By Kory CarpenterRecord Sports EditorFor second-year Wright City Head Coach James Baker, the 2015 volleyball season played out better than some may have imagined.After starting the season 5-0, the Wildcats hit a bump in the road, losing four of five matches in mid-September to drop to 6-4.Baker worked with his team and changed things up.Players switched positions, defensive coverages were tweaked and the Wildcats transitioned from a 5-2 offensive scheme to a 6-1.“I think they realized they could get more wins than they had last year,” Baker said Monday afternoon. “And that motivated them to play harder.”The Wildcats bounced back Sept. 17 with a straight-sets victory over Montgomery County, and the team won nine of its last 14 matches heading into the district tournament.“Amy Janowski, Sydnee Horneker, Sam Benson, Abbie Nitchman and Amber Schulte stepped up for us,” Baker said. “They stepped up for us and played really hard.”Wright City finished its regular season with a 16-9 mark after beating Montgomery County for the second time Oct. 15, and the teams faced off four nights later at Hermann in the district opener.“We beat them in two sets in our first match and three sets the second time we played them, but we just kind of fell apart in the end there,” Baker said of the straight-set postseason loss to Montgomery County. “We had a couple of girls that were off that night, and it just didn’t seem like they were playing like they normally do.”Montgomery County lost to Lutheran St. Charles in the following round.“I don’t know what it was,” Baker said. “But a couple of our players were off.”Citing personal reasons, Baker resigned his position as head coach after the season.“I enjoyed every minute of it,” he said. “There were some bumps in the road here and there, but overall it went very well for me. Next year they will have a solid team again.”Baker said he has a good idea of who will be hired to replace him, but did not wish to comment until the position is formally announced.Wright City is expected to bring back all but one of its players next season, and most of the roster will play on a club team during the offseason.“I see that as being a productive and positive thing for the team,” Baker said. “They will be used to how each other plays and they will already be in volleyball mode coming into the season.”

BENSON SETS — Wright City's Samantha Benson attempts to set up Crystal Kempernolte during Monday night's district volleyball match against Montgomery County at Hermann. Don Kruse photo.