Annapolis Panthers
1997 record: 14-2
Coach: Karla McMahon, ninth season
Top players: Sharie Neptune, Sr., hitter; Meghan Fisher, Jr., defense; Brea Stanton, Sr., blocker; Lakia Tongue, Sr., setter; Joyell Stafford, Sr., setter.
Outlook: Graduation cleaned out the Panthers, including All-County first-teamers Kammi Cottrell and Jenni Ferris. Their only two losses came to 4A East Region and county champion Severna Park in regular season and the region final and McMahon earned county Coach of the Year honors with her veteran team. "Pretty much this entire team played JV last year and, hopefully, they're ready for the step up," said McMahon. "They know it will be tough to measure up to last year's team and that there is a long road ahead." Many of the players on this year's team combined with a few from last year's winner to go undefeated on the JV level. McMahon is hoping her philosophy of putting 11th graders on JV will pay off.
Annapolis Area Christian Eagles
1997 record: 18-3
Coach: Dave Leith, second season
Top players: Erin Ford, Sr., outside hitter; Theresa Iglehart, Sr., middle hitter/blocker; Ashleigh Verrillo, Jr., setter; Kristen Ignowski, Sr., outside hitter; Ruth Woodward, Jr., outside hitter.
Outlook: Duplicating last year's banner season won't be easy with the loss of All-County hitter Monica Wagoner and second-team All-County setter Laura Ford. But Leith believes he has a strong nucleus led by Erin Ford, Verrillo and Iglehart. "I think we have as much potential as last year's team," said Leith. "We will just have to play more as a team than relying on one or two players." Setter Becky Evans and middle hitter Ashley Kinney, both juniors, are expected to add depth. The Eagles hope to go a step further in the post-season Association of Christian Schools Tournament after finishing runner-up last year.
Archbishop Spalding Cavaliers
1997 record: 10-7
Coach: Scott Rombach, first season
Top players: Courtney Dixon, Sr., hitter; Jen Datz, Jr., hitter; Andrea Loepker, Sr., setter/hitter; Sabrina Ryals, Sr., hitter; Bridget LaPorte, Jr., defense; Laureen Schaech, Jr., setter; Melissa Mahoney, Sr., hitter.
Outlook: Rombach replaces 10-year coach Linda Taylor on an interim basis while the latter is on maternity leave. "Linda had her baby a few days ago, but she could be back coaching in four to six weeks," said Rombach, who led the Cavs' JV to an 11-3 record. The Cavaliers slipped last season after going 13-2 and sharing first place in the Catholic League with Mercy of Baltimore in 1996. Rombach is confident that he will get strong hitting from Dixon, Datz, Ryals and Leopker, who will share setting duties with Schaech.
Arundel Wildcats
1997 record: 0-15
Coach: Greg Legrand, first season
Top players: Rachel Adams, Sr., setter; Shaunte Edmunds, Sr., hitter; Anna Hoppmann, Sr., middle hitter; Jenny McClurg, Sr., defense.
Outlook: The Wildcats hope to put their dismal 1997 season behind them with the hiring of Legrand, one of five rookie head coaches in county volleyball. Legrand, who coached the Arundel JV girls basketball team last year, will have to be patient.
Broadneck Bruins
1997 record: 7-8
Coach: Romanzo Beans
Top players: Kim Barr, Sr., setter; Leslie Lapham, Sr., outside hitter; Katie Henschal, Jr., outside hitter; Jan Kanach, Jr., outside hitter; Nicole Barr, So., setter/middle hitter.
Outlook: Beans and his wife and co-coach, Bev, are optimistic after losing only one senior. "We expect to go all the way," said Bev Beans. "Romanzo got most of our returnees to play club ball and with a year of varsity under their belts we expect big things." The Bruins will rely on strong serving, tough defense and not giving up free balls. The Beans look for Severna Park and South River to be the teams to beat.
Chesapeake Cougars
1997 record: 13-4
Coach: Shannon Pastrana, first season
Top players: Kristen Bland, Sr., setter; Jamie Collins, Sr., setter/hitter; Justine Wagner, Jr., hitter; Chrystal Ford, Jr., setter; Casey Davis, Sr., hitter.
