The 2019 high school volleyball season begins without too many changes. Teams are still in the same conferences. Six of seven FCJ covered teams have the same coach. Section alignments have changed. Notably, Chatfield and Cotter move from 1AA to 1A, Lewiston-Altura moves from 1A to 1AA, and Kenyon-Wanamingo moves from 2AA to 1A. Twenty-seven teams comprise Section 1A, including (now) all seven covered by the Journal. Four begin the year ranked top 10; K-W (#1), Medford (#2), Mabel-Canton (#6), and Caledonia (#8).
The last Journal-covered squad to play a match a season ago were the Mabel-Canton Cougars. Lonnie Morken’s squad had state aspirations, as they made it to the Section 1A title game. They disappointingly fell to eventual state runner-up, Medford 3-1 (24-26, 21-25, 25-18, 21-25). The Cougars went undefeated in the SEC (14-0), bringing home a 21st straight division or out-right title. They grabbed the 1A East title and Section Runner-Up hardware, finishing 30-6. It was their eighth 30-win season the last ten years. M-C graduated three stand-out seniors including multi-time All-league picks Maddy Michels (MH) and Lexi Thorson (libero). Like other years, M-C reloads by returning a pair of All-SEC picks, Kenidi McCabe and Payton Danielson. The offense will seemingly again rotate around setter/OH McCabe. The 5’6” junior is a fifth year starter whose been named All-SEC twice, including last season (868 assists, 379 digs, 101 kills, 54 aces). The 2018 Class A All State 1st Team pick is already over 2,000 career assists. Danielson, a senior fifth-year player, earned her first All-SEC selection last season. The 5’4” outside hitter was maybe M-C’s most versatile (315 digs, 210 kills, 46 aces). She’s over 1,000 career digs. Additionally, Sarina Stortz (5’9” Sr. MH) was All-SEC Honorable Mention following a break-out junior year (234 kills, 39 ½ blocks). Backing that threesome will be experienced full-timers Lauren Wyffels (5’4” Jr. DS/setter > 30 aces, 237 digs, 137 assists) and Jordyn Newgard (5’6” Jr. OH > 133 kills, 97 digs). Molly Lee (5’3” So. OH), Kaylor Soiney (5’4” Jr. DS) and Emily Carolan (5’4” So. RH) also got their feet wet last year. The return of Avery Davis (5’8” Sr. OH > 95 kills in 2017) who missed most of 2018 per a bad knee injury, should also happen and be helpful. She is one of three seniors with Danielson and Stortz. M-C has their own Labor Day Tourney, the Class A Showcase, and the Decorah Invite on top of their regular SEC schedule. Morken, last year’s Class A Coach of the Year, should eclipse 700 career wins this year. He’s 679 and 130 for his career.
Posting the next best record of the Journal-covered teams were the Fillmore Central Falcons. Travis Malley’s group again competed for the TRC title, going 10-1, taking second to Wabasha-Kellogg. FC finished the season 17-12 overall, losing 3-1 (22-25, 25-14, 19-25, 14-25) to Caledonia in a 1A East quarterfinal. FC couldn’t get to 20 wins, something they do often, but they stayed plus-500 for a ninth straight season. Team teal and black lost its three All-TRC picks, including two-time selections Madison Scheevel (setter) and Paige Donlinger (OH). Junior K.J. Corson (5’3” libero > 386 digs) is the lone returnee to earn an honor last season, as she was All-TRC HM. From there, the Falcons have experienced middle hitters in Kandace Sikkink (5’8” Sr. > 127 kills), Hadley Yoder (5’9” Jr. > 100 kills, 31 aces), and Maddie Krage (5’5” Jr. > 85 kills). They’ll break in a new setter(s) and outside hitters. Lauren Mensink (5’7” So. > 37 kills in 21 games), who got called up to varsity late last season, is another key returnee. Kassidy Broadwater (5’6” RH), Krista Jorgenson (5’8” RH), and Erin Gossman (5’3” DS) round out a four-person senior class. FC has the Apple Valley Aerie Challenge, the W-K, and Rochester Exchange Tourneys. Non-conference opponents include Hayfield, #1 in AA Stewartville, and John Marshall (all to start the year).
Also posting more wins than losses last season were the Rushford-Peterson Trojans. Nikki Schultz’s senior-led crew went 6-5 in the TRC, 15-13 overall. They won a “pig-tail” play-off game, but fell to Spring Grove 3-1 (25-21, 16-25, 15-25, 19-25) in a 1A East quarterfinal. Eight seniors graduated including All-TRC pick Kjersta Hinz (MH) and three All-TRC HM selections. There will be a lot of new playing time up for grabs in Trojan-land. Bringing continuity back defensively will be All-TRC libero Alyvia Eide (5’6” Jr.), who amassed a league-best 430 digs in her first season as a starter. Kaleah Davis, a 5’11” right hitter, also returns after posting team second best’s in kills (136) and aces (34). Kaylee Ruberg (5’10” Fr. OH) is a third heavily experienced key returnee while Alora Wilkemeyer (5’9” Jr. OH) and Lakyn Rasmussen (5’8” Jr. OH) played some a year ago. The Trojans have just two seniors, Davis and Avalon Jacobson (5’4” DS). They have five juniors and a trio of freshman dressing varsity. R-P has the M-C Labor Day and W-K Tourneys in addition to its normal TRC schedule. They have a home-and-home series with Chatfield and a non-conference match with Houston.
