SPORTS A8
CCF Recorder
August 13, 2009
HIGH SCHOOL | Editor Melanie Laughman | mlaughman@nky.com | 513-248-7118
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RECREATIONAL
Your Community Recorder newspaper serving Northern Kenton County
N K Y. c o m
RECORDER
NewCath to try for 4th straight regional title By James Weber
“We have a good core group of sophomores that should help fill some roster spots due to graduating seniors,” Fleissner said. “As of right now, I plan to start three sophomores, one junior and two seniors.” The returning starters are sophomore setter/outside hitter Taylor Snyder and 6-foot sophomore hitter/middle blocker Maggie O’Day. Other key newcomers are 6-2 sophomore middle blocker Elizabeth Gruenschlaeger, 5-10 sophomore middle blocker Jamie Kohls (MB) and 5-2 libero Maria Froendhoff. Seniors on the roster are hitters Ashley Piller and Frannie Schultz and libero Trisha Taylor.
jweber@nky.com
Campbell County teams have won the 10th Region volleyball title every season since the KHSAA changed the statewide alignment for the 2003 season. That doesn’t appear likely to change this year, but exactly who will be the 10th Region representative this season is up in the air. With three-time defending champion Newport Central Catholic sending four graduates to college volleyball, including three to Division I schools, the road to the state tourney could open up for several local schools. The 10th Region also includes several counties to the south and east of Campbell. In a recent state poll released by the Kentucky Volleyball Coaches Association, Highlands was rated 15th, Campbell County 17th and NewCath 19th. However, in a 10th Region KVCA poll only voted on by region coaches, Campbell County was picked to win followed by NCC and Highlands. However it plays out on the court, it should be fun to watch. Here is a look at all the county teams:
Newport
Christina Bivens returns for her third season as head coach with a 15-19 record. Newport was 7-11 last season. The Wildcats have two returning starters in Anessa Stamper and Tierra Feldhaus.
Silver Grove
Bellevue
The Tigers have two returning starters in seniors Cassie Glancy and Catherine Kessen, and two other seniors in Kristy Frazier and Kelsey Trimnell. First-year head coach Mickey Hill expects the junior class to play key roles this year, including Devyn Buschard, Taylor McIntyre, Morgan Rowland, Paige Smith and Gara Sullivan.
Bishop Brossart
The Mustangs have four returning starters for new head coach Pennie Wiseman, who joins the program after many years at Highlands. The returning starters are senior middle hitter Anna Dykes, senior libero Chelsea Verst, junior outside hitter Felicity Britt and sophomore setter Molly Williams. Top newcomers are senior defensive specialist Rachel Bankemper, junior outside hitter Marie Heeb, sophomore middle hitter Megan Herbst, and sophomore hitter Meredith Harris. “We will continue to improve and grow all season,” Wiseman said. “We are pretty young, but with the leadership of our returning starters, we look forward to a winning season.”
Campbell County
Leah Ballinger returns for her second as season as Camel head coach after a 25-7 record last season. The Camels won their fifth straight district championship a year ago. She returns four starters in senior outside hitter Natalie Penrod,
ADAM KIEFABER/STAFF
Newport Catholic sophomore Liz Gruenschlaeger (in white jersey) punches the volleyball over the net for a point during a scrimmage at Notre Dame Aug. 5. Gruenschlaeger’s sister, Annie, is one of three NewCath’s Division I collegiate volleyball players to graduate from last year’s team. This season, Liz is expected to be one of three sophomores to start for the Thoroughbreds. senior middle hitter Jenna Cavanaugh, junior outside hitter Jessica Partin and senior defensive specialist Erynn McDaniel. Penrod and Cavanaugh are potential Division I college prospects. Sophomore Chandler Gray is the top addition to the lineup at setter. “I like that overall we are a young team,” Ballinger said. “We have four players with varsity experience and four players that are ready to step in and fill the void left by the seniors from last year. This team works hard in practice and gets along well on and off the court.”
Dayton
The Greendevils were 19-16 last year, their first winning record in more than a decade. Sixth-year head coach Barbie Case Lukens has four returning starters to help build on that success, which saw Dayton finish runner-up in the district tournament and qualify for the regional tourney. Returning starters are Sammy Powell, Randee Wildeboer, Raven Schwierjohann, and Allison Dilts. The top newcomers are Carly Redeaf and Brianna Kelly. Case-Lukens said the team has high hopes of winning the Northern Kentucky Athletic Conference Division III title for the first time in school history.
