshall, setter; GiGi Stendeback, defensive specialist; Abbi Widman, defensive specialist and setter; Ella Ahlquist-Durbin, outside hitter; Lyla Janek, defensive specialist and setter; Lauren Elliott, setter; Alena Manns, outside hitter; Eva Holt, defensive specialist and outside hitter; Joey Root, defensive specialist; Allie Novak, defensive specialist; and, Lucca Arrowsmith, defensive specialist and outside hitter.

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The 14-player team has shown substantial depth on the court. They will attend Alton High, Marquette, and Incarnate Word Academy, and many plan to play volleyball.

Assistant Coach Shannon Walker said, “At St. Mary’s, we operate on a volunteer system. Parents of players get involved in coaching the team. It has been a joy to be with this team of girls all these years. Their work ethic, love of the game, and support of each other have gotten the team this far.

"I have been blessed to be a part of this with my daughter Leena and see these girls grow on and off the court. I will definitely miss this next year.” Shannon played at Alton High during her high school years.

The team recently won first place in the Holy Family Athletics eighth-grade Lady Hawks Volleyball Tournament. Nine other teams competed in the annual volleyball classic.

“Central to the success of St. Mary’s volleyball has been the program-wide open gyms, which get all teams and coaches working together. The older players work with the younger ones, and the younger ones see what it looks like to play at a more advanced level,” said St. Mary’s volleyball assistant, Phil Hamilton.

“We also started the Summer Volleyball League. Players and coaches from local schools have participated in the league to keep players playing some volleyball during the summer while they cross-train in other sports.”

The Summer Volleyball League 2026 will start its tenth season in June of this year. “Last year we had 165 players registered, and about 20 coaches assisted.”

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