Wednesday, August 27, 2008

WRHS volleyball team looks to turn defense into points

Buhl visits for season debut Tuesday


By JEFF CORDES
Express Staff Writer

"Teamwork makes the dream work." That's the rallying cry of the Wood River High School volleyball team, coach Tim Richards said.

Coming off its 20th district tournament championship season and having made the school's 21st state tournament trip last fall, Wood River (20-13-2) debuts its 2008 season Tuesday, Sept. 2 at home with Buhl.

"We will focus more on 'we' than 'me'," said seventh-year head coach Richards (135-91-2, 55-14 in league and Great Basin West tournament play). "We'll concentrate on supporting each other and being unselfish."

Defense is the cornerstone of winning volleyball, he added. "It starts everything," said Richards. He and assistant coach Gary Carr feel they have the kind of athletic players who can keep the balls in play.

"I think defensively we'll touch a lot more balls this season," said Richards.

Only seniors Angela Coleman and Kaylee Baker have full seasons of varsity experience among the 10 varsity players, but the Hailey girls have made plenty of swings and sets in high school and club action.

Wood River earned the Sportsmanship Trophy during the 2007 State 4A tournament in Coeur d'Alene, won one of its three state matches and posted the program's eighth consecutive 20-win season.

Although the Wolverines graduated Great Basin West co-MVPs Hannah Gove and Hannah Ward, and second-team All-League Lauren Morgenthaler, the Hailey spikers have plenty of talent on the varsity. In all, 34 players are on the varsity, JV and freshman teams.

This year's seniors include All-League first team and Most Improved team pick Kaylee Baker, second teamer and Defensive Player of the Year team recipient Angela Coleman, and Coaches' Award winner Kylie Anderson. They are the three co-captains of the Wolverines.

Coleman started her varsity career as a libero, but "she can play anywhere," said Richards. "Angela is a good libero and passer but a lot of the game is played at the net, so we might have her in the middle."

Outside hitters include 6-0 Baker and 5-9 junior Grace Lagodich, and 6-0 senior Hanna Gustafson is a middle hitter.

Setters are senior Haleigh Hall and junior Sara Koonce, with junior Monica Garceau making some sets in addition to the swings she'll take at the net. Returning libero is senior Kylie Anderson.

"We try to avoid being one-dimensional, so we'll be having the girls play a couple of different positions," said Richards. He added junior varsity players Jessica Hamilton and Haley Libert might see some varsity action along the way.

The Burley Bobcats graduated six seniors from the squad that pushed Wood River to the limit in a thrilling five-set Great Basin West championship match on the Burley court last October. Richards said, "Burley graduated all those seniors, Minico has two good girls and Jerome played a five-month club season."

He added, "They'll all be good teams. Everybody seems to think we have the program to beat. As I always say, we respect our opponents but we basically play against ourselves to improve our game."

Richards is delighted to welcome back one of his best alumni players. Jessica King, a 2004 Wood River High School graduate, was the co-captain of Hailey's 2003 state runner-up team and a three-time All-League volleyball star. King is the new junior varsity coach.

WRHS varsity: Coaches—Tim Richards and Gary Carr. Co-captains—Seniors Angela Coleman, Kaylee Baker and Kylie Anderson.

Seniors—5-10 Angela Coleman, 6-0 Kaylee Baker, 5-4 Kylie Anderson, 6-0 Hanna Gustafson, 5-8 Haleigh Hall and 5-6 Shelby Grubbs.

Juniors—5-10 Monica Garceau, 5-8 Ellen Johnson, 5-9 Grace Lagodich and 5-6 Sara Koonce.

WRHS junior varsity: Coach—Jessica King, former Wood River volleyball star and college player from 2004-07 at University of Alaska-Fairbanks, the last two seasons as captain for the Nanooks.

Juniors—5-9 Haley Libert, 5-5 Whitnee Dudley and Jessica Bradley.

Sophomores—5-6 Jessica Hamilton, 5-8 Claire Bowman, 5-11 Jade Glenn, 5-6 Taylor Gove, 5-6 Allie Hesteness, 5-6 Ali Town, 5-9 Cassi Gorringe, 5-5 Mady Uhrig and 5-4 Ali Levy.

WRHS freshman team: Coach Nate Kirk.

On the team are Ashley Jackson, Jesse Moore, Desiree Midby, Macey Farrow, Hannah Baybutt, Britney Dunn, Cookie Benson, Michaela Rodriguez, Morgan Jones, Karola Huaire and Maddy Waller.




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