The 2010 volleyball season will go down as one of the most challenging of Amherst coach Laurie Cogan's 20-year career.
View full sizeAmherst volleyball coach Laurie Cogan.If there was ever a season in Laurie Cogan's 20-year career, 2010 will go down as one of the most challenging for the Amherst volleyball coach.
The Comets, ranked No. 90 in the first PrepVolleyball.com Top 100 and No. 4 in the Division I coaches state poll, entered the week 13-0 overall and 6-0 in the Southwestern Conference with tournament titles at Norwalk and Field. Even more impressive considering Amherst isn't at full strength.
Senior/Wisconsin recruit Deme Morales has more than 100 kills as a primetime middle hitter but sophomore middle hitter Erica Turner, the team's tallest player at 5-9, recently returned from a deep ankle bone bruise suffered when she slipped on stairs at her home. Two days later, she was again sidelined with a sprained ankle and is now in a cast.
Sophomore Kristi Koller, a 5-8 rightside hitter, is playing at less than 100 percent because of a foot/calf muscle injury suffered during a spring accident on a golf cart.
"[Senior] outside hitter Kaylee Koller is playing well and [senior] rightside Chloe Fairchild is back after tearing her ACL last year after eight matches, but [freshman] Mallory Sliman is playing a lot more than expected in the middle because of the injuries," Cogan said. "When Erica comes back, it will allow us to move Mallory to the right side.
"The lineup still isn't where I want it to be since Deme would be on the outside if Erica and Kristi weren't hurt. Although our hitting isn't what it could be because of the injuries, our setter [senior Marissa Harned] is a two-year starter and this is the best defensive team I've had in a long, long time."
Never too late: It wasn't the Division II state title match but a win over North Coast League Blue Division foe Padua is huge anytime, according to Lake Catholic coach Rich Severino. So it's understandable he wasn't downplaying his team's recent 25-21, 21-25, 21-25, 25-20, 15-12 victory over the two-time state champion Bruins, ranked No. 7 in the coaches state poll.
"The girls felt they had [Padua] beaten at state last year," said Severino, referring to last season's setback. "To win that first game, at their house, was big but the key was our blocking. I think we had about 20 blocks.
"Padua played exceptionally well and if I had to give our team a grade, it would be a B-minus."
Lions coming on: Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin scored a major confidence-booster with a four-game win over Villa Angela-St. Joseph.
"This is my third season at NDCL," said Lions coach Tom Ray, "and I know it's our first win over them in at least four years."
Ray wasn't complaining about the match against No. 1-ranked Lake Catholic either, despite the fact NDCL lost in three games.
"We were playing well in the first two games until near the end," Ray said. "In fact, we led, 18-17, in Game 2 but a couple of mistakes killed us. Did we expect to beat Lake? No, but we were competitive so we're making progress."
NDCL's play has improved all-around.
Cassie Kuchta, Jackie Miozzi and Regina transfer Katy Hanratty and Erica Vella are setting the table for 5-8 Michelle Hren, freshmen Hannah Love, Morgan White and 6-0 sophomore Lauren Beck.
"Michelle's got a 25-inch vertical jump," said Ray. "Morgan's got a 26-inch vertical and she's the most athletic kid I've ever coached.
At it again: Streetsboro is 9-1, 6-0, ranked 17th in the Division II coaches state poll and is in the driver's seat to win its sixth straight Portage Trail Conference County Division title under veteran coach Bill Smerglia.
"We're very athletic, we play defense, we try to move the ball around and we have kids who can jump," Smerglia said.
Senior Jordan Genovese, 5-9 junior Rachel Kolke and 5-10 sophomore Lexi Brewster head the middle while 5-8 junior Jessica Oktavec and senior Jaclynn Hess handle the outside. The setter is senior Da'Nae Redding.
The Rockets have kept their composure even though they practice and play their home matches in the middle school gym since a fire burned down most of the high school.
Good week for Elyria: The Pioneers, ranked No. 16 in the Division I poll, had a good week, defeating 13th-ranked Strongsville and Buckeye, along with Valley Forge. Elyria handed the Bucks, ranked No. 12 in Division II, their first loss of the season while the victory over Strongsville gave the Pioneers sole possession of first place in the Northeast Ohio Conference Valley Division.
