Area volleyball teams gear up for upcoming season

District 24-5A

Clear Creek Lady Wildcats

"COACH: Scott Simonds/seventh year

"2009 RECORD: 26-12

"LAST PLAYOFF APPEARANCE: 2009, bidistrict finalist

"KEY LOSSES: Cherish Krohn (OH; Southeastern Louisiana), Madeline Gaffney (MB; Texas State), Amanda Watson (MB; Drury), Hali Maple (DS; Hardin Simmons), Ericka Gordon (S)

"RETURNERS: Five

"PLAYERS TO WATCH: Rachel Hobaugh (Sr./OH), Ashley Smith (So./OH), Ellen Shoemaker (Sr./MB)

"OUTLOOK: After last year’s disappointing first-round playoff exit, Simonds said he’s more motivated than ever.

He thinks the girls are, too.

“That took a while to get over because we really had a chance to return to state,” Simonds said. “But now, I’m done thinking about it. I’m excited, and I think the girls are, too. We’re really motivated.”

The Lady Wildcats will have plenty of fresh faces. They lost four starters, three of whom went on to play college ball. Their defensive specialist also will play at the next level.

Creek likely will lean on senior Rachel Hobaugh and sophomore Ashley Smith. Both started last year and can play all spots on the court. They also have killer spikes.

Ellen Shoemaker, who also saw significant time last year, will move to middle blocker. At 5-foot-10, she’s small, but Simonds said she can jump and provides great leadership.

Courtney Richardson will take over for setter Ericka Gordon, who led the county in assists last year. Simonds said he has a lot of confidence in Richardson and she should make a smooth transition.

“We’re small, inexperienced and young,” Simonds said. “But the talent is there.”

"PREDICTION: Expect Creek to be in the playoffs. Though the Lady Wildcats have some questions — specifically, youth and height — they have talent and know how to win. Creek has won four of the last six district titles and reached two regional finals since 2005.

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Clear Springs Lady Chargers

"COACH: Rhonda Ellison/third year

"2009 RECORD: 15-22

"LAST PLAYOFF APPEARANCE: None

"KEY LOSSES: Shirley Paul (L; St. Thomas), Bailie Jedlicka (University of Arkansas-Monticello)

"RETURNERS: Nine

"PLAYERS TO WATCH: Carley McCarra (Sr./OH), Caleigh Oswald (Sr./S), Samone Boyd (Sr./OH), Mallory Wise (Sr./MB)

"OUTLOOK: Ellison said she couldn’t be more excited for this season to get under way. She has reason to be pumped up.

Springs returns a whopping nine seniors. All of them have been with Ellison since the school opened three years ago. She calls them her “babies.”

“We’re fired up,” Ellison said. “We believe big things can happen this season.”

The nine seniors are hungry, too. The Lady Chargers have yet to make the postseason in two varsity seasons.

Ellison called the first practice better than some matches.

“They’ve been together so long and been working in this system, they understand it all and have great chemistry,” Ellison said.

The biggest challenge, Ellison said, will be how and where to play everyone. With so much experience and talent, someone will not get the chance

It’s a good problem to have.

“We’re deeper than we’ve ever been,” Ellison said.

"PREDICTION: Springs finished four games out of the playoffs a year ago. For the first half of district, the Lady Chargers were in the playoff race, before they dropped some winnable matches. This year, that shouldn’t happen. Springs should compete for the third and fourth playoff spot in District 24-5A, along with Pearland and Creek.

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Dickinson Lady Gators

"COACH: Mitzi Matthews/23rd year

"2009 RECORD: 23-16

"LAST PLAYOFF APPEARANCE: 2008, regional semifinalist

"KEY LOSSES: Sarah Thomason (S), Ashley Jimenez (DS)

"RETURNERS: Eight

"PLAYERS TO WATCH: Kelsey Merritt (Sr./OH), Shelbee Berringer (Sr./OH, DS), Ericka Silvas (Sr./OH), Kristy Rardin (Sr./MB)

"OUTLOOK: A year after making the regional semifinals — a first in Class 5A — the Lady Gators missed the playoffs. Dickinson started red-hot but faltered down the stretch, going 4-8 in district after a 19-8 mark in the preseason.

That’s why Matthews has stressed this year’s Lady Gators’ theme: Start strong and stay strong.

“We just kind of got off track last year,” Matthews said.

