Scouting Fox Valley girls volleyball
Bartlett Hawks
Coach: Brandon Mueller
Conference: Upstate Eight (Valley)
Last year: 23-13
Top players: seniors Tori Burke (S), Sam Dybas (DS/L), Amy Hurban (OH/DS/RS), Brittany Idler (DS/OH), Jennifer Krick (MH), Lexi Mason (OH), Sabrina Santucci (OH); juniors Elizabeth Arco (MH), Katie Hrbacek (OH/L)
Outlook: The Hawks return Burke, their setter, from a team that finished third in the Valley Division of the UEC and lost to Schaumburg in the first round of the state tournament. Krick and Arco both stand 5-foot-11 and present a solid block in the middle. Mason saw some playing time last season on the outside and Santucci gained experience on the junior varsity level last year. Dybas and Hurban are competing for playing time at libero. Overall, the team lacks varsity experience. “I know Jen (Krick) will be pretty good and Lexi has really played well for us so far, but a lot of these girls are inexperienced at the varsity level,” Hawks coach Brandon Mueller said. “We have a lot of seniors, but not many of them played on the varsity last year so we’ll just have to outwork teams, especially on the defensive end. If we do that, we’ll be all right.”
Burlington Central Rockets
Coach: Marv Leavitt (22nd season overall, seventh at Central)
Conference: Big Northern (East)
Last year: 12-22
Top players: seniors Sam Bohne (L), Hayley Brake (MH), Kaitlyn O’Reilly (S), Stephanie Sipinski (DS) Brenda Thasavong (MH), Sydney Sand (OH); juniors Lexie Bouza (OH), Courtney Cox (S); sophomores Allie O’Reilly (DS/S); freshman Lauren Wiltsie (OH)
Outlook: The Rockets suffered an unfortunate setback when fourth-year setter Kaitlyn O’Reilly (Southern Illinois-Edwardsville) broke her patella during warm-ups for the season opener last Wednesday. An all-area and all-BNC East selection, she registered 420 assists, 119 digs, 84 kills and 48 aces as a junior. The bad news is she’ll miss 4-6 weeks of the regular season. The good news is she is expected to be back in time for the playoffs. Cox, a junior, stepped in and set the Rockets to a victory over St. Edward in the opener. She and O’Reilly’s freshman sister, Allie, will likely see time at setter until Kaitlyn returns in October. “Allie is a starting defensive specialist, but she’ll also train at setter for now,” said Rockets coach Marv Leavitt. “We’re a work in progress now. We’ll have to see what makes our team better.”
The defense is a strength, led by Bohne, a four-year varsity player. She was a member of the Sky-High 17-U Black team that won the AAU national championship this summer for the second straight year. She’ll team with Allie O’Reilly and Sipinski, the latter also a four-year varsity member. Thasavong is the team’s tallest player. She made 161 blocks last year. Middle Brake is the only returning hitter who posted a plus-. 300 hitting percentage in 2010. Sand (5-7) had 15 kills in Central’s first two matches. Overall improvement is the team goal after Leavitt endured the first losing season of his career in 2010. “I think that’s something that is really motivating our team this year,” Leavitt said. “They take a lot of pride in our program and last year we struggled against a tough schedule. We couldn’t come through against the top teams. Losing Kaitlyn was a big loss. I’m not going to deny it. But we have a very experienced group coming back.”
