Knights volleyball puts five in college

By Randy Lefko randy@claytodayonline.com

OAKLEAF – Oakleaf High had one of the largest early signing classes last week with nine signees and it was volleyball that stole the show with five athletes putting signatures to paper for one of the largest signing classes for the sport.

“This is largest graduation class for volleyball athletes that are signing for college scholarships for Oakleaf,” said Oakleaf coach Jamie Reed. “Softball has been a big part of the signing athletes in the past here at Oakleaf and the sports has grown to also be one of the all year sports at the school. I try to give them the tools to get here.”
For Reed, who finished at 12-13 for the 2025 season with a hard fought (3-2) district semifinal loss to Tocoi Creek ending the season. “They did all the hard work.”
Joining Reed’s troops on the stage for the early signing day were football standouts Trace Burney and Jordin Price, softball’s Aubrie Jordan and track state medalist Rayna Lawson. Also signed but not present was soccer standout Cole Perez.
Reed’s five signees were April Townsend and Jiyanna Rivera; both to NCAA Div. II Middle Georgia State University; Morgan Ansley, NCAA Div. II Fort Valley State University (25-5 last year); Kelsey Joshua, NCAA Div. II Benedict College (SC) (18-10) and Gabrielle Humbles, NCAA Div. II St. Francis Marion University (SC) (21-10 last year).
“We have all six seniors; one more, that is working on a signing for February,” said Reed, who gave credit to her recruiting coordinator at JJVA (Jacksonville Junior Volleyball Association). “This is my biggest class in 10 years of coaching; five as head coach.”
Reed noted that Joshua got herself signed with little help.
“She did all the work to self recruit,” said Reed. “Kelsey would ask about emails, how to talk to coaches and got herself completely signed on her own.”
Stats wise, Humbles was top scorer with 222 kills and a team leading 49 service aces with Ansley second with 165. Rivera was top record setting assist player with 523 assists for the year and 1570 for her career. Joshua was top dig defender with 215 leading the team.
For football, with the Knights getting to the region quarterfinals and finished at 8-3, Burney was a game breaking wide receiver with 40 catches and six touchdowns and heading to James Madison University while Price was a lock down defensive back; 32 tackles, two interceptions and 10 pass defenses and wide receiver on offense with 18 catches with four touchdowns heading to University of Alabama-Birmingham.
For Burney, who spent his first three years at Fleming Island, the transition to the Oakleaf game was not a far stretch as he opened his senior season with six catches and two scores in game two win over Fleming Island, then eight catches in game three win over eventual three time Rural state champion Hawthorne.
James Madison (12-1) just won the Sun Belt title with a win over Troy, 31-14, to earn a spot in the spot in the College Football Playoffs. James Madison, ranked 12th is reported to be playing No. 5 Oregon on December 19.
Price was a mainstay on both sides of the ball with equal success as a wide receiver and as a defensive back with Price always matching up with opposing team’s best pass catcher.
On the UAB football website, Price’s description is as a three-star defensive back by 247Sports, 121 tackles in four seasons at Oakleaf, six interceptions with a picksix, with 1243 receiving yards and 15 pass touchdowns. UAB finished at 4-8 this year.
Lawson, a track ace for her entire four year career, exploded in her senior season with a third place thrilling finish in a near dead tie with an 11.96 split that had to go to the hundredths of a second to determine second and third. The gold medal was won in 11.75 in one of the closest finishes at the Clas 4A track and field championships.
In the 200 final, Lawson finished ninth at 24.59.
Lawson signed to continue her track at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. UNLV had nine NCAA region qualifiers and one NCAA championship athlete in the field events.
“UNLV has been with me for a long time,” said Lawson. “Head coach Carmelita Jennings, the Olympic champion (2012 London Games USA Gold 4 x 100 relay, silver in 100, bronze in
200) kept in touch through her senior season. They might put me in the 400, too.”
Oakleaf’s lone softball athlete, Jordan, headed to Florida State College-Jacksonville, had a handful of championship rings with her from club ball action in her career.
Perez, a lead scorer for the Knights soccer team, is headed to University of Akron. Akron lost in the NCAA tournament last year with a 3-2 game against Saint Louis The Zips are currently 13-5-1.