After three straight regional trips, Phil Campbell volleyball eyes next step this season

The 2025 campaign was an interesting one for the Phil Campbell High School varsity volleyball team.

This is because despite PCHS winning just six games last season, the Lady Bobcats still achieved what some other programs have only wished for: a third-consecutive appearance in a regional tournament.

Going into 2026, Phil Campbell, under head coach Amy Moss, who took over the program at the tail end of last season, is aiming to maintain its consistently high standard and, hopefully, accomplish even bigger and better things.

This offseason, Moss and her team began their new journey with a couple points of priority. One was conditioning.

“We started late November, early December getting the girls on a weight training program, a jumping program, getting the girls doing agility drills, quick feet drills—stuff like that,” Moss told the Franklin Free Press. “It was a top priority because I felt like last year they’d get to a fifth set and then lose because of conditioning.”

Another priority for PCHS, Moss said, was focusing on “footwork and fundamentals.”

Additionally, the Lady Bobcats have used their summer period to discover other areas of their game that need improvement.

“Late June, early July we started hitting it hard with camp and practices and playdates,” Moss said. “Those playdates really helped us in terms of finding areas that we need to work on and get better in.

“The girls have been working really hard,” she added.

Phil Campbell lost three players to graduation last year, including Avery Cummings who was a top attacking threat; the Lady Bobcats are replacing that senior trio with another one: outside hitter Adeline Hunderman, libero Ragan Moss (an FFP All-Franklin County Honorable Mention as a junior), and middle blocker Lily Stewart.

“Those girls have been with the program since it started, since they were in the seventh grade, so this is their sixth year,” Moss said. “They know the standard that we have and have seen the success we’ve had in a relatively short period of time.

“We’ve been area champions once, area runner-up twice and made it to regionals three straight years in a row, so they’re looking to continue that success and hopefully go further.”

To go along with the three seniors in their three respective positions, the Lady Bobcats also have two returning setters, juniors Aspen Misner and Lexxi Santoni, who both saw a lot of playing time in 2025.

“They’re seasoned setters, and I’m expecting a lot out of them,” Moss said.

Moss added she’s excited about junior Layla Baker, who didn’t play volleyball last year, returning to the fold as an outside hitter, as well as the addition of freshman transfer Lily Tittle.

“She’s been an awesome add to our program, and she can play multiple positions,” Moss said of Tittle.

PCHS will also have Amberlee Mays, who has moved up from the junior varsity team. Moss believes she will be a key contributor, too.

“She’s a junior who was playing at a very high level last year on JV before she got hurt, so we’re glad to have her back this year,” Moss said.

Like many programs around the state, Phil Campbell was affected by the AHSAA’s reclassification and realignment decision, dropping from Class 3A to 2A. That change will put the Lady Bobcats in Class 2A Area 9 alongside Carbon Hill, Cold Springs and Winston County.

All three of those programs have had volleyball for longer than PCHS, but it is Carbon Hill and Winston County, especially, that have seen a lot of success in the last 15 years or so. In the last two seasons, Winston County has won over 70 games, earned back-to-back area titles and made consecutive 2A semifinal appearances.

To achieve their ultimate goals this fall—one being to win the program’s second ever area title—the Lady Bobcats will have to play well against these new area foes. Moss knows it will be a challenge but still believes her squad has the ability to reach new heights this season.

“I’ve talked to some coaches, but I still don’t know a whole lot about those (area) teams this year and what they’ve lost. I still expect them to be tough and it to be a tough area,” she said.

“We always have the goal of being county champs and area champs and we’re focused on that this year,” she added.

“I’m an old school coach, and I have high expectations, but I think if we do the simple things right and limit our self-inflicted errors then the sky is the limit for us.”

Phil Campbell’s 2026 season begins on Thursday, August 20 with home matches against Phillips and Shoals Christian.