"It's always good to beat a Division I team who's ranked higher than you in the [state] poll," said Pioneers coach Jodie Johnson, referring to the 25-15, 25-19, 14-25, 15-25, 15-13 win over Strongsville. "We had a match-up advantage in the first two games, then [Strongsville coach Erick Sopata] changed his lineup and we had a hard time adjusting.
"The key to winning the match was getting an early lead in Game 5."
Kristen Boros and Shelby Obitts teamed up for 44 kills and 25 digs with the help of setter Shelby Regiec, who finished with 42 assists.
Future Green Wave? Holy Name volleyball coach Jenny Phillips and husband, Scott, welcomed the birth of their first child Sunday -- a daughter weighing 8 pounds, 13 ounces, and 20 inches long.
Cross country
A new McGregor: Cross country fans who have been around a few years might be doing a lot of double-takes and wondering if professional distance runner Katie McGregor found a time machine and has come back as a Hudson Explorer. With her bright red hair gathered in a ponytail, Hudson freshman Kate McGregor looks strikingly like former Willoughby South state champion Katie McGregor.
"People ask me all the time if I know who Katie McGregor is," Kate McGregor said. "I didn't know until recently that she has red hair, too."
Katie McGregor, 33, is a six-time national champion who currently runs for Team Minnesota. Kate McGregor was coming off an injury and a two-week layoff when she placed 40th at the Boardman Spartan Invitational last week in 20:43.
Strongsville Invite: The Strongsville Second Sole Invitational on Saturday will feature an interesting mix of boys teams with Medina, Toledo St. Francis, Cincinnati St. Xavier, Mentor, Hudson and Avon Lake among the top contenders.
The girls field includes Hudson, Brunswick, Perrysburg, Louisville, Massillon Jackson, Mentor, Rocky River and Perry.
The boys race first at 10 a.m. The start is behind the high school and the finish is in Pat Catan Stadium.
Catholic meet: Most of the area's Catholic schools are headed to Kettering for the inaugural Midwest Catholic Cross Country Championships. The meet formerly was the All-Ohio Catholic Championships, and it has expanded to add teams from Indiana, Kentucky and Pennsylvania.
Defending OAC boys champion St. Ignatius returns to run in the Gold division, along with St. Vincent-St. Mary. Elyria Catholic and Trinity will square off in the Silver division.
Defending OAC champ Magnificat and SVSM are among the top teams in the girls Gold division.
New finish: The course at Boardman High School, a regional site, has a new ending. Instead of a sharp left turn atop a hill and finishing near the school, the turn is gone and runners have a long straight sprint downhill to the finish. The change received good reviews from runners and fans.
Field hockey
The beat goes: Those thinking Hathaway Brown will lose a beat after senior Sydney Kirby takes her talents to Princeton next fall should think again.
When Kirby had to sit out games against Ottawa Hills and Kent Roosevelt after receiving a red card in a victory over Hawken, Lilly Benjamin stepped up.
"Lilly's one of four outstanding sophomores," said Blazers coach Sydney Van Der Merwe. "Elizabeth Warner is a great defender, Annie Brockett is a super-fit midfielder and Sarah McCannis is doing the job as one of our sweepers."
Kirby has collected over 50 career goals but another sophomore, McKenzie Retino, is also an offensive threat while junior goalie Rachel Adler has collected four shutouts for HB, which entered the week 6-0-1.
Getting better: Hawken edged Magnificat, 2-1, for its first win of the season as sophomore Emily Heyd and junior Annabelle Rayburn scored. The Hawks lost to Hathaway Brown, 3-1, and Western Reserve Academy, 2-1, despite goals by junior Colleen Schikowski and sophomore Kathleen Graham, respectively.
"It's the first time in nine seasons that we've scored a goal against HB," said Emily Caswell Devey, who came out of retirement to coach the Hawks. "And I can't remember the last time we scored against WRA."
