Setting sights on a return to the State 4A tournament after a one-year absence, the Wood River High School volleyball team debuted its 2010 season Tuesday night with a home triangular meet against 3A Buhl Tribe and Filer Wildcats.
Ninth-year Wood River coach Tim Richards (177-121), guiding the Wolverines into matches for the 300th time Tuesday, has welcomed a fairly young and inexperienced team for another run at Great Basin Conference prominence.
That prominence took a hit last fall when the GBC expanded from four to six teams.
Wood River (19-17 last fall) just missed out on a 10th consecutive 20-win season and saw its string of three straight GBC tournament titles snapped by winner Twin Falls and runner-up Minico of Rupert.
Coached by former Wood River boys' basketball player B.J. Price, Twin Falls (16-6) made its first trip to state volleyball since 1997, and Minico (12-8) made it to state for the first time since 2004.
Third-place Wood River, a five-game loser to Minico in the semi-final, was left on the outside looking in—deprived of the school's 23rd state berth.
Richards always has high expectations for his teams, but he realizes he has "a lot of young girls," this year and could start three sophomores out of the six players he sends out on the court. The 10-player varsity roster features five seniors and five sophomores and no juniors at all.
"We have youth and enthusiasm. I'm optimistic. I'd like to think we'll be pretty competitive," he said.
Fortunately, Richards returns a capable setter/hitter in 5-6 senior Jessica Hamilton, an honorable mention All-League pick. "Jess will set most the rotations. It's nice to have the ball in her hands," said Richards.
The coach's youngest of four daughters who played volleyball for Wood River is sophomore Lily Richards. She logged plenty of varsity time as a freshman and is versatile, setting and hitting from the outside.
Senior outside hitters Ali Levy and Allie Hesteness along with senior middle blocker Jade Glenn are others with playing time from last year's team. Tall and talented, sophomores Sydney Tidwell (middle/right side) and Kori Paradis (middle) will only get better in 2010.
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"We've been putting Sydney up against the other team's best hitter. She does a nice job of blocking," said Richards. Hesteness, quiet and competitive with a nose for the ball, will also serve as a libero. And Levy usually finds a way to get the job done.
Twin Falls, led by last fall's conference "Player of the Year" Cheltzie Williams, a senior, is the league favorite. Richards said, "Twin Falls has a nice pool of athletes and should have another good group or two before Canyon Ridge gets better.
"Minico graduated eight seniors, but Jerome has a great group of 10th-graders coming up. Burley is building. Looking at Buhl and Filer, they are both good teams. The tournament in Pocatello (at Highland Sept. 3-4) will tell us where we are."
Here is the 2010-11 roster:
WRHS varsity
Head coach—Tim Richards (9th year, 177-121). Assistant coaches—Mark Gasenica and Kim Richards. Volunteer coach—Gary Carr.
Seniors—Jade Glenn (6-0 middle blocker); Jessica Hamilton (5-6 setter); Allie Hesteness (5-7 libero/outside hitter); Ali Levy (5-7 outside hitter); and Hunter Thompson (right side/outside hitter).
Sophomores—Lily Richards (5-9 outside hitter/setter); Kori Paradis (middle blocker); Sydney Tidwell (5-11 middle blocker/right side); Alison Gasenica (setter); and Miranda Gasenica (libero).
Junior varsity
Head coach—Anna Edwards.
Juniors—Karola Huaire (defensive specialist/setter) and Maddi McInnis (outside hitter).
Sophomores—Madi Hendrix (5-10 outside hitter); Taylor Bernston (middle blocker); Rachel Conover (outside hitter); Hanna Stocks (setter); Margaret Reutter (5-10 middle blocker); Mandy Kinsey (setter); Larissa Roberts (middle blocker); Clara Rodriguez (defensive specialist/setter); and Lena Roebuck (defensive specialist).
Freshmen
Head coach—Nate Kirk.
Players—Cassidy Cooper, Shelby Cooper, Mary Petzke, GG Gibson, Gisel Guzman, Lauren Jacobs, Courtney Lecrone, Kendra Price, Meagan Kaminski, Sami Rodriguez, Sadie Dawson and Carolina Loera.