Outlook: Losing All-County hitter Gail Siemer, who led the Cougars in everything, to graduation presents quite a challenge for the new coach. "We don't want to rely on one player, and want everyone hitting and setting," said Pastrana. The new coach has six returnees, led by Bland and Collins, and doesn't plan to change much, strategically speaking. Pastrana believes Wagner has the potential to be one of the county's top hitters along with Davis, a girls' soccer defector.
Glen Burnie Gophers
1997 record: 7-6
Coach: Kevin Guite, first season
Top players: Susan Sperduto, Sr., setter; Carrie Bennett, Sr., outside hitter; Pat Teakle, Sr., outside hitter; Mandy Wicks, Sr., defense; Candice Redding, Sr., middle hitter; Michelle Whitlock, Jr., setter; Tiffany Jordan, Jr., middle hitter.
Outlook: Guite hopes to carry on the winning tradition of Juanita Milani, for whom he served as assistant and JV coach for the last seven seasons. Milani retired after 20 consecutive winning seasons, including a state title in 1990. "I know I'm following a Glen Burnie legend," said Guite. "I've just got to do my best and put my personality into it," he said. Guite said this year's team has a wealth of experience, having lost only two seniors. "Most of them have played all year on club teams in Howard County and our passing and defense should be strengths," said Guite. He is counting on Bennett, Teakle and Jordan for offensive punch.
Meade Mustangs
1997 record: 3-12
Coach: Vicki Hedgebeth, 13th season
Top players: Melissa Bailey, Sr., outside hitter; Liz Hallman, Sr., outside hitter; Barbara Robinson, Sr., middle hitter; Aysya Lipphardt, Sr., middle hitter.
Outlook: With four seniors among eight returnees, Hedgebeth is optimistic the Mustangs will show a lot of improvement. "Our overall experience, plus the fact that a lot of the girls attended summer camps and played on the sand courts at Fort Meade should help," said Hedgebeth. A pair of junior setters in Amanda Pinkham and Jennie Stevens got playing time last year and should contribute. Meade has gone just 4-24 over the last two years, but was 8-6 in 1995 and Hedgebeth is hoping to approach that this season.
North County Knights
1997 record: 8-8
Coach: Amy Williams, eighth season
Top players: Briane Malauskas, Sr., middle hitter; Brandi Schickton, Jr., hitter; Alicia Kramp, Jr., hitter; Amber Biddinger, Jr., hitter.
Outlook: After going 4-11 in 1996, the Knights improved to .500 last season, but graduation took its toll. "We only have three returning varsity players, but the overall attitude is good," said Williams, whose squad is loaded with juniors. The Knights lost second-team All-County hitter Mandi Knickman and Williams is looking to Malauskas for senior leadership. Freshman setter/hitter Julie Krieger has been a pleasant surprise and should get a lot of playing time. "We're going to have to rely on defense and playing smart," said Williams.
Northeast Eagles
1997 record: 5-11
Coach: Kevin Kintop, second season
Top players: All seniors: Dena Benner, Jami Ingram, Annabelle ,, Lagpao, Karena Navarro and Shannon Richardson.
Outlook: Kintop is unsettled but confident going into the season. "Nobody has a position yet on this team," said Kintop. "We've got everybody playing everywhere right now, making it a team effort." Kintop is worried about his team's ability to get kills and score points, but expects his defense to make up for that.
Old Mill Patriots
1997 record: 7-8
Coach: Bea Fenzel, first season
Top players: Lisa Feeheley, Sr., setter/outside hitter; Heather Russell, Sr., setter; Jen Phillips, Sr., middle hitter; Amy Newman, Sr., outside hitter; Andrea Bernstein, Sr., outside hitter.
Outlook: Fenzel succeeds retired veteran coach Jan Arnold, who was part of the Pats' volleyball program for over 20 years as an assistant or head coach. The new coach is a graduate of Northeast High and coached her alma mater's JV volleyball team for three seasons before guiding Catholic High in Towson last year. Fenzel also is in her 13th year as a setter on the USA volleyball team. "I'm really looking forward to this season, and with five returning seniors we should no doubt break .500 this year," said Fenzel. "We have a lot of height and jump well. Our serving, hitting and blocking should be strengths." The 5-foot-9 Feeheley is expected to replace second-team All-County setter Roxie McColgan, while the 5-11 Phillips and 5-10 Newman add power.
