NEW BETHLEHEM, Pa. (EYT/D9) — Alivia Huffman had something to prove.
(Above, Redbank Valley’s Alivia Huffman soars in the air to take a swing/submitted photo)
Sounds odd considering all the Redbank Valley senior has already accomplished on the volleyball court.
She was an all-state selection as a sophomore and also excelled at the net last season for the Bulldogs.
But this year, Huffman embarked on a new challenge.
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No longer only a threat at the net with her superior leaping ability and powerful swing, the 5-foot-8 Huffman has morphed into a standout no matter where she is on the floor.
“I’ve worked very hard, especially with my passing because I’m in the back row now,” Huffman said. “I haven’t been able to do that before, so that was definitely one of the major points I’ve been working on.”
Huffman is no stranger to defying traditional roles.
On the basketball court, she can play the point or in the post — and often did both during the same game last season in helping Redbank Valley to 22 wins and a District 9 Class 2A championship.
It also brought a Keystone Shortway Athletic Conference MVP her way after averaging 13 points and nearly 10 rebounds per game as a junior.
She’s applied that kind of unique skill to volleyball this fall.
Huffman was eager to branch out and tackle those new challenges.
“It’s exciting, but I was a little nervous,” Huffman said. “I wasn’t playing in the back row last year, and in the front row, you can’t pass. I wanted to show people that I can actually do more than just hit.”
Huffman has been doing just that this season.
Sure, she’s still driving the ball down to the floor with frequency — she had a 21-kill match against Cranberry last week and has been consistently in double figures in that department.
But she’s also shown a knack for passing with 10 or more digs in several times this season.
It’s made Redbank Valley, which wants to reclaim the District 9 Class 2A crown in 2022 after falling short against Keystone in the finals last year, an even more dangerous team.
It’s also helped the Bulldogs rebound from a rough start to this campaign.
“We had a little rough patch there at the beginning of the season — we started a little bumpy,” Huffman said. “But we have very strong people at each position and people who we can throw in who can do their jobs. So we think we can go pretty far.”
Huffman takes her game seriously — and it shows while she is playing.
She’s aggressive and focused all the time.
Not usually the traits of someone who can lighten the mood.
(Huffman was named the KSAC MVP in basketball)
But Redbank Valley coach Ashley Anderson said Huffman can break the tension with the best of them.
“Off the court, she keeps things lighthearted and upbeat,” Anderson said. “She is a great attribute to the team and I’m looking forward to continuing to watch her succeed.”
Huffman still works on her hitting a great deal.
She’s been able to fine tune her approach.
“We’ve been trying some new things,” Huffman said. “I’ve been trying to place the ball better and hitting around certain blocks.”
It helps that Redbank has a deep rotation at the net.
Huffman is by no means the only threat.
Izzy Bond and Taylor Ripple have also had big nights hitting for the Bulldogs.
Mylee Harmon has also been a solid setter.
“It’s nice to have three or four other hitters who are just as good and who can place the ball where it needs to be placed,” Huffman said. “Our opponents have to worry about all of us.”
Huffman said there is still more work to be done.
She’s still not happy with how she is performing at the service line.
“I have a half jump serve,” she said, chuckling. “There’s a little hop in my step, I guess. I guess it’s a hop serve. I want to be able to put some better spin on it and get it to drop more.”
Huffman has been receiving a lot of attention from colleges for both basketball and volleyball and she hasn’t ruled out participating in track and field at the next level. She’s also received her fair share of postseason accolades in sports.
That sometimes makes her uncomfortable.
“I’m a selfless player, so I don’t really like having all the attention on me,” Huffman said. “I try to distribute that to everyone else on the team, give them credit. It makes me feel good to as an individual be able to get recognition for it because that makes me work hard for everything, but I also like to be selfless and know that it wouldn’t be possible without the rest of the team.”
Redbank Valley, Keystone, and Union/A-C Valley sports coverage on Explore and D9Sports.com is brought to you by Heeter Lumber.
