Sisters lead Ocean Springs through a dominant volleyball season. One has a lethal spike.
Peyton and Anna Hoffmayer aren’t your typical high school sisters.
Sure, they squabble with each other from time to time like any other siblings would, but they don’t take their frustrations out on each other. Instead, they look to the other side of the net.
The Hoffmayer sisters are the gears that have kept the Ocean Springs volleyball machine churning through yet another dominant season.
“Anytime you have ultra-competitive kids, overall it provides a better environment for the team,” coach Christina Daigle told the Sun Herald of the Hoffmayers.
The Greyhounds graduated a large and highly productive senior class from last year’s near-unstoppable 41-win team and needed new leaders to lean on in 2022.
In stepped Peyton and Anna, each providing their own form of leadership.
Peyton is a senior captain alongside Rhys St. Amant. She’s an on-and-off-the-court leader that lends her experience and tenure to the makeup of the team.
“Peyton has been on varsity since her sophomore year, so she’s just always been super competitive and contributing at the varsity level,” Daigle said. “That experience, we’re lacking a lot of it at different places on the floor. We really need that leadership and she’s obviously doing a great job.”
Anna, only a freshman, has quickly taken over as the team’s top scorer. Tall, aggressive and equipped with a lethal spike, she leads the team with over 230 kills.
“She’s probably, arguably our best player,” Peyton said about her younger sister. “Basically, every time she touches the ball it’s a kill. She’s our main factor.”
Anna is not only leading the team on offense, but she’s second on the roster in total blocks at the net, as well.
The sister bond the pair are tied to allows them to push each other and work alongside one another on the court with a chemistry equal to their competitive spirit.
“It’s definitely a really cool experience,” Anna said. “We can always help each other out, watch each other and help each other get better at whatever it is we’re doing.”
“They challenge each other every single day,” Daigle said. “They also help each other out. When one is struggling in one area, they kind of step in and help. It’s really cool to see how they come together and work together.”
The Greyhounds are 24-8 and marched through its region schedule without a blemish for the eighth consecutive season.
The success of this year’s version of Daigle’s team can be at least partially attributed to the play of the Hoffmayer’s rubbing off on the rest of the group.
“It brings a lot of good, healthy competitiveness to the team,” Daigle said. “It feeds into the competitive nature. Surprisingly enough, kids don’t really have that innate competitive nature as much as they used to. I find myself often trying to pull it out of them so it’s nice to have that representation on the court.
“They’re competitive with each other. They’re just naturally a competitive family so they bring that spirit to the floor and create that culture for the team.”
At one point this season, OSHS won nine straight games in straight sets, stringing together 23 consecutive sets won. The Greyhounds did not lose a single set in six district games.
The surge has been powered by players across the roster, such as St. Amant and her 200-plus kills and Carmela Coulter with her 150 total blocks and counting.
The Hoffmayer girls have also played a key role throughout the year, even working through some sisterly road blocks in order to mesh on the floor.
“You know when you want to get mad at your teammate, it’s like 20 times worse when its (Anna),” Peyton said. “Being able to control that is tough sometimes, but it’s still fun.”
“It’s definitely kind of hard sometimes, especially when you know what you’re doing wrong,” Anna said. “But you know that they’re trying to help you for the better.”
Ocean Springs is set to begin its quest for a state title on Tuesday when it will play the winner of Biloxi and Pearl.