Cary-Grove Trojans
Coach: Patty Langanis (17th season)
Conference: Fox Valley (Valley)
Last year: 41-1, Class 4A state runner-up
Top players: seniors Suzy Dorsey (MB), Melanie Jereb (OH), Korey Kronforst (DS), Ashley Rosch (OH), Nicole Schuh (DS), Sheila Wilhelmi (MB); juniors Jess Bartczyszyn (S), Mallory Wilczynski (MB)
Outlook: The Trojans finished second in the state last year and fifth in the national rankings, according to prepvolleyball.com. Cary-Grove enters the post-Kelly Lamberti (Ohio), post-Colleen Smith (Indiana) era, but the program is hardly bereft of talent. Returning are a pair of all-area talents in Jereb (Creighton) and Rosch (Illinois State). Last year Jereb (6-1) finished with 121 kills and 40 aces and Rosch (6-1) notched 100 blocks in the middle. Jereb assumes the role of Cary-Grove’s featured hitter. “She’s stronger and more confident than ever,” Langanis said. “I’m excited to see what she’ll bring to the table. Lamberti sort of stole the spotlight last year. Now we’ll be relying on Mel.”
Rosch will move to the outside this season, which works on two fronts: it fills a team need and it will prepare her for the position she is projected to play in college. Wilczynski (6-2) takes over in the middle. She saw significant playing time as a sophomore. She’ll be joined at the net by Dorsey (6-0), who could also play right side, and Wilhelmi (6-1). Bartczyszyn (5-9) is the heir apparent at setter. A two-year varsity member, the junior worked in the off-season with assistant coach Ray Rugebregt and has shown improvement “by leaps and bounds,” according to Langanis. Kronforst, a starting DS last year, is competing for the libero position with Schuh. Of the 16 girls on the roster, 10 return from the team that went undefeated before losing to Lyons Township in a match that would have made them two-time state champions and national champions. Losing that match thickened their skin. “I think you’ll see a mental toughness from those players after what they went through,” Langanis said. “They lost their fear of losing. We lost the biggest match any high school team can lose — a match for a national title.
“If you talk to them about it, you can still bring them to tears. But they’ve survived and they’re dealing with it. They’re practicing like they want to be one of the best teams in the state again. This team learned a lot and I think it will carry over into matches. They’re eager.”
Crystal Lake South Gators
Coach: Jorie Fontana (fourth season)
Conference: Fox Valley (Valley)
Last year: 18-16
Top players: seniors Emily Oraham (S), Nikki Papadas (OH), Taylor Schwerzer (OH/DS); junior Katie Meyers (DS)
Outlook: Coach Jorie Fontana tore up the blueprint this season. Traditionally a program that starts seniors, every job at CL South was opened up for competition this fall and many underclassmen have earned playing time. “I told the girls nothing is set in stone,” Fontana said. “Each position is a battle to get on the floor. Papadas played well in a win over Bartlett and brings senior leadership to the team. Oraham has seen time at setter and will continue to do so, though she is being pushed by younger players. Schwerzler saw time as a junior; her versatility makes her valuable, according to Fontana. Meyers started at libero last season and has played the position in the Gators’ first two matches. The roster lists only four seniors. “We’re in the midst of rebuilding but also fitting in some younger blood to what has been a much older team for a long time,” Fontana said. “This year we’ll have some freshmen and sophomores, which is a new look from what we’ve seen in the past. It’s good, young talent. I think we’ll see some good performances.” Dundee-Crown Chargers
Coach: Tracy Williams
Conference: Fox Valley (Valley)
Last year: 8-35, Class 4A regional champion
Top players: seniors Carlin Faulkner (L/DS), Rebekah Hischke (OH), Cassie Sommers (L/DS), Alexa Shemanske (OH); juniors Cori Eischen (S), Samantha Pagano (MH), Sarah Poore (MH).
