Warsaw Eyes NLC Title
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
For the first time in seven years, Warsaw's volleyball team experienced what it felt like not to be the best in the Northern Lakes Conference.
NorthWood won the NLC title in 1997, the first team to wrench the championship away from Warsaw's seven-year stranglehold. NorthWood went 6-0, while Warsaw tied for third with a 4-2 record.
Now Warsaw wants the title back.
But wanting it and getting it are two different things.
"Plymouth is the team that's still loaded in our conference," Warsaw coach Jamie Byron said. "NorthWood still has (Amy) Zercher, but they lost their setter and supporting cast. Plymouth is who we need to shoot for.
"Winning the conference is always a top goal. That, and avenging losses we had to teams last year."
Warsaw loses four girls off last year's team that finished 19-15 and lost to state runnerup Fort Wayne Northrop in the regional.
Gone are middle hitter Alyssa Raphael, outside hitter Shanna Smith, setter Karla Bailey and outside hitter/back row specialist Janelle Polk.
Key returners for Warsaw include senior middle hitter Nancy Mason, senior setter Jessica Zaugg and senior outside hitters Liz Owens and Brooke Sutton.
Byron sees the 1998 Tigers favorably matching up with the 1997 Tigers.
"Last year's team surprised me quite a bit," she said, "especially considering the people we had lost, like Sarah Calhoun. I expect the same from this team. Realistically we could have the same type of finish as last year. I don't expect us to win every match, but I want to make sure we're always headed in the right direction.
"We're quick and scrappy. Our defensive effort will carry us a long way. We have good passers, and that will help us more than anything."
Several local high school volleyball teams play their first matches this week.
Warsaw's not one of them. The Tigers don't play their first match until Aug. 25, but once that opening week ends, they will have played seven matches.
Most of them will take place in the Mishawaka Invitational, which annually showcases some of the best volleyball teams in the state.
Muncie Central and Clinton Prairie, state champions last year, are in Warsaw's pool at Mishawaka.
"We will get a true test at the Mishawaka Invitational," Byron said. "It's a tough way to start out, but it's a good test for us."
Area Volleyball Capsules
WAWASEE WARRIORS
Head coach/years: Jason Fleming/third
1997 record/postseason result: 17-15, lost to No. 10 NorthWood in sectional finals
Key losses: Kara Mathew, middle hitter; Lydia Carpenter, middle hitter; Darcy Replogle, outside hitter; Andrea VanCleave, outside hitter
Key returners: Sara Frantz, senior setter; Angie Beer, junior outside hitter; Danielle Powell, senior middle hitter
Number of varsity players: 10
Opening match: 6 p.m. Aug. 18 vs. Tippecanoe Valley
Outlook: With losses like Mathew, Carpenter, Replogle and VanCleave, Wawasee considers 1998 a rebuilding season and eyes a .500 record as a goal.
Fleming: "You always want to finish well in your conference. A safe place for us is in the middle. Plymouth is really strong, and I look for them to top the conference, followed by Warsaw. Our strength will be defense as a team. We're doing well digging a lot of balls in practice."
TIPPECANOE VALLEY VIKINGS
Head coach/years: Jon Parker/third
1997 record/postseason result: 16-16, lost to Elmhurst in the sectional
Key losses: Brandi Fisher, outside hitter; Brandy Manns; Andria Parker
Key returners: Tiffany Cunningham, senior back row specialist; Rhonda Doud, senior setter; Brooke Fisher, senior outside hitter; Amy Nellans, senior middle hitter; Carissa Parker, junior defensive specialist; Jennifer Studebaker, junior middle hitter
Number of varsity players: Nine
Opening match: 6 p.m. Aug. 18 at Wawasee
Outlook: Valley smashed the school record for wins last year with 16. The most matches Valley won in any season before 1997 was 10. The Vikings went 4-3 in the TRC to finish second. Valley also set a school record with seven consecutive wins. Valley loses a key athlete in Andria Parker, a four-year starter who set school records in kills in a season (212) and kill percentage (.197). Parker is the only Valley girl to be named to the Three Rivers Conference first team, and she is the first Valley graduate to play college volleyball (Grace College).
