THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 18, 1994 TAG: 9409160236
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 22 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JULIE GOODRICH, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 136 lines
AS USUAL, THERE seems little doubt that anybody will challenge Western Branch for the Southeastern District girls volleyball championship. But Wilson no longer can lay claim to an undisputed Portsmouth city title.
For the first time, Churchland is fielding a team.
Wilson had been the city's lone entry in volleyball since the sport was introduced in the district, playing earlier under the Manor banner.
Bobbi Shuler, who coaches girls softball, is at the helm of the Truckers. John Thomas returns as Wilson's coach.
For nine years, Western Branch beat up on the Southeastern District teams and then sat back and wondered how good it really was.
The Bruins finally got an answer last season when the Virginia High School League added an Eastern Region and state tournament to the post-season menu.
Western Branch won the region and placed third in the state. The outlook this year is for more of the same.
The Bruins, who have won or tied for the district title 10 years in a row, are favored again with five of six starters returning.
``We've got our nucleus back, but we're still working on a few things,'' said coach Jim Stanko. ``We're battling a few injuries, but I think we'll be ready.''
The most notable injuries are to senior tri-captain Angie Albertson and junior Calee Morris.
With the graduation of all-star Anneyce Treherne, Western Branch's play will revolve around senior tri-captain Sarah Wolf, the Bruins' setter, and all-district outside hitter Jaci Morris. Senior tri-captain Evie Benson also will start, along with juniors Amanda Atkins and Katie MacPhail.
The biggest threat to the Bruins' run for the district title will come from Chesapeake rival Indian River. The Braves handed Western Branch its only regular season loss last year and tied for first in the district with a 9-1 record. Indian River's only loss came at the hands of, you guessed it, the Bruins.
Coach Linda Rice returns a whopping 13 players, including all-district selections Jeannine Simpson, setter; Rachel Tyler, outside hitter; and Latisha Grevious, middle blocker.
``They've matured from last year . . . their skills have gotten so much better,'' said Rice, in her third season at Indian River. ``I don't have to explain things to them anymore. In fact, sometimes they explain things to me.''
Simpson, who along with fellow senior Tyler have been chosen as captains, is the ``quarterback of the team,'' according to Rice. ``I expect her to be a good leader, and she is.''
Deonna Lucas, Elizabeth Morgan and Quiana White also will be a force for the Braves.
Even though Wilson finished at the bottom of the district at 1-9, the Presidents had the highlight of their existence when coach Thomas' team took a game from Western Branch for the first time in the school's history. A game, mind you . . . not a match.
``I think it was either 15-13 or 16-14,'' said Thomas, who is carrying 20 girls, including five foreign exchange students, on his squad. ``But then they turned around and skunked us with a 15-0 game.''
Senior Amy Long, in her third year as starting setter, will captain the team along with seniors Latoya Owens and Shana Harris. Junior Veronica Curry, a transfer from Alliance Christian, and senior Andra Tuller from Switzerland will also have key roles.
Churchland coach Shuler is confident her Truckers will hit the win column in their initial season. She's predicting Churchland will get as many as four victories.
``We have people who are new to volleyball but we have some good athletes,'' said Shuler, who is working with a squad of 11. That includes eight basketball players, seven from the varsity and one from the junior varsity.
Although it's a first-year team, Shuler wanted to build around senior leadership and has three 12th graders on the squad. The mainstay is Great Bridge transfer Michelle Jarman, who is an experienced player. ``Our best in about every category,'' says Shuler. She's a hitter.
The other seniors are basketball guards Summer Speidell and Kizzy Butler. Speidell is a setter. Despite her small size (5-2) Butler is a frontline hitter. ``She has a very high vertical jump,'' Shuler pointed out.
Other starters include Nicole Council and sisters Courtney and Stacey Hundley.
Junior Olivia Monis is another prospect. Freshmen standouts are Jamie Slager and Shelly Singleton.
On a tier right behind Western Branch and Indian River in the district is Great Bridge. The Wildcats notched a 5-5 record last season and ended the year as runners-up in the region to Western Branch.
This year, coach Bill Clement has decided to switch gears and focus more on defense.
``I wasn't entirely happy with it last year,'' he said. ``We're going to concentrate on defense because I think a good defense will lead to points and more offensive opportunities.''
The Wildcats have brought back eight players, including all-district setter Marni Magyar, who returns for her final season at Great Bridge. Junior Jill Ferguson also will see time as setter, and senior Emily Ouzts is a powerhouse in the middle.
Jennifer Stagl, a transfer from South Carolina, also will start, along with April Meyer and Crystal Lassiter.
At Oscar Smith, coach Lynette Reuss hopes a new gym will mean a fresh start for the Tigers, who finished 1-9 last season.
And maybe it will. The Tigers opened the season Tuesday by upending Deep Creek, already matching the 1993 victory total.
The Tigers have five players back from last year, led by Sabrina Gott, who is joined by sisters Dianna and Wendy, and Anna Miller.
One player Reuss is counting on to lead the team is Brooke Lynch, who spent the summer improving her skills at a camp sponsored by the Tidewater Volleyball Association.
``She's got an excellent overhand serve, and she learned a jump serve while she was at camp,'' said Reuss. ``I can tell she's a lot smarter on the court.''
Reuss said that the Tigers are concentrating on serving and good third-hit attacks.
Deep Creek is another up-and-coming team that could play the role of spoiler as it progresses. Coach Barbara Stephenson has two starters returning, sophomores Nicole Atterberry and Melissa Hollobaugh, and welcomes eight new players to her squad of 15.
``They're learning a lot right now and trying to jell as a team,'' Stephenson said. ``I think by the second half they're going to be better than they expect.''
Although the Hornets are a young team, Stephenson isn't worried about a lack of team chemistry.
``They're a real cohesive unit,'' she said.
Norcom does not have a volleyball team.
District play commenced on Tuesday. In addition to Oscar Smith's victory over Deep Creek, Great Bridge downed Churchland, 15-1, 15-5, 9-15, 15-5, and Indian River beat Wilson, 15-0, 15-4, 15-4. MEMO: Contributing to this story was Currents sports editor Bill Leffler.
ILLUSTRATION: Bobbi Shuler, who coaches girls softball, will coach the
Churchland volleyball team, too.
SCHEDULE
[For a copy of the schedule, see microfilm for this date.]
KEYWORDS: SOUTHEASTERN DISTRICT VOLLEYBALL PREVIEW by CNB