Outlook: The Chargers start ahead of the game with Hischke, Shemanske, Faulkner and Sommers all returning from a team that won a regional championship a year ago. #147;Winning the regional was a nice way to end the season, that#146;s for sure,#148; coach Tracy Williams said. #147;I think it carried over to this year and energized the girls. It#146;s a nice group of seniors, and the juniors have played together for a long time.#148; Shemanske (5-10) and Hischke (5-10) were both middles last year, but both make the transition to the outside this fall. Poore and Pagano take over in the middle. Sommers played excellent defense in the postseason last year, according to her coach. They#146;ll have a different setter in Eischen #147;It#146;s always a struggle in our conference,#148; said Williams, whose team went 0-10 last year in the FVC Valley. #147;I#146;m going to be happy if we#146;re competitive. I want teams to respect us once they#146;ve played us. I think we can be a good defensive team. We#146;ve been working on that.#148;
Elgin Maroons
Coach: Scott Stewart (first season)
Conference: Upstate Eight (River)
Last year: 3-33
Top players: seniors Stephanie Coil (RS), Bree Hamilton (MB), Elyssa Helker (OH), Maja Redburg (RS), Rachel Roth (L), Melanie Saunders (MB); juniors Jackie Shioli (OH), Monica Stockman (MB)
Outlook: Scott Stewart, 29, succeeds Dr. Nick Bumbales as head coach of the Elgin girls volleyball team after spending five years as a coach within the program. He is also the head coach of the Elgin boys volleyball team. He learned his volleyball across town; Stewart was the setter for Larkin#146;s inaugural varsity boys volleyball team in 1998. His first team has a decent amount of experience. Roth and Hamilton are each entering their third year on the varsity and Stockman started last year in the middle. Helker returned from an injury last fall and started half the season. They are joined by Shioli, a powerful spikier. Redburg and Coil will split time on the right side while Saunders will see time in the middle. Of the 12 players on the roster, nine have played club volleyball. #147;That definitely helps,#148; Stewart said.
#147;From top to bottom we can play. I definitely think we#146;ll be better than their record last year. Volleyball is a mental sport. If we can keep our heads in the game, I think we can take more than just one, two or three steps forward. #147;
Elgin Academy Hilltoppers
Coach: Rich Witkowski (first year)
Conference: Independent School League
Top players: seniors Angie Martinez (S), Ariana Moore (DS); junior Ellie Johnson (OH) Brigitte Keslinke (OH); sophomore Claire Flugel (OH); freshmen Maggie Veltri (S), Kaitlyn Pearson (RS), Alysson Wittmeyer (MH)
Outlook: Witkowski comes out of retirement to coach the Hilltoppers. He brings 18 years of experience to the program, including stints on the lower levels at St. Edward and South Elgin and as a club coach at Sky-High. His first team at Elgin Academy will be led by returning setter Martinez and returning hitter Johnson. Wittmeyer (6-1) has never played volleyball before but has picked up the game quickly and shows promise, according to her coach. #147;I#146;m optimistic,#148; Witkowski said. #147;I think we can be above. 500. I hope to go deeper in the playoffs, and I#146;d like to win a tournament. That would be a successful season for us. I#146;ve been pleasantly surprised. These girls have more skill than I expected.#148;
Hampshire Whip-Purs
Coach: Karen Whitehouse (sixth year)
Conference: Fox Valley (Fox)
Last year: 19-15, 7-3 BNC East