Jon Parker: "To match last year's accomplishments would be wonderful for our Valley program. However, I really believe this year should be even better. If we can develop that 'will to win' attitude that all great athletes have, and if we can get all girls striving for the same team goals, I believe this will be the best year ever at Tippecanoe Valley."
MANCHESTER SQUIRES
Head coach/years: Jessica Reed/second
1997 record/postseason result: 16-13, lost to Southwood in the sectional
Key losses: Natalie Stambaugh, back row; Jodie Peden, middle hitter; Michelle Gerber, middle hitter; Lucianna Leao, outside hitter
Key returners: Megan Eckert, senior hitter; Greta Miller, senior middle row; Jessica Hicks, sophomore outside hitter; Megan Goshert, junior back row
Number of varsity players: 13
Opening match: 6 p.m. Aug. 24 vs. Maconaquah
Outlook: Last year Manchester tied for first in the Three Rivers Conference, the first time they finished first since 1991. With the personnel they lost, a title repeat could prove challenging.
Reed: "We're really weak in the hitting and height area. We're strong in the serving area. We would like to go for the conference again, but we're realistic."
NORTHWOOD PANTHERS
Head coach/years: Peg Bough/NA
1997 record/postseason result: 30-5, lost to Delta in the first round of the semistate
Key losses: Marla Yoder, setter; Angela Hattery, setter; Jamie Gill, outside hitter; Colleen Miller
Key returners: Senior middle hitters Amy Zercher and Natalie Will
Number of varsity players: Eight
Opening match: 6 p.m. Aug. 18 vs. Penn
Outlook: One year ago NorthWood won 30 matches and a regional, each firsts in school history. Now the Panthers essentially start over with a new team built around two seniors, Will and Zercher.
Bough: "Last year's season was like a dream. When we look at this season, we won't look at last season, because we have a whole different group of kids. We'll talk about how we got where we went last year, but we won't hang that pressure on these kids. We'll take our bumps and bruises at the beginning until our girls get varsity experience and begin to jell. Amy and Natalie are a good nucleus to build around."
TRITON TROJANS
Head coach/years: Gayle Perry/12th
1997 record/postseason result: 27-8, lost to Michigan City Marquette in the sectional finals
Key losses: Jennifer Weissert, outside hitter; Megan Sarber, outside hitter; Jessica Kintzel, middle blocker; Chris Scott, outside hitter; Heather Barron, setter
Key returners: Kendra Blackford, senior setter; Jamey Bell, senior middle blocker; Kelli Hackett, senior defensive specialist; Missy Nifong, junior outside hitter; Emily Yankovich, junior outside hitter
Number of varsity players: 12
Opening match: 6 p.m. Aug. 18 vs. Mishawaka Marian
Outlook: Triton spent much of last year ranked in the top 10 in class A. The Trojans finished tied for second in the Northern State Conference and have hopes to finish near the top in 1998.
Perry: "A goal of ours is to win the conference. We'd like to be ranked in the top 10. We think those are realistic goals. Our biggest strength is Kendra Blackford, a great setter who runs the team. We can hit hard; we can hit soft. We can change our game based on our opponent. Last year we were pretty much just a power team. We will be a good passing team."
WHITKO WILDCATS
Head coach/years: Rachelle McCammon/first
1997 record/postseason result: N/A, lost to Carroll (Allen) in sectional
Key losses: Brittney Waybright, Amber Landis, Heidi Hull
Key returners: Kelly Osborn, senior setter; BrieAnn Starkweather, senior outside hitter; Trisha Peters, senior back row
Number of varsity players: Nine
Opening match: 6:30 p.m. Aug. 18 vs. Huntington North
Outlook: With their veteran lineup, the Wildcats could challenge for the Three Rivers Conference title. Seven seniors and two juniors comprise Whitko's varsity roster.
McCammon: "The girls and I sat down and talked. We plan to do well. We plan to get out of the sectional and go to the regional. If we get the leadership we need, and we should with the team we have, there's no reason we can't do that." [[In-content Ad]]
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For the first time in seven years, Warsaw's volleyball team experienced what it felt like not to be the best in the Northern Lakes Conference.