Dickinson certainly has the ability and talent. Berringer and Merritt are two of the top players in the county. Rardin has the potential to be a force at the net.

Matthews also expects big things from Silvas. She struggled with injuries last year but is back, healthy and better than ever.

It also helps that the Lady Gators have experience. Four of the six starters are returners and nine seniors are on the roster.

The one big question mark is setter, the quarterback of the offense. But with the experience and skill level, Matthews isn’t too worried.

“This is a group capable of making a run,” Matthews said. “If we keep away from the unforced errors and control the ball, I think we’ll be pretty competitive.”

"PREDICTION: In any other district in the state, Dickinson makes the playoffs and probably competes for a league title. But with Pearland joining the district along with Creek, Springs, Lake and Brook, it’s going to be tough.

Matthews always gets the most out of her teams, so I think the Lady Gators will be in the mix, but they might be the odd man out in a brutal district.

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District 24-4A

Ball High Lady Tornadoes

"COACH: Laura Castillo/third year

"2009 RECORD: 5-24

"LAST PLAYOFF APPEARANCE: N/A

"KEY LOSSES: Kristle Hollins (MB), Ashleigh Hypolite (MB)

"RETURNERS: Six

"PLAYERS TO WATCH: Taylor Mitchell (Jr./OH), Cheyenne Minor (Jr./DS), Anabel Samul (Sr./DS), Natalie Giesen (Sr./S), Dymond Milburn (Jr./MB)

"OUTLOOK: Ball lost a lot of height with the departure of its two captains and middle blockers.

But, the Lady Tors now have a lot of athleticism and versatility. Castillo called her group quick and fast.

“They have a lot of speed,” Castillo said. “They can jump and get to the spots on the court where they need to be.”

Castillo also liked her team’s mentality, calling the group fun. They’ve showed a thirst to work hard and improve.

“These kids are fun,” Castillo said. “They’ve already told me that they know they’re going to have to play defense to win.”

"PREDICTION: Ball has increased its total wins in every season under Castillo. This year shouldn’t be different, especially in a new district and lower classification.

Now, the Lady Tors don’t have to go up against powers like Creek, Lake and Brook every single match in district. Castillo said it won’t be easier, but Ball should be more competitive, and teams won’t be “jumping out of the gym.”

Expect the Lady Tors to pick up their first district win in two years.

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Friendswood Lady Mustangs

"COACH: Jerry Linch/sixth year

"2009 RECORD: 40-6

"LAST PLAYOFF APPEARANCE: 2009 regional semifinalists

"KEY LOSS: Sarrah Woolley (MB)

"RETURNERS: 11

"PLAYERS TO WATCH: Jasmine Casey (Sr.; OH), Annie Mitchem (Jr.; MB), Siobhan O’Neill (Sr.; S), Shawna Spozio (Jr.; OH), Jill Bergeson (So.; OH)

"OUTLOOK: Expectations are high for the Lady Mustangs. As usual, they’re loaded, deep and talented.

And they have experience, too.

Friendswood reached the regional semifinals last year. They actually led two games to none before losing to Brenham.

The Lady Mustangs lost just one starter from that group.

“I think that experience, it makes you hungrier, and you can learn from it,” Linch said.

Friendswood hopes state is the next step, especially after reaching the region semifinals the last two years and just missing a season ago. The Lady Mustangs last reached state in 2006 and 2007.

The Texas Girls Coaches Association has ranked Friendswood No. 6 in the state.

“State is certainly one of our goals,” Linch said.

Casey, last year’s county player of the year, should be a focal point for Friendswood. She can play anywhere on the court and has one of the best attacks in Houston.

Mitchem provides a powerful spike and great defense. A lanky 6-foot-3 middle blocker, she clogs the middle and can disrupt an opponent’s offense almost single-handedly. Mitchem has drawn interest from Nebraska and Hawaii already.

Spozio and Bergeson offer great height and powerful attacks, too. O’Neill was a first-team all-county selection a year ago. If she can play at that level again, Friendswood will be hard to stop.

"PREDICTION: Friendswood should make another deep playoff run. The question is, can the Lady Mustangs get out of the region? With Stratford moving down to Class 4A and traditional powers Montgomery and Brenham, it could be more of a challenge than ever. But Friendswood will be in the mix at the end of the season.