The game against WRA was even more satisfying for Devey because she used to be an assistant for Pioneers head coach Marie Fiedler.
"We're young so we're only going to get better," said Devey, whose goalie is Emily Anagnostos, one of only three seniors on the team.
Getting closer: Kent Roosevelt is winless but came close when it tied Magnificat, 2-2, behind goals from Nadia Black and Brooke Baughman.
"My main objective is to bring some stability to the field hockey program," said rookie coach Shannon Rakyta. "I'm their fourth coach in as many years."
Golf
Tourney time: While football has just reached the halfway point of the season, area golfers are about to begin their postseasons. Division II and III sectional tournaments, for both boys and girls, will be held at several sites next week. The girls Division II sectional at Punderson, which should be a two-team race between Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin and Hathaway Brown, gets things under way on Monday.
In all cases the top four teams and the top four individuals not on qualifying teams will advance to district play.
Season's end: The nine-team Northeast Independent School Girls Golf League, which consists of Beaumont, Hathaway Brown, Laurel, Magnificat, Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin, Padua, St. Joseph Academy, Walsh Jesuit and Warren John F. Kennedy, will hold its season-ending tournament today at Avon Oaks Country Club. Walsh Jesuit has won the five previous titles, which is based on a points system. One point is awarded for each dual or tri-meet victory and additional points are awarded according to the finish in the tournament. The tourney winner earns nine points, with the runnerup getting eight, etc.
NDCL enters today's event in first place with nine points. Hathaway Brown is second with eight, followed by Walsh Jesuit (seven) and Magnificat (six).
Quietly making noise: The girls golf team from Brecksville-Broadview Heights is in the midst of the best season in school history. The Lady Bees have won three invitationals and are 14-0 in dual matches while leading the Southwestern Conference.
Junior Halley Morell leads the team with a stroke average of 84, followed by Tess Stevens (86), Nikki Costa (86.5), Brynn Schumacher (86.67), Emily O'Donnell (90) and Erin Shaffeld (96). Stevens and Costa are the only seniors. The SWC tournament is Tuesday on Sweetbriar's Legacy Course.
Royal flush: Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy senior Jacob Forsythe was named player of the year and his coach, John Bucciarelli, was named coach of the year following the Principals Athletic Conference tournament Wednesday at the Legends of Massillon. Forsythe shot a 77 to claim medalist honors and lead the Royals to the team tournament title with a score of 324. Fairless was second at 339.
Boys soccer
First-hand look: Mentor coach Brady Dean has had his troops go up against the area's two top teams in recent weeks. The Cardinals were bested by Strongsville, 5-0, on Sept. 11 and lost to St. Ignatius, 9-0, last Saturday.
The Wildcats (9-0) are ranked second in the Division I state poll, while the Mustangs (7-0-1) are rated No. 5. According to Dean, you can pick your poison.
"These guys are technically pretty solid," said Dean, who coached for a time at St. Ignatius in the 1980s. "St. Ignatius is physically stronger and quicker. Strongsville may build a little more going for the attack. It should be a pretty good game."
St. Ignatius travels to Strongsville on Oct. 9 at 5 p.m.
Girls soccer
Toughening up: Brecksville-Broadview Heights went through one tough week. Ranked third in Division I going in, the Bees (7-1-2) lost to fifth-ranked Strongsville (8-1-1), 2-0, on Monday and played a scoreless tie against top-ranked and defending state champion Medina (9-0-1) on Wednesday.
It shows the Bees will be a force when the state tournament rolls around next month.
Sick leave: Medina coach Doug Corena said his team is battling numerous injuries. He plans to give it four days off to re-energize.
However, junior midfielder Jen Jankowski will have to call it quits on her campaign. After tearing ligaments in her left knee during the preseason, Jankowski tried to put off surgery until after the season.
She saw limited action in five games this season, taking one shot. But the knee has been causing problems, so she will undergo surgery to be better prepared for her senior season.
She scored five goals and had an assist during Medina's title run a year ago. Jankowski has already made an oral commitment to play at Cleveland State.
-- Bob Fortuna, Joe Maxse, Tim Rogers, Tim Warsinskey