Ravenswood High School senior Macy Casto (18) and sophomore sister Anna Casto (17) are hoping to help lead the Red Devils to their first state volleyball tournament appearance since 2010. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

RAVENSWOOD — Things didn’t end the way Ravenswood High School sisters Macy and Anna Casto wanted them to during their respective sports season.

Most recently, the Red Devils came up short in the best-of-three Class A softball regional series against Buffalo. Last fall, the Red Devils were ousted by the Bison in the single-A co-regional final and were denied a trip to the state volleyball tournament.

“They are both very competitive,” admitted Red Devil head volleyball coach Chris Michael of his outside hitters — the senior Macy and the sophomore Anna. “Macy is as competitive as it gets. They have a healthy competitive relationship with each other. Macy is the first to get onto Anna when she isn’t getting the job done, but the first to have her back. They are both very receptive to coaching and have expanded their games significantly since entering the program.

“Macy is more stubborn than Anna, or at least she shows it more. Macy is more power and Anna has a little more grace in her game. They can both hit all three zones against the defense. They both pass well. Macy is a more advanced all-around offensive player, but she is years ahead of her sister.”

Macy, a two-time first team all-state honoree in both softball and volleyball, is looking forward to her final season as a Red Devil.

(Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

“I think we’re up for it,” Macy said of RHS moving up to compete in Class AA this season.

“The girls are good. A good new group. Everything seems fresh this year. A new start.”

Anna, who earned second team all-state in softball, finished with 530 serves in last year to put her second on the all-time list behind Amanda Claudio’s 544 in 2003.

“My favorite is softball, but it really just depends on what I’m doing better at for that day,” Anna said. “It’s really sad because me and Macy are like best friends. Like we don’t do anything without each other. We hardly ever fight, really. I mean we bicker every now and then, but it’s kind of us against everybody else.

“Honestly, I think we are going to be a little bit better because (setter) Annie (Starcher) is becoming more of a stud every single time she plays. Peyton’s (Mellinger) blocking game is completely different. It’s amazing how much she’s gotten better. Abby (Scritchfield) left a spot that’s going to be hard to fill, but Kinley (Butcher) is doing perfectly fine. She’s learning really fast.”

Macy, who is seeking a fourth straight nod on the All-Little Kanawha Conference first team, has been co-captain at Ravenswood for the past two years and will be joined by Starcher this fall.

“I feel like I’m a better softball player, but I feel like I get noticed a little bit more in volleyball,” admitted Macy, whose 503 downed spikes last year put her fourth on the all-time list. “I think we have a couple pieces of the puzzle we need to add. Every year (it’s) passing and just getting in the groove of things, but I feel when we get into the groove it’s going to be really hard to stop us. Annie, since she came in as a freshman, has done such a good job. Not really setting and then coming in and having to without a JV and having to pick up random things in practice and all these rotations. She’s done really well. She is part of my success. Every single one of them are.

“I’m not going to be good if they’re not good and I think they don’t get recognized enough. I’m excited. I’m really excited actually, but I’m sad at the same time. I mean it is my last time, but I also am excited to see how my sister is going to grow, two years without me because I think having good leaders when you’re younger really does influence how you are as an upperclassman. I had a really strong group of seniors when I was a freshman and I’m still friends with them. Like a good group that makes you feel welcome, but I also got my time to grow in my underclassmen, whereas she’ll be flip flopped, so I feel like she’ll be stronger than me.”

Anna, who joined her sister and Scritchfield last year to become the first trio in Ravenswood history to have at least 250 kills each in a season, 700 spikes in play as well as scoring at least 500 points apiece, admitted she liked softball “because I’m kind of doing my own thing.

“I can decide what happens at my position (shortstop), but in volleyball I need to make sure I’m doing the play right because one bad pass and you don’t even get the kill. Like you have to do your spot correct.”

Macy said she’s thought about competing in college, but isn’t quite sure yet.

“I’m just waiting to see how the rest of my seasons play out and if I’m up for it I’m up for it,” she said. “I like the season of volleyball better, but I think I prefer softball a little bit more as a sport.

“I don’t know. Maybe it’s because I’m always doing something, but I do love volleyball season. It’s the perfect time of the year. I hate the weather in softball season.”

Anna added “I don’t think a lot of teams can beat our ‘A’ game. We all get along really well and I feel like when we’re all vibing nobody can beat us.

“I honestly have my own personal goals, but I also want to make sure I’m doing my best for my team.”

The younger Casto admitted playing for Ravenswood “is a privilege. Not a lot of teams have the family we have. It’s just kind of built in. I really want to go far because she obviously deserves it.

“I really think that she should get LKC player of the year this year. I really like them (coaching staff). They can be serious at times, but they’ve kind of become a family to us.”

Coach Michael and assistant Jake Adkins understand the task at hand isn’t going to be easy with Oak Glen sitting in the other half of the region.

“This offseason I have noticed that Macy is becoming an on-court coach,” expressed Michael. “I can tell she has absorbed coaching over the years and has worked hard at learning her craft and the sport of volleyball. Macy likes to give me a hard time every time she gets a chance.

“I guess she is getting back at me for all the hard coaching her first couple years. Having them opposite of one another on the volleyball court always gives us a finisher in the front and a good defender on defense. They come to work every day. They don’t take drills off. They are usually the first in the gym.”

Macy is just trying to take everything in day by day and appreciate the opportunity at hand.

“It’s the best feeling ever. It really is,” Macy said of playing at Ravenswood. “I’ve never gone to a single like area and seen the community support that we have here. I think both sides of the county have it, really, and you can tell that by the ‘Net’ game.

“It’s definitely a big county and community for support, and my team, we really clicked together this year. I feel like just in our last tournament I noticed that since last year we all have grown closer instead of growing further apart.”

When asked about their playing style Anna admitted “we’re similar, but like our opposites, her powers are my weaknesses and my powers are her weaknesses. We just feed into each other very well.”

Ravenswood will be out to defend its title in the “Net” match as rival Ripley trails the all-time series 10-16.

Macy, who sits first and second on the single-season RHS spikes list, definitely is cherishing the time left with her sister.

“We usually don’t,” Macy replied when asked if they had very many sibling quarrels. “Since we’ve gotten older she’s my best friend, for sure. I definitely have her back and she definitely has mine, so having her on the court with me, it’s just like double trouble.

“You got two people that think the exact same way. She definitely understands what I’m thinking when I don’t even have to say it.”

Having a year on the court with her sister, Anna is anxious to see what they can accomplish with their teammates this year.

“I would probably tell myself to stop being so stressed,” Anna replied when asked what advice she would’ve given herself at this time last year knowing what she knows now. “Mistakes are going to happen. You’re OK. You’re just a freshman.”

Ravenswood’s last trip to the state tournament in volleyball came during the 2010 campaign when it reached the double-A semifinals with the help of Nicole Sadecky, whose 590 kills is still a single-season school record.

“I really do think I prefer having a good pass, a good set and then watching somebody else kill it,” Macy said. “It’s just more rewarding. It really is.”