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La Marque Lady Cougars

"COACH: Deidra Shepherd/first

"2009 RECORD: 4-24

"LAST PLAYOFF APPEARANCE: 1989

"KEY LOSSES: Brittany Tottenham (OH); Chelsea Alvarado (S)

"RETURNERS: Five

"PLAYERS TO WATCH: Michael Hurst (Sr./MB), Shawne Madrid (Jr./OH), Breanna Lewis (Sr./OH), Autrecia Cash (Sr./OH)

"OUTLOOK: New coach Shepherd was puzzled when she learned La Marque has been through three coaches in as many years.

When she looks at the Lady Coogs, she sees potential.

“I want to build relationships,” Shepherd said. “I want them to know I’m going to be here. These girls have athleticism and want to win.”

La Marque actually stole a couple of games from better teams and almost won some matches.

Still, there’s work left to be done.

“We’ve got to get a consistent system in here so the girls aren’t confused and they know what to do,” Shepherd said.

The first step, however, will be encouragement. Shepherd said the girls had a tendency to lose focus or give up when something bad or negative happened.

That’s why La Marque couldn’t close out some games.

“I have to be positive,” Shepherd said. “That’s what these girls need. We just have to forget about last year, the last play and encourage.”

"PREDICTION: Shepherd believes the Lady Coogs should win more games, possibly approach double digits. That’s a fair assessment. La Marque does have a lot of athleticism; if the Lady Cougars can put it together for a match, they can win. They have the capability to double their win total from last year, if not more.

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Santa Fe Lady Indians

"COACH: Anna Marie Milligan/33rd year

"2009 RECORD: 37-7

"LAST PLAYOFF APPEARANCE: 2009 regional quarterfinalists

"KEY LOSSES: Regina Trapp (MB; McNeese State), Hayley Couch (OH; Galveston College), Taelor Higgins (MB; Hill College)

"RETURNERS: Four

"PLAYERS TO WATCH: Katie Marabella (Sr./OH), Lindsey Martindale (Jr./S), Kelli Hadley (Sr./DS), Tiffany Thomas (Sr./MB)

"OUTLOOK: The Lady Indians have a lot to live up to after a banner year where they set a school record for wins and advanced to the third round of the playoffs.

Milligan said she thinks her team will be competitive, despite losing four starters.

“We’ll be young and inexperienced, but I think we’ll surprise some people and compete,” Milligan said.

The big question will be height and how to replace middle block and Division I-signee Trapp. Santa Fe got Tiffany Thomas, a 6-foot-2 transfer from Friendswood, but the University Interscholastic League hasn’t cleared her to play yet.

As a result, the Lady Indians are assuming they won’t have her for the first couple of weeks of the season. Milligan brought in one player from basketball and a freshman who could have a chance to make a big impact.

“We hope and think Tiffany plays and she’ll be great,” Milligan said. “The district has signed off on it, but we’re waiting for the UIL, so you just have to be prepared no matter what happens.”

Marabella is an early favorite for county player of the year. She made first team as a junior and can impact the game from anywhere on the court.

Martindale will take over as a full-time setter, so expect her to have a big year. Thomas, if approved by UIL, will make a great compliment to Marabella in the middle.

"PREDICTION: Santa Fe will make the playoffs. While the Lady Indians did lose valuable pieces, Milligan’s teams always are competitive, well-prepared and scrappy. They tend to win, too. Marabella, Thomas and Martindale should provide plenty of talent while the newcomers have some potential.

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Texas City Lady Stings

"COACH: Christian Dunn/first year

"2009 RECORD: 11-22

"LAST PLAYOFF APPEARANCE: 2008 bidistrict finalist

"KEY LOSSES: Karla Rodriguez (MB); Crystal Alaniz (L)

"RETURNERS: Five

"PLAYERS TO WATCH: Chelsea Knape (Sr./OH), Jennifer Hamilton (So./S), Taylor Chaney (Sr./OH); Jennifer Yackly (Sr./OH)

"OUTLOOK: Things went backward last year for the Lady Stings. A season after making the playoffs for the first time in 20 years, they barely got double-digit wins in 2009.

Now, Texas City is on its second coach in as many years — and things look and feel better.

Dunn brings a lot of experience as a former player and club coach. He’s guided teams to national tournaments.

“You get the sense he really knows what he’s doing,” girls athletic director Mary Rhoden said. “He has volleyball knowledge.”

