North Star League Volleyball
In predicted order of finish:
Lakeside Knights
1995 record: 2-6 NSL, 3-20 overall
Coach: Brad Veile
Years coaching: 6
Top returners: Harmony Hammons, 5-10, senior, middle blocker; Angela Flint, 5-7, junior, setter; Alicia Hoffman, 5-7, sr., mb; Susie Moore, 5-3, sr., backrow specialist.
Top newcomers: Mindy Middleton, 5-6, jr., outside hitter; Josetta SiJohn, 5-4, freshman, setter; Mary Kolar, 5-9, frosh, oh.
Quick sets: Lakeside has the most experienced players in the league with seven seniors. The Knights will all have to work for their jobs considering there is a full junior varsity team and also a lot of young talent on varsity. Coach’s comment: “I have a real good feeling about this year. We have a lot of players so we’ll have some good competition for our starting spots.”
Outlook: In a dim year in the league, the Knights are the brightest team. With the mix of young and experienced players, Lakeside should have the tools to win the title. This is the tallest team Veile’s had, and he will use that height to open up the offense and show different looks.
Falls Christian Eagles
1995 record: 7-1 co-champion, 15-13
Coach: Danica Belleque
Years coaching: 2
Top returners: Meghan Jenkins, 5-8, jr., mh; Liesl Runkle, 5-5, sr., bs.
Top newcomers: Ashlee Taylor, 5-6, soph., setter; Melanie Johnson, 5-6, soph., setter.
Quick sets: Despite its second-place ranking in this preview, the Eagles went into Lakeside Tuesday night and beat the Knights in three games.
Coach’s comment: “We lost five starters, but rebuilding isn’t going to be as hard as I thought it might be.”
Outlook: In a league that is defined by its parity, any team really has a chance to win and the Eagles showed they will be a factor with their victory at Lakeside. Belleque has been working on building basic skills and team unity. Making the fewest mistakes could very well be the key to winning the NSL this year.
Clark Fork Wampus Cats
1995 record: 7-1 co-champion, 19-10
Coach: Mike Randles
Years coaching: first
Top returners: Erin Manderschneid, 5-5, jr., setter.
Top newcomers: Kristy Howard, 5-6, frosh., hitter; Jennifer Derr, 5-4, frosh., setter.
Quick sets: It’s a clean slate for the Wampus Cats as a new coach and team full of freshmen and juniors try to repeat as league champions.
Coach’s comment: “We’re trying out a whole new system that will highlight much more specialized players for different situations. I expect to do more substituting than any other coach in the league.”
Outlook: The Wampus Cats were always a league power under former coach Sandy Ross and should be near the top of the league again if the young players step up. Randles expects this to be a rebuilding year, but is positive the Wampus Cats will do nothing but improve.
Kootenai Warriors
1995 record: 1-7, 5-18
Coach: Jamie Gerke
Years coaching: 1st
Top returners: Lindsey Kraack, 5-8, sr., setter; Danielle Hunter, 5-10, sr., mb; Annie Goodson, 5-10, jr., oh; Jamie Bornitz, 5-10, jr., oh.
Top newcomers: Natalie Damiano, 5-6, jr., backrow; Shanelle Kraack, 5-4, soph., setter.
Quick sets: This is one of the most experienced teams in the league, but it has had very little success in recent history. Gerke is hoping to change the expectations to winning every time her team steps on the court.
Coach’s comment: “We’re trying to keep things positive coming off of last year, which was a very negative season.”
Outlook: This will be a strong hitting and blocking team that has enough experience to dominate at the net. In order to get the ball to the net there has to be good passing, and that is the problem the Warriors will have to deal with. This is a team full of good athletes and if the passing and serve-receive improve this is another team that could surprise.
Mullan Tigers
1995 record: 3-5, 10-13
Coach: Dawn McKennan
Years coaching: first
Top returners: Katie Elwood, 5-7, jr., oh; Tiana Stinehart, 5-9, sr., oh; Laurie Angle, 5-9, jr., oh; Amanda Hegbloom, 5-6, jr., setter.
Top newcomers: Tiffany Hoven, 5-5, soph., setter; Natalie Autio, 5-8, frosh., oh.
Quick sets: The Tigers are short-handed with only 10 players on the roster. Despite that fact, they already have a league win over Kootenai. Coach’s comment: “We have a group of girls that work well together, but they have to get their heart into winning.”
Outlook: The Tigers have a solid team, but only go five deep on the bench. That will be a huge disadvantage when facing other teams like Lakeside that have a full varsity and junior varsity team. McKennan feels her team is solid in serving, but needs work in passing.
xxxx PLAYERS TO WATCH 1. Harmony Hammons, 5-10, senior, middle blocker, Lakeside 2. Angela Flint, 5-7, junior, setter, Lakeside 3. Erin Manderscheid, 5-5, junior, setter, Clark Fork 4. Leisl Runkle, 5-5, senior, backrow, Falls Christian 5. Lindsey Kraack, 5-8, senior, setter, Kootenai 6. Katie Elwood, 5-8, junior, outside hitter, Mullan