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Submitted by Shane Kleiman for WisSports.net



2009 Recap



On the final night of conference play last year, Gillett was upset by Crivitz to force a share of the Marinette & Oconto Conference title with Peshtigo with identical 14-2 league records. In Division 3 regional play, the Tigers beat Peshtigo in the regional semifinals and made it all the way to the sectional semifinals before losing to Roncalli in four games. Like Gillett, third-place Wausaukee made it to the sectional semifinals in D4, beating conference foe Niagara in regional semifinals before losing to Tigerton in the sectional semis. Crivitz ended conference play with a 10-6 record, finishing in fourth place behind Wausaukee.



2009 Final Standings

2009 All-Conference Teams



2010 Preview



Predicted Order to Finish:

1) Wausaukee

2) Niagara

3) Peshtigo

4) Crivitz

5) Gillett

6) Suring

7) St. Thomas Aquinas

8) Coleman

9) Lena  



Players to Watch:

Abby Fischer, Crivitz

Jamie Skowronek, Niagara

Cali Trepp, Niagara

Taylor Huss, Peshtigo

Rachel Tandias, St. Thomas Aquinas

Heather Heimeri, Suring

Brooke Arndt, Wausaukee

Ashlie Zeutius, Wausaukee



2010 Outlook:

After finishing third in the M&O and making its fourth consecutive sectional appearance, Wausaukee looks to have even more success in 2010. The Rangers certainly have the pieces in place to do so, as they return five starters led by First Team All-Conference senior all around Brooke Arndt. They lose Second Team All-Conference setter Tricha Fick, although replacing her may not very difficult as senior setter Brooke Wickman found her way into multiple box scores last season while setting opposite of Fick. Also returning is All-Conference Honorable Mention junior all around Ashlie Zeutius and a trio of seniors including all around Megan Arthur, hitter Kelsey Klinksick, and Leah Wainwright. The experience of the returning personnel alone should put the Rangers in the M&O driver's seat.



Aside from being "vertically challenged," Niagara head coach Carol St. Arnauld is excited about returning "many players that have varsity experience," whose athleticism makes up for what they lack in height. In 2009, the Badgers had enough quality depth to play as many as eleven players in a match, and seven of those players return to the floor in 2010. Led by a pair of Second Team All-Conference seniors in setter/outside Jamie Skowronek and middle Cali Trepp, the Badgers also return their other middle in senior Ashley Beauchamp, their primary setter in senior Haylee Rose and senior outside Miranda Lundin. The primary hole to fill is at Libero, where the Badgers lose Bobby Parent. Look for senior defensive specialist Marissa Zychowski to try to take over the position.



Peshtigo graduated one of the best volleyball players in school history last year in all around Bailey Kunz, who is the only player in school history to have more than 1,000 points in a high school career. Although the Bulldogs lose a First Team All-Conference player in Kunz, they return another in senior all around Taylor Huss. They also return key pieces in the front row in sophomore Hannah Romenesko and at the setter position in seniors Koral Pischer and Marissa Jahnke. Like Niagara, Peshtigo must replace its libero where senior Morgan Jandt may possibly fill in. Also graduated is all around Trista Marquardt and front row Melissa Maye, but look for senior Mary Dettman to make significant contributions in their absence.



Crivitz is coming off an up and down season in which it started conference play 6-0, then lost six of seven matches, and ended the season upsetting Gillett. The Wolverines graduate a pair of First Team All-Conference players in libero Michele Jones and all around Joni Kotecki. However, they will be strong at setter, where they return two seniors in Jackie Kertesz and Katie Gauthier. For hitters, Crivitz returns senior all around Ali Hockers and junior front row Abby Fischer. After settling for a share of the conference title in 2009, Gillett faces a period of rebuilding in the wake of the graduation of many key players. As seniors last year, Alaena Wocking consistently had twenty or more kills per match in conference play on her way to First-Team All-Conference honors, while libero Laura Wagner was Second Team All-Conferece. The Tigers also must replace middle Sam Styczynski and setter Ali McQuillan. Senior setter/all around Shannon Schaal split setting duties with McQuillan in 2009 and could take over the job completely. Also look for sophomore Kelsey Hischke and senior Lauren Kasten to have bigger roles in 2010.



Suring looks to improve on a 4-12 conference record in 2010. The Eagles are hopeful this will happen with the return of Second Team All-Conference senior setter/all around Heather Heimeri, senior back row player Jordyn Sleeter, and senior all around Miranda Cook. St. Thomas Aquinas Academy loses Honorable Mention setter/all around Maranda Ryan to graduation. Yet the Cavalettes return Honorable Mention All-Conference junior setter/outside Rachel Tandias, senior all around Natalie Dombkowski, and junior middle Marlena Ryan along with "overall quickness and hard workers," according to head coach Julie Chilcote.



Coleman loses just about everyone from a 2009 team that went 7-9 in M&O Conference play. The Cougars will need to replace First Team All-Conference all around Jenna Kerr, a pair of Honorable Mention All-Conference setters in Meg Cagle and Kayla Johnson, and front row players JayMe Mech and Keely Block. Although Lena went winless in conference play and lose Second Team All-Conference hitter Becky Huberty, it showed promise at the end of the season, taking St. Thomas Aquinas to five games in the last conference match of the season. Senior setter Khloe Imig and sophomore all around Vanessa Hanrahan are key players returning.