The Big Trains went 2-19 last year, but third-year head coach Wesley Murray said the team could improve by at least 10 wins as they return five starters. The returning starters are Payton Govan, Cindy Miller, Krista Govan, Amber Fancher and Hannah Carmen.
Highlands
Whitney Edwards started the recent Highlands/Brossart trade of volleyball coaches. She went from the Brossart head coaching job to Highlands this summer, while Brossart tabbed Highlands assistant Pennie Wiseman to replace her. Edwards inherits a Bluebirds team that went 25-8 last year and returns five starters. Senior middle hitter Claire A’Hearn is a top college prospect receiving looks from Division I schools. Junior setter Jenna Theisen is a veteran setter who has been with the program since seventh grade. Junior Aly Fossett is an experienced libero. Senior Lindsey Osterhus is an all-around amazing athlete, said Edwards, as is junior Maggie Rixson. Junior Leigh Osterhus and senior Hope Cutter are the top newcomers to the lineup.
Newport Central Catholic
Vicki Fleissner gets her chance to be a head coach after 19 years as an assistant to Jenny Mertle at NewCath. Her first year won’t be easy after the team graduated four college players, including three Division I signees, from last year’s state semifinalist.
FILE PHOTO
Claire A’Hearn (16) is one of Highlands’ top offensive weapons.
U18 Elite soccer team takes second at youth nationals Highlands High School’s Leslie Twehues was one of seven players to score for Ohio Elite’s U18 soccer team as the girls nearly captured a national title at U.S. Youth Soccer National Championships. Competing as one-of-four regional champions at nationals, Ohio Elite advanced to the finals of its U18 girls bracket after finishing pool play at 2-0-1. Ohio Elite fell to FC Bucks Vipers, 1-0, during the finals Sunday, July 26, to finish as national runner-up. Twehues scored one goal at nationals and is committed to the collegiate program at the University of Kentucky. Taking place in Lancaster, Mass., nationals began with pool
play Wednesday, July 22, and concluded with finals Sunday, July 26. The Vipers became the first girls’ team from Pennsylvania to win a U.S. Youth Soccer national title. Milford High School graduate Alyssa Rich and Lisa Nouansengy, a Dayton resident, led Ohio Elite with two goals each during nationals. Rich is committed to the Division I collegiate program at the University of North Carolina. Elizabeth Burchenal and Emily Cardell, both of Saint Ursula Academy, netted one goal each for the U18 Ohio Elite girls’ team at nationals. Like Rich, Burchenal is also
Ohio Elite U18 girls club roster Lauren Amyx (Saint Ursula), Ohio State University Lindsay Bell (Anderson), University of Memphis Ally Berry (Saint Ursula), Wake Forest University Caitlin Bresnahan (Sycamore), Washington State University Elizabeth Burchenal (Saint Ursula), University of North Carolina Tara Campbell (McNicholas), Duke University Emily Cardell (Saint Ursula), University of Louisville Dana Dalrymple (Anderson), University of Iowa Ashley Daniels (Indian Hill), University of Cincinnati Brooke Eberly (CHCA), University of
committed to the University of North Carolina.
Cincinnati Alix Hildal (Sycamore), University of Mississippi Kiley Naylor (Ursuline), University of Virginia Alyssa Rich (Milford), University of North Carolina Meredith Snow (Indian Hill), University of Mississippi Leslie Twehues (Highlands), University of Kentucky Sarah Vinson (Amelia), Marshall University Maggie Brown (Lakota West) Kate Biggerstaff (Columbus resident) Erin Jacobsen (Chicago resident) Lisa Nouansengy (Dayton resident) Allie Vernon (Chicago resident)
Cardell will play college soccer at the University of Louisville.
Indian Hill graduate Meredith Snow and Chicago resident Erin Jacobsen also scored one goal each at nationals for Ohio Elite. Snow begins her sophomore season with the University of Mississippi this fall. Ohio Elite kicked off pool play at nationals with a win over ESC 91 Black, 4-0, on Wednesday, July 22. The girls improved to 2-0 in pool play Thursday, July 23, with a win over Pleasanton Rage, 3-0. During the final day of pool play Friday, July 24, Ohio Elite finished in a 2-2 draw with FC Bucks Vipers, the eventually U-18 girls national champions.