NorthWood won the NLC title in 1997, the first team to wrench the championship away from Warsaw's seven-year stranglehold. NorthWood went 6-0, while Warsaw tied for third with a 4-2 record.
Now Warsaw wants the title back.
But wanting it and getting it are two different things.
"Plymouth is the team that's still loaded in our conference," Warsaw coach Jamie Byron said. "NorthWood still has (Amy) Zercher, but they lost their setter and supporting cast. Plymouth is who we need to shoot for.
"Winning the conference is always a top goal. That, and avenging losses we had to teams last year."
Warsaw loses four girls off last year's team that finished 19-15 and lost to state runnerup Fort Wayne Northrop in the regional.
Gone are middle hitter Alyssa Raphael, outside hitter Shanna Smith, setter Karla Bailey and outside hitter/back row specialist Janelle Polk.
Key returners for Warsaw include senior middle hitter Nancy Mason, senior setter Jessica Zaugg and senior outside hitters Liz Owens and Brooke Sutton.
Byron sees the 1998 Tigers favorably matching up with the 1997 Tigers.
"Last year's team surprised me quite a bit," she said, "especially considering the people we had lost, like Sarah Calhoun. I expect the same from this team. Realistically we could have the same type of finish as last year. I don't expect us to win every match, but I want to make sure we're always headed in the right direction.
"We're quick and scrappy. Our defensive effort will carry us a long way. We have good passers, and that will help us more than anything."
Several local high school volleyball teams play their first matches this week.
Warsaw's not one of them. The Tigers don't play their first match until Aug. 25, but once that opening week ends, they will have played seven matches.
Most of them will take place in the Mishawaka Invitational, which annually showcases some of the best volleyball teams in the state.
Muncie Central and Clinton Prairie, state champions last year, are in Warsaw's pool at Mishawaka.
"We will get a true test at the Mishawaka Invitational," Byron said. "It's a tough way to start out, but it's a good test for us."
Area Volleyball Capsules
WAWASEE WARRIORS
Head coach/years: Jason Fleming/third
1997 record/postseason result: 17-15, lost to No. 10 NorthWood in sectional finals
Key losses: Kara Mathew, middle hitter; Lydia Carpenter, middle hitter; Darcy Replogle, outside hitter; Andrea VanCleave, outside hitter
Key returners: Sara Frantz, senior setter; Angie Beer, junior outside hitter; Danielle Powell, senior middle hitter
Number of varsity players: 10
Opening match: 6 p.m. Aug. 18 vs. Tippecanoe Valley
Outlook: With losses like Mathew, Carpenter, Replogle and VanCleave, Wawasee considers 1998 a rebuilding season and eyes a .500 record as a goal.
Fleming: "You always want to finish well in your conference. A safe place for us is in the middle. Plymouth is really strong, and I look for them to top the conference, followed by Warsaw. Our strength will be defense as a team. We're doing well digging a lot of balls in practice."
TIPPECANOE VALLEY VIKINGS
Head coach/years: Jon Parker/third
1997 record/postseason result: 16-16, lost to Elmhurst in the sectional
Key losses: Brandi Fisher, outside hitter; Brandy Manns; Andria Parker
Key returners: Tiffany Cunningham, senior back row specialist; Rhonda Doud, senior setter; Brooke Fisher, senior outside hitter; Amy Nellans, senior middle hitter; Carissa Parker, junior defensive specialist; Jennifer Studebaker, junior middle hitter
Number of varsity players: Nine
Opening match: 6 p.m. Aug. 18 at Wawasee
Outlook: Valley smashed the school record for wins last year with 16. The most matches Valley won in any season before 1997 was 10. The Vikings went 4-3 in the TRC to finish second. Valley also set a school record with seven consecutive wins. Valley loses a key athlete in Andria Parker, a four-year starter who set school records in kills in a season (212) and kill percentage (.197). Parker is the only Valley girl to be named to the Three Rivers Conference first team, and she is the first Valley graduate to play college volleyball (Grace College).