Houston was the fourth Journal-covered squad to finish above-five-hundred last year. Brianna Meyer’s Hurricanes went 8-6 in the SEC, 11-10 overall. It is believed to be Houston’s second “winning” season ever. The ‘Canes fell to Kingsland 3-0 (13-25, 14-25, 14-25) in a 1A East “pig-tail” game. Three-year starter, two-time All-SEC setter Ariel Scanlan graduated, as did All-SEC HM pick Alyssa Rostad. All told, Houston lost five seniors. Jenny Albrecht (5’11” Sr. MH > 121 kills), an All-SEC pick last year, heads this year’s returning cast. The fourth year player is a strong blocker who transitioned last season to playing all-the-way-around. She’ll be joined by returning senior starters Casey Porter (5’7” setter) and Tessa Peterson (5’4” MH). Jeana Hahn (5’4’” DS) and Madelyn Srock (5’6” DS) round out a five-person senior class. From the junior class, Emma Geiwitz (5’9” OH) and Becca Rostad (5’7” OH) are returning starters. Houston has the M-C and Cotter Tourneys in addition to its normal SEC schedule. They have a non-conference match with R-P.
The Kingsland Knights were a flashy team a season ago, much due to the highlight film that could be OH Lauren Buchholtz. In their first year in the SEC, team double-K went 8-6, 15-18 overall. They beat Houston in a “pig-tail” game, but fell to M-C in the 1A quarters 3-0 (15-25, 20-25, 18-25). The elder Buchholtz sister, and her 1,200-plus career kills, has graduated (with five other seniors). The Knights also start the year with a new coach, Amanda Siskow (who formerly coached at LeRoy-Ostrander). She inherits a crew headlined by the younger Buchholtz sister, Ellie. The 5’8” junior is a two-time All-league pick (All-TRC 2017, All-SEC 2018) who posted 178 kills, 175 assists, 162 digs, 51 aces, and 47 blocks last season. The Knight cupboard also features last year’s co-setter Alyssa Link (5’7” So.), who is returning from a basketball season knee injury, and Shelby Beck (5’9” So. MH). Hannah Peshel (5’5” OH), Caitlin Miner (5’10” MH), Kaysie Vreeman (5’6” OH/setter), Kaycie Bellrichard (5’6” MH), and Jocelyn Sather (5’4” DS) make for a five-person senior class. The Knights have the M-C Labor Day, the Apple Valley October Classic, and the Rochester Exchange Tourneys in addition to their SEC schedule.
After a long string of very good volleyball, Chatfield has seen some down campaigns lately. The Gophers went 3-8 in the TRC, 5-23 overall last year. They fell to Cotter in a 1AA East quarterfinal 3-0 (18-25, 18-25, 21-25). Chatfield moves down to Class A. Taylor Salisbury is back to coach for a second year. She returns 11 of 14 players, so an upswing seems eminent. Included in the returnees are the Gophers two post-season award winners, Kielan LaPlante and Paige Erickson. LaPlante (5’10” Sr. MH) was the Gophers sole All-TRC pick after leading the team in kills (118) and finishing second in blocks (34 ½). Erickson was All-TRC HM after finishing second on the team in kills (100), first in blocks (37 ½) and aces (36). Also back are the team’s top two defensive players, Abi Hinckley (5’3” Jr. libero/DS > 208 digs, 31 aces) and Abby Nosbisch (5’6” Sr. DS/libero > 124 digs). Setter Teagan Allen (5’7” Sr. > 304 assists) returns. McKenna Daniels (5’7” Sr. OH > 87 kills) and Mollie Henry (5’7” Jr. OH) are two other full-timers, while Devann Clemens (5’7” So. setter), Carlie Berge (5’10” Sr. MH), and Peyton Berg (5’8 So. MH) played in at least 25 sets. The Gophers twice go to Rochester for tourneys, plus the W-K Invite. They have home-and-home series with R-P and L-A, the non-conference opener with Pine Island, then their other TRC games.
Lanesboro struggled through the 2018 volleyball campaign. The Burros went 2-12 in the SEC, 6-25 overall. They fell to Lewiston-Altura 3-0 (12-25, 14-25, 13-25) in a 1A East ‘pig-tail’ game. Coach Julie Schreiber is back to command the orange and black, which returns no All-SEC or All-SEC HM selections. The Burros have four returning seniors in Payton Benson (5’6” OH), Sophia Simes (5’7” OH), Mady Haugen (5’10” MH), and Kaylee Peterson (5’6” OH). Almost everyone on last year’s roster saw some playing time. Included in that group were youngsters Sydney Taylor (5’8” Jr. RH), Malia Tessum (5’6” So. OH), Ella Cambern (5’6” So. setter), and Kaci Ruen (5’10” Fr. MH). Taylor was a top hitter while Cambern did the setting. The Burros have tourneys in Mabel and Winona. In succession, they play the Cotter Tourney and five straight matches on the road in September.
Leave a Reply