Top players: seniors Michelle Dumoulin (OH/MH), Jordan Foss (L/DS), Kelly Meathe (L), Dana Seger (MB), Dakota Walther (RS/S); juniors Jenny Dumoulin (OH/RS), Arianna Rominski (RS/MB); sophomore Juilana Gass (L/DS); freshmen Erin Foss (OH/RS), Brittany Laffin (RS/S)
Outlook: A new season brings a new challenge for Hampshire, which begins its first year of play in the Fox Division of the Fox Valley Conference. It#146;s a division that has been owned by Crystal Lake Central. The Tigers have won the last five division titles. #147;I#146;ve told the girls that the pressure isn#146;t on us; it#146;s on every Fox Valley team we play,#148; Hampshire coach Karen Whitehouse said. #147;We#146;re new. Nobody expects anything from the new team from the small conference. We have nothing to lose, so I want to see them play the game aggressively. Whatever happens we#146;ll learn from it and keep improving.#148;
A benefit of joining the FVC? The program#146;s junior varsity team will now be able to play a full schedule, which it was unable to do in the Big Northern. The team#146;s strength could be the back-row defense of Jordan Foss, Meathe and Gass. The roster includes four freshmen club players. #147;We#146;re young so we#146;ll have to work through young mistakes,#148; Whitehouse said. #147;The big thing is we need to keep improving. We#146;ve been getting better every day and that is exciting to see.#148;
Harvest Christian Academy Lions
Coach: Kim Floyd (first season)
Conference: independent
Top players: seniors Kali Cramer (S/RS), Hannah Depledge (OH); juniors Katelyn Floyd (S/RH), Sarah Kott (MB), Erica Manusos (OH/DS); sophomores Sydney Doby (MB), Carol Kauffman (OH/DS); freshmen Lincoln Elliot (DS), Jade Manusos (L), Shayna Manusos (OH/DS)
Outlook: The Lions will join the Northeast Athletic Conference next season but will play an independent schedule in their first year as an IHSA member. Kim Floyd coached for 16 seasons at Schaumburg Christian, a non-IHSA affiliated school. Harvest Christian will compete in 15 matches and three tournaments designed to challenge a roster filled with club-trained volleyball players. A key will be Cramer, a setter with great hands who can set in a 6-2 offense or play right side. She has a solid jump serve. Katelyn Floyd is the other setter. Jade Manusos is a defensive specialist who can cover a big area. Eight of the 10 players on the roster play club volleyball for either Fusion or Top Flight. #147;I think we#146;re going to be a viable team,#148; coach Kim Floyd said. #147;We#146;re optimistic. We really have a lot of good players. The girls are very determined and they work hard. We#146;re hoping to make it through several levels of postseason play.#148; The Lions will compete in regular-season tournaments at Timothy Christian, Westminster Christian and Bradley-Bourbonnais.
Huntley Red Raiders
Coach: Michelle Jakubowski (sixth season)
Conference: Fox Valley (Valley)
Last year: 32-5
Top players: seniors Sam Boesch (OH), Amy Dion (L), Jaina Jackson (MB), Emily McGran (OH), Eli Manning (S), Taylor Nepermann (OH), Ashley Smith (OH), juniors Corey Levra (DS), Hailey Vitacco (MB)
Outlook: The Red Raiders have the makings of one of the strongest teams in the suburbs. They feature a trio of four-year varsity players in Dion (Maryland), Boesch (Wake Forest) and Smith. Nepermann and Jackson each enter their third varsity season. Manning helped set a 6-2 offense last season en route to 32 victories. This fall she#146;ll set a 5-1 attack. And attack is the operative word considering Manning can distribute the ball to Jackson (6-2), Smith (314 kills) and Boesch (287 kills, 264 digs, 20 aces). Dion is the area#146;s top defensive player. The two-time all-area pick made 435 digs last season and successfully passed 92.6 percent of the serves she received.