Jon Parker: "To match last year's accomplishments would be wonderful for our Valley program. However, I really believe this year should be even better. If we can develop that 'will to win' attitude that all great athletes have, and if we can get all girls striving for the same team goals, I believe this will be the best year ever at Tippecanoe Valley."
MANCHESTER SQUIRES
Head coach/years: Jessica Reed/second
1997 record/postseason result: 16-13, lost to Southwood in the sectional
Key losses: Natalie Stambaugh, back row; Jodie Peden, middle hitter; Michelle Gerber, middle hitter; Lucianna Leao, outside hitter
Key returners: Megan Eckert, senior hitter; Greta Miller, senior middle row; Jessica Hicks, sophomore outside hitter; Megan Goshert, junior back row
Number of varsity players: 13
Opening match: 6 p.m. Aug. 24 vs. Maconaquah
Outlook: Last year Manchester tied for first in the Three Rivers Conference, the first time they finished first since 1991. With the personnel they lost, a title repeat could prove challenging.
Reed: "We're really weak in the hitting and height area. We're strong in the serving area. We would like to go for the conference again, but we're realistic."
NORTHWOOD PANTHERS
Head coach/years: Peg Bough/NA
1997 record/postseason result: 30-5, lost to Delta in the first round of the semistate
Key losses: Marla Yoder, setter; Angela Hattery, setter; Jamie Gill, outside hitter; Colleen Miller
Key returners: Senior middle hitters Amy Zercher and Natalie Will
Number of varsity players: Eight
Opening match: 6 p.m. Aug. 18 vs. Penn
Outlook: One year ago NorthWood won 30 matches and a regional, each firsts in school history. Now the Panthers essentially start over with a new team built around two seniors, Will and Zercher.
Bough: "Last year's season was like a dream. When we look at this season, we won't look at last season, because we have a whole different group of kids. We'll talk about how we got where we went last year, but we won't hang that pressure on these kids. We'll take our bumps and bruises at the beginning until our girls get varsity experience and begin to jell. Amy and Natalie are a good nucleus to build around."
TRITON TROJANS
Head coach/years: Gayle Perry/12th
1997 record/postseason result: 27-8, lost to Michigan City Marquette in the sectional finals
Key losses: Jennifer Weissert, outside hitter; Megan Sarber, outside hitter; Jessica Kintzel, middle blocker; Chris Scott, outside hitter; Heather Barron, setter
Key returners: Kendra Blackford, senior setter; Jamey Bell, senior middle blocker; Kelli Hackett, senior defensive specialist; Missy Nifong, junior outside hitter; Emily Yankovich, junior outside hitter
Number of varsity players: 12
Opening match: 6 p.m. Aug. 18 vs. Mishawaka Marian
Outlook: Triton spent much of last year ranked in the top 10 in class A. The Trojans finished tied for second in the Northern State Conference and have hopes to finish near the top in 1998.
Perry: "A goal of ours is to win the conference. We'd like to be ranked in the top 10. We think those are realistic goals. Our biggest strength is Kendra Blackford, a great setter who runs the team. We can hit hard; we can hit soft. We can change our game based on our opponent. Last year we were pretty much just a power team. We will be a good passing team."
WHITKO WILDCATS
Head coach/years: Rachelle McCammon/first
1997 record/postseason result: N/A, lost to Carroll (Allen) in sectional
Key losses: Brittney Waybright, Amber Landis, Heidi Hull
Key returners: Kelly Osborn, senior setter; BrieAnn Starkweather, senior outside hitter; Trisha Peters, senior back row
Number of varsity players: Nine
Opening match: 6:30 p.m. Aug. 18 vs. Huntington North
Outlook: With their veteran lineup, the Wildcats could challenge for the Three Rivers Conference title. Seven seniors and two juniors comprise Whitko's varsity roster.
McCammon: "The girls and I sat down and talked. We plan to do well. We plan to get out of the sectional and go to the regional. If we get the leadership we need, and we should with the team we have, there's no reason we can't do that." [[In-content Ad]]