The Brewer High School volleyball team opens their season Aug. 28 against Decatur at home. | Special to the Enquirer

Brewer High School volleyball is looking to take state this year after they finished runner-up in the 5A state tournament last season.

The Patriots have moved up to Class 6A this year after the reclassification, but Head Coach Ron Smith said that shouldn’t present too much of a problem.

“The new 6A classification shouldn’t affect us too much,” Smith said. “We were already facing most of the competition we will be seeing. We had already been playing Florence, Austin, Athens, Albertville and Decatur, and most of our other competition has stayed the same and moved up with us. We aren’t too worried about it changing our success drastically.”

Brewer’s roster is losing six seniors, only returning one starter. This year’s team has four seniors, Lexus Brindley, Haley Cox, Erin Lenox and Kaity Jett. Both Jett and Brindley saw a lot of playing time last year. Smith said this year’s team would definitely have less varsity experience than last year.

“Since we lost so many starters, we will be very inexperienced,” Smith said. “Most of the girls returning have had little varsity playing time, but they are good players and I’m sure they will be able to make the adjustment.”

Juniors Morgan Stinson and Lindsey Martin and sophomore Hannah Collins are expected to see plenty of time on the court.

“We are looking at good things from our juniors this year,” Smtih said. “Both of them have been doing well. Hannah Collins will also see a lot of playing time as libero for us.”

Smith said they feel like they will be ready to return to the state tournament in October.

“I’m sure we will have some adjusting to do during the regular season, but I feel we will settled once the area tournaments roll around,” Smith said. “We want the same opportunity we had last year to take home the state title.”