Dunn has challenged the girls both physically and mentally, which wasn’t present last year. He demanded each player run an eight-minute mile, and made the team do it over and over until everyone achieved the goal.

The idea is to get the Lady Stings conditioned. They lost a lot of matches in five sets after taking the first two games or leading after three; they weren’t prepared to play long matches.

“Surprisingly, none of the girls ran away,” Dunn said. “Which is a good thing. It means they know this will make them better.”

Dunn said he was pleasantly surprised by the talent he has. He called the team short but athletic and scrappy.

Knape, an all-county selection a year ago, will lead the offense. Yackly and Chaney also should contribute.

Watch out for Hamilton, who is one of the better young setters in the county.

“I think we’re going to surprise a lot of people,” Dunn said. “I think we’re going to win a lot of games. This group is dedicated and has the ability, we just need to learn some more skill.”

"PREDICTION: Dunn has made an impression on the girls. They’re in better shape and finally have a clearly defined system and goal. Expect Texas City to challenge for a playoff spot, and I’ll go out on a limb and say they make the postseason. This group is hungry and buying into Dunn’s formula. It wants to build a foundation for future Lady Stings. The players also have enough athleticism and talent to get out of District 24-4A.

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TAPPS

O’Connell Lady Buccaneers

"COACH: Ashley Shriver/first year

"2009 RECORD: 17-11

"LAST PLAYOFF APPEARANCE: 2009 bidistrict finalist

"RETURNERS: Three

"KEY LOSSES: Morgan Jones (OH), Camaron Chide (MB), Leslie Daughtry (OH)

"PLAYERS TO WATCH: Katie Delgado (Sr./DS) Amy Hallett (Sr./S), Lacey Hayward (Sr./OH, MB), Katherine Hogan (Jr./OH), Haley Webster (Sr./MB)

"OUTLOOK: After graduating 10 seniors and losing a coach, 2010 is going to be a rebuilding year for the Lady Bucs.

Shriver, who is in her first year as a high school coach, inherited a young team that doesn’t have a lot of experience.

“It’s definitely about building,” Shriver said. “Everything’s pretty new.”

Shriver’s new system has the Lady Bucs tired and excited.

Shriver instituted two-a-days, something the girls haven’t done. She’s also focusing on weight room training and conditioning; each day the team works a different body part.

The Lady Bucs also will have to complete a timed mile run and have started working out on the beach for resistance training. They’ve even delved into plyometrics.

“The girls have worked really hard,” Shriver said. “They’re really buying into this.”

"PREDICTION: O’Connell has reached the playoffs the last two seasons, but with so many new players, it will be a challenge to make it three in a row. Still, the district is only four teams, which means two advance to the postseason. If the Lady Bucs can improve during August, they’ll have a chance to extend their season. It’s a tall task, but it’s possible.

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Bay Area Christian Lady Broncos

"COACH: Ron Gills/23rd year

"2009 RECORD: 28-7 (Regional finals)

"LAST PLAYOFF APPEARANCE: 2009 regional finalists

"KEY LOSSES: Reise Ercums (MB), Emily McCollum (OH)

"RETURNERS: Five

"PLAYERS TO WATCH: Trisha Buchanan (Sr./S), Kelsey Buchanan (So./OH), Andrea Lee (So./OH), Katherine Reed (Sr./OH)

"OUTLOOK: Once again, the Lady Broncos are young. Gills said he’ll start two sophomores and two freshmen, which can be tricky.

“You kind of never know with that,” Gills said. “They have the talent, but the knowledge and experience and working as a team can sometimes take some time to grasp.”

Still, Bay Area has the ability. Trisha Buchanan was an all-state player a year ago, and her sister was an all-district setter.

The two sophomores both have some experience and the freshmen have skill. Cindy Meersman, a freshman, will take over for Reise Ercums, who leaves a big whole at middle blocker.

“The real question for us is, are we going to be able to come together as a team and play together,” Gills said. “We’re not as tall as last year and not as experienced, so that’s why it’s important.”

"PREDICTION: Never bet against Bay Area. Gills never has missed the playoffs and don’t expect him to this year. There’s talent and by the season’s end, Gills will have the Lady Broncos playing together. The real debate is how far can Bay Area advance in the playoffs. Gills has guided the Lady Broncos to 10 state tournament appearances and four state runners-up.