The Red Raiders won the Asics preview a year ago, gaining them automatic entry to the Asics Challenge at Mother McAuley. #147;I want this team to play to the best of their ability,#148; Huntley coach Micheelle Jakubowski said. #147;If we do that, I#146;ll consider it a successful season.#148;
Jacobs Golden Eagles
Coach: Lisa Dwyer (seventh season)
Conference: Fox Valley (Valley)
Last year: 18-12
Top players: seniors Becca Jobst (L), Nikki Maddoch (MH); juniors Rachel Arceneaux (MH), Alyssa Ehrhardt (OH), Taylor Lauder (S), Maris Smith (OH); sophomore Brighton Troha (Op); freshman Kassie Kasper (DS)
Outlook: The Golden Eagles return junior hitter Ehrhardt for her third varsity season. Last year the all-area selection led Jacobs with 283 kills. She also notched 170 digs and used her jump serve to accumulate 83 aces. #147;She#146;s really coming on,#148; Jacobs coach Lisa Dwyer said. #147;Offensively, she#146;s even more phenomenal than she was last year. And her serve-receive and defense have really started to shine. We#146;ll utilize her every way we can.#148; Maddoch is an experienced front-row blocker and the one of only two seniors on the roster. Jobst is the other. She#146;s a scrappy go-getter who refuses to let volleyballs hit the floor. Kasper is a club player who has been attending Jacobs camps for several years. She#146;ll solidify the defense. Troha (6-2) gives the Eagles height they#146;ve lacked in recent years. New setter Laudner will run the offense. #147;We#146;re going to be scrappy and I think some of our young talent might surprise some people,#148; Dwyer said. #147;We#146;ll be ready to play every game, and we#146;ll definitely be a thorn in everyone#146;s side. I think we can finish in the top half of the conference.#148;
Larkin Royals
Coach: Marcin Dybka (second year)
Conference: Upstate Eight (River)
Last year: 6-23
Top players: seniors Jill Casebeer (MB), Piper Johnson (OH), Katie Plantz (DS), Lexi Smithberg (S), Sarah Woods; junior Anna Gaston (OH); sophomores Olivia Kofie (MH), Alyssa McGhee (S), Brianna Stewart (RS)
Outlook: The Royals return several starters from last year#146;s team, like young talent in Kofie (6-1) and Stewart (5-10), who play for Club Fusion#146;s 15-U Black team. #147;Olivia is such a good blocker and they can both put the ball down,#148; Larkin coach Marcin Dybka said. Casebeer (6-0) is a quick middle with height to set a good block. She got better as last season progressed and #147;still has a lot of potential,#148; according to her coach. Woods, a smart player, competed on the junior varsity last fall and could see time in the middle. Gaston moves up from the JV to outside hitter on the varsity. McGhee is the team#146;s second setter. It won#146;t take much to improve this season, says Dybka. #147;We were close to winning a regional last year,#148; he said. #147;I think maybe we can go further this year. We definitely hae the potential. I think we#146;ll be a far better team this year.#148;
St. Edward Green Wave
Coach: Jaime Dovichi (eighth season)
Conference: Suburban Christian (Blue)
Last year: 12-21
Top players: seniors Katie Ayello (S), Callie Johnson (MB), Sarah Norman (OH); juniors Mary Kate Nastali (OPP), Rena Ranallo (OH), sophomores Mallory Gross (S), Shannon Igielski (OH), Cory Kelly (MB), Allison Kruk (DS), Stephanie Mangahas (DS), Clara McDowell (DS), Katie Swanson (OH)
Outlook: It would be an understatement to say a youth movement is under way at St. Edward. A total of seven sophomores and two juniors dominate the roster of 12. Ayello, previously an all-area defensive specialist, moves to setter this season to fill a need. She has three years of varsity experience. Norman is also a fourth-year varsity player and Johnson is entering her third year with the varsity. The team is otherwise inexperienced. #147;I have three experienced girls and a lot of babies,#148; said coach Jaime Dovichi. #147;It#146;s going to be fun to mold these kids starting as sophomores.#148; The pride of that sophomore group is Swanson, a superb athlete with raw skills. #147;I#146;m expecting big things from her,#148; Dovichi said. #147;She#146;s so coachable. You tell her something and she does it.#148;
Gross will be the backup setter to Ayello. Either Kruk or McDowell will play libero. Kelly (5-11) is a middle hitter expected to return from an injury this week. #147;It#146;s very cliché, but we#146;re definitely rebuilding,#148; Dovichi said. #147;I get these sophomores for three years and I have someone at every position in that group. It#146;s just a very good class. I#146;m glad they get to follow my seniors because I couldn#146;t ask for a better group of leaders to help mold them.#148;
South Elgin Storm
Coach: Joni Plach (seventh season)
Conference: Upstate Eight (Valley)
Last year: 10-14-1
Top players: seniors Maggie Jakaitis (S), juniors Karlee Bradley (L/DS), Corbin Kehe (S), Sam Kummerer (RS), Rachel Murray (L/DS), Amanda Nadler (MH), Ali Osborne (MH); sophomore Ashley Oandasan (OH), Bri Reum (MH)
Outlook: The Storm return only two starters from a team that bowed out in a regional semifinal last year. Oandasan played a lot in the middle last year but will play mainly on the outside this fall. Her serve-receive is the most improved aspect of her game, said her coach. Osborne has gained strength and looks more confident in her second year on the varsity, Plach said. She will play in the middle. Zakaitis, the backup setter last year, and Kehe are still fighting it out to be the team#146;s top setter. Reum, Nadler and Kummerer played on the junior varsity last year. Murray and Bradley are competing for the libero spot. Plach said they will alternate matches next week at the West Aurora tournament.