St. Mary's Saints
1997 record: 12-5
Coach: Bernie Walsh, first season
Top players: Anna Meyers, Sr., outside hitter; Hailey DeCastro, Sr., hitter; Sarah Grap, Sr., outside hitter; Ashley Levy, Jr., outside hitter; Rebecca Halton, So., defense.
Outlook: Walsh takes over for Kelly Williamson, who led the Saints to a second-place finish in the Baltimore Catholic League (11-3) in just the team's second year. Williamson left for maternity reasons and Walsh, who has played the sport and coached at Bowie State, the College of Notre Dame in Baltimore and junior olympics, was hired. Meyers was All-Catholic League and All-County and DeCastro was honorable-mention All-Catholic League. Walsh also has two other pretty good hitters in Grap and Levy, and says the young Halton keeps getting better. "Our strength will be on attack, but we need a setter," said Walsh. Senior Lindsey Beckner and junior Stephanie Cox are vying for that position.
Severna Park Falcons
1997 record: 22-3
Coach: Tim Dunbar, 12th season
Top players: Lauren Boyd, Sr., setter; Tracy Johnston, Sr., outside hitter; Sarah Grimm, Sr., outside hitter; Megan Medford, Jr., setter/defense; Missy Collison, Sr., outside hitter; Kiersten Klein, Jr., defense; Lauren Bessire, Jr., middle hitter; Gretchen Hause, Sr., middle hitter; Traci Sariscak, Sr., middle hitter.
Outlook: The beat goes on at the county's top volleyball program, with Boyd, Johnston and Grimm expected to lead the way. "We should be better than last year," says Dunbar, who has nine players returning from his county and 4A East Region
champion. "Going into the season, we look very good with more experience than we had a year ago. Yes, we lost a great player in Julie [Gosewisch, Player of the Year], who the girls counted on to carry us, but this year, we won't have to rely on one player." Boyd was All-Metro with Gosewisch and led the Falcons in assists (667, school-record 52 in region final), serving aces (73) and blocks (47), and was third in serving percentage (.923) and fourth in kills (63). "Lauren is a sharp cookie and I expect her to be our leader on and off the court," said Dunbar, who is 219-20 with three state titles in 11 seasons. Johnston, All-County and a second team All-Metro hitter, was second in kills with 124 while Grimm, second-team All-County, was third with 109. A fourth state title, which would be the Falcons' first since 1993, is a realistic goal.
Southern Bulldogs
1997 record: 1-15
Coach: Keith Brezina, second season
Top players: Jodi Wittshack, Sr., defense; Sara McDonald, Sr., hitter/blocker; Mimi Franke, Jr., outside hitter/blocker; April Catterton, Jr., defense.
Outlook: Improvement is expected in Harwood where Brezina, a former three-sport athlete at South River, welcomes back four returning starters. "I feel we have nine solid juniors that will make us more competitive this season and give us a bright future," said Brezina. "This is also a very good group of student-athletes who do it on and off the court."
South River Seahawks
1997 record: 11-7
Coach: Maureen Carter, fourth season
Top players: Jessica Freeman, Sr., hitter; Lorin Smith, Sr., setter; Jennifer Dwyer, Sr., hitter; Kristen Marion, Jr., hitter; Laura Peterson,, Sr., middle hitter; Emily Minnigerode, Sr., setter; Laura Greenback, So., hitter.
Outlook: Optimism abounds at the Edgewater school with the return of Carter, who missed last year on maternity leave. Wayne Minger coached the Seahawks to the 2A state semifinals, where they lost to North Hagerstown, 3-0. Carter was 24-7 in her last two seasons before taking the year off and is back with a group she had as ninth- and 10th-graders. Among that group is Freeman, an All-County hitter who averaged three kills a game in the playoffs and overall had a .900 serving percentage. "It feels great to be back," said Carter, who teaches physical education at Benfield Elementary. Carter brought back Dwyer, who was a surprising cut last year, and has a veteran team with eight seniors. "Defense and endurance should be strengths," said Carter. "We expect to be among the top teams and we've always managed to give Severna Park a run for the money and hope to do the same again."
Top 15
1. Centennial
2. Severna Park
3. River Hill
4. Mount Hebron
5. Dulaney
6. South River
7. Lansdowne
8. Loch Raven
9. Liberty
10. Glen Burnie
11. Glenelg
12. Chesapeake-AA
13. Perry Hall
14. St. Mary's
15. Catonsville
Pub Date: 9/02/98