Defining exactly what position Homewood-Flossmoor sophomore LaDonna Trantham plays on the court is tricky.
H-F coach Bob St. Leger gave it a try.
“Her base is blocking in the middle, but we set her everywhere and she hits everything,” St. Leger said. “She plays defense and never comes out.
“On the roster, she’s listed as a middle, but I really just call her a volleyball player. She can do everything for us.”
And loves every minute of it.
“Being able to be versatile is definitely a perk on my part,” Trantham said. “It’s fun, honestly, to play all around the court.”
Trantham is the team leader with 184 kills for H-F (11-12). She also is second on the team with 148 digs and 40 blocks.
She had a double-double Sept. 29 against Andrew with 12 kills and 11 digs. The Vikings came out on top in a 25-27, 29-27, 29-27 thriller.
Trantham moved into H-F’s district from Lansing just before her freshman year. She made a quick impression, ascending from the JV to the varsity in short order.
“I didn’t know her at all in the summer,” St. Leger said. “She kind of fell upon us as a freshman. She started out on the JV just because we didn’t really know anything about her.
“She played more of a traditional middle last season where she was coming out of the back row. But she has made an incredible jump from freshman year to sophomore year.”
This summer, Trantham’s 1st Alliance 15U team finished fifth in the nation.
“I switched clubs, and it was a way more competitive level,” Trantham said. “At the start, I didn’t get a lot of playing time, but that only put a fire under me. I kept pushing.”
In less than two seasons, Trantham has pushed herself into being one of the best all-around players in the Southland.
“I want to make a statement,” Trantham said. “I want to make sure that after four years on the varsity, my name is very much known here.
“I’d like the kids coming up under me to want to make their experience like mine.”
Big stage: Sophomore Bella Bullington was an all-around leader for Marist over the weekend at the SkyHawk Invitational in Omaha, Nebraska.
Bullington, a 6-foot-1 outside hitter, had 51 kills, 12 blocks, 10 aces and 32 digs as the RedHawks went 3-1 and finished second. Bullington and Princeton recruit Kamryn Chaney earned all-tournament honors.
“Bella has such a drive to get better and better,” Marist coach Jordan Vidovic said. “She’s not just content being a taller hitter who can get a couple of kills.
“She’s a dynamic blocker for us, her back row game is rounding out, and she’s become an effective server.”
Chaney and Bullington have evolved from being a leader-and-support-player combo to a dynamic duo.
“Me and the setters, we trust each other,” Bullington said. “But ‘Kam’ has really helped me out, too. She’ll give me ideas like, ‘Hey, maybe try this shot.’ She has also been super encouraging to me.
“We really have grown close. We bounce ideas off each other and help each other out with suggestions. It’s been pretty cool playing with her for two seasons.”
Top seeds: The two sectionals that feed into the Class 4A Eisenhower Supersectional are loaded with Southland talent.
At Lyons, Mother McAuley and Marist are the top two seeds, while Lincoln-Way East is the top seed at Lockport. The host Porters are third behind Bolingbrook.
In Class 3A, Lemont was voted the top seed ahead of the host Angels at the Joliet Catholic Sectional. De La Salle and host St. Laurence are one-two in the opposite sectional.
In Class 2A, Chicago Christian begins its quest for a repeat trip to state as the top seed in the North Lawndale Charter Sectional.