#147;It#146;s a very young squad, but I#146;m really looking forward to this year,#148; Plach said. #147;I don#146;t think I#146;ve ever had this many new girls on a team, so I#146;m excited to see what they can do. A lot of them played on the junior varsity, but almost all of them have played club volleyball at some point so they should be able to adjust to the speed quickly. It#146;s just a matter of leadership, holding each other accountable. I#146;m stressing that if they do that right away, we could have a nice beginning to the season and grind it out the rest of the year.#148;
Streamwood Sabres
Coach: Lisa Vazzana (second season)
Conference: Upstate Eight (River)
Last year: 4-17
Top players: seniors Maria Ranahan (OH), Mariana Martinez (L/DS), Jessica Mitchell (RS), Liz Simonelli (OH/L); junior Brittany Kemp (RS/S),; sophomores Kaitlyn Hedger (OPP), Hannah McGlone (MH)
Outlook: The Sabres hope to make strides as a program in Vazzana#146;s second season in charge, led by all-UEC River returnee Simonelli. She was also an all-tournament pick at Plainfield North last year. #147;She#146;s a dynamic player,#148; Vazzana said. #147;I#146;ve got her running outside right now and using someone else at libero. She#146;s a go-getter. I have no doubt she can play in college.#148; Simonelli stands 5-2, but she can play the outside and play it well, says her coach, herself a 5-foot-4 outside hitter when she played college volleyball. Simonelli#146;s co-captain is Ranahan, a returning varsity player at outside hitter. Kemp also returns. She can set or play the right side.
McGlone, a three-sport athlete, is the team#146;s strongest middle. Mitchell gives the Sabres a quality they sorely lacked in 2010: height; she#146;s 6-3. Hedger is a promising prospect. She played on the sophomore team last year as a freshman. She bypasses JV ball because the varsity needs a middle blocker. It#146;s a mix of talent with potential to be competitive. #147;We#146;re trying to jell players from three different teams: varsity, junior varsity and sophomores,#148; said Vazzana, who counts only one club-trained player on her roster. #147;We#146;re coming together and working hard. We#146;re staying late after practice, sometimes for hours, until we get things right. The girls want to learn and get better. We just have to find a way to put the pieces together. Regardless of wins and losses I want them to learn to play together as a team, bring it all to the court and leave it all out there.#148;
Westminster Christian Warriors
Coach: Kathy Ramos (second year)
Conference: Northeast Athletic
Last year: 21-11-1
Top players: Cara Tyrrell (OH), Whitney Vanden Bos (L); junior Elizabeth Farwell (S); sophomore Cristina Cusumano (OH), Courtney Gnan (OH), Clair Speweik (MH)
Outlook: The Warriors graduated the bulk of talent from a team that won 20 matches. The most notable graduation loss was all-area setter Hannah Graves, who led the team in assists, kills, blocks and aces. Farwell set in a 6-2 offense last season with Graves. She#146;ll try to connect with Vanden Bos on the outside. #147;We have a young team with a lot of great talent,#148; coach Kathy Ramos said. #147;I anticipate the season to get better and better as they play together as a team.#148;