Volleyball scene full of change

If you had to pick a theme song for this year's high school volleyball season, David Bowie's "Changes" would be a good one, as there are plenty of changes for area high schools as they prepare for their season openers this week.

From rules changes to new faces on the rosters, schools from the Greater Spokane League, Great Northern League, and Northeast A League will see if change brings about the desired results in the standings.

Defending GSL champion Lewis and Clark will be hard pressed to defend its title, losing its head coach and every starter from last season's squad.

Ferris, Mead, Gonzaga Prep and Shadle Park are expected to be the favorites to challenge the Tigers for the league crown this season.

In the Great Northern, defending champion Pullman is the favorite, with Colville and Medical Lake pushing the Greyhounds in the standings.

The Northeast A League should see defending champ Colfax leading the way, while local schools Liberty and Northwest Christian hope to make a run at a playoff berth.

Here's a preview of the area schools in the GSL, Great Northern and Northeast A Leagues for this upcoming volleyball season.

Lewis and Clark Tigers

After a magical season in which the Tigers went unbeaten in the GSL, won distric and regional titles and finished third at state, head coach Julie Yearout takes over a program that returns just three players and no starters from that squad.

"I'm just trying to get them to play next to each other first because we don't have that chemistry yet," said Yearout. "We don't even return six players who have been on the same court with each other."

A trio of 5-foot-5 players lead the way for LC, as junior Tana Webb and sophomore Ivy Bush return as outside hitters, while senior defensive specialist Megan Haskell is also back. Senior middle blocker Allison Bennett and junior outside hitters Alyson Hieber and Kiki Cain lead the upperclassmen whom Yearout hopes will contribute.

The Tigers will be paced by a talented sophomore class, including starting setter Allison Moran and backup Christy Luby. Middle blocker Hannah Rothstrom, outside hitter Arianne Jackson and blocker/ hitter Molly Fuhs will be counted on to help the Tigers back to the top of the league.

"There's going to be a learning curve thrown at us because there's just way too many adjustments," said Yearout. "We just need to get better every week."

Ferris Saxons

Head coach Stacey Ward enters her 14th year at Ferris with an experienced squad, as 10 players return from a team that finished third in the GSL last season before losing to Shadle Park in the district tournament.

"Compared to last year, we're quite a ways ahead of where we were," said Ward.

"Last year we had to break down the defense and go step by step, and do the same with the offense. This year, it took me one day to teach the defense, and one day to teach the offense. That makes it really nice."

Returning senior setter Shannon Flaherty will make it nicer for Ward, as she helps leads the offense.

Senior outside hitters Kris Peterson and Meredith Leve are back, as are senior right-side hitter Libby Hart and defensive specialist Jamie Pogachar. Ferris also returns a talented junior class led by middle blocker Chelsea Gese, right-side hitter Sheridan Brett, Shannon Camp on the backrow, outside hitter Kasey Blevins, and setter Miranda Gouin.

Senior newcomer hitter Christie Bogle will lend support off the bench, while hard-hitting freshman Kelsey Kamitomo will see plenty of playing time.

"With this group, I think they have the potential to be in the mix with the top three teams in the league if everyone stays healthy and if everything goes like it should,"Ward said.

Gonzaga Prep Bullpups

In her second stint as the Bullpups head coach, Lisa Phillips has six returning players to a team that should challenge for the GSL title.

"I have high hopes," said Phillips. "We're a big team, big blockers.

"I hope it all comes together. I hope to do better than we did last year."

The Bullpups finished in the middle of the league last season, so it's fitting G-Prep will look to the middle to turn things around.

Senior middle blocker Kerri Beck leads the biggest front line in the league this season.

Senior outside hitters Sara VanGemert and Krista Frankovic return, as do a trio of juniors, right-sider Rachael Nicholas, outside hitter Kelly Mastor and defensive specialist Haley Topliff. Sophomore setter Elizabeth Hardan will start as the leader for a potentially potent offense, while senior middle blocker Joanna Ricken comes up from junior varsity to support a strong front line.

"Having a strong middle opens up the outside a lot," Phillips said. "With Kerri and Joanna in the middle and Rachael and Kelly on the outside, we have a big lineup.

"We're going to have to pass well. We have to play well together and play our best out on the court."

Cheney Blackhawks

The Blackhawks got a rude indoctrination in their first year in the GSL last season, going winless in their initial campaign. Things don't get any easier for fourth-year head coach Tammy Hauer, as no players come back from last year and only one senior is on the roster.

"It's definitely a rebuilding year for us," Hauer said. She added that the new scoring change to rally scoring will help her team this season, though.

"I think it's (rally scoring) an advantage to us," said Hauer. "It keeps us in the games.

"I think we're going to be able to win some games we couldn't win. Mentally it will make us a lot tougher, where we won't feel so defeated early in games."

Lone senior right-side hitter Anna Wing will lead the Blackhawks this season.

Sophomore 6-foot-1 middle blocker Meghan Cogley will also be counted on heavily to help turn Cheney around.

Junior setter Patricia Espinoza will start, as will fellow juniors middle blocker Rachel Reiber and defensive specialist Cami Jones. Sophomore outside hitters Meriah Young, Breanna Falor and Kaila Bonin will be looked to to provide depth to a young squad.

"We're just looking to improve," said Hauer. "We're not going to finish on top by any means, and that's not our goal.

"We're looking at the future, as most of our kids will come back. We're looking to win some games and beat the 3A schools obviously."

Medical Lake Cardinals

The past two seasons have ended in frustrating fashion for the Cardinals, who missed a berth in the state tournament by just one win.

Third-year coach Dawn Eliassen's team will look to get to state with just four players back from last year's outfit.

"Even though they're young, their timing is so much better than it was at the end of last year," said Eliassen. "Our whole goal and our focus in our first week of practice was passing.

"We have to have pinpoint accuracy. We don't have any height. Our tallest girl is 5-foot-8, maybe 5-foot-9."

Senior defensive specialist Ashlee King is back to lead the Cardinals.

"She's the heart of our team, very vocal and very energetic," Eliassen said.

Senior setter Charissa Turner also returns to run the offense. Junior 5-foot-8 middle blocker Nicole Johnson could be a key to Medical Lake's season.

"She can be the big girl in the league. She certainly has the ability; she just has to believe she can do it," said Eliassen.

Junior outside hitter Miranda Spilker is the final player returning, moving from her spot as a middle blocker last season. Fellow junior outside hitter Meredith Bowlin, and defensive specialist Jessica Probst will also be counted on heavily, as will sophomore setter Colleen Constantine, and sophomore middle blocker Caitlin Smith.

"We're a more cohesive team than in the past," said Eliassen, whose team hopes to challenge Pullman and Colville in the Great Northern standings.

"We've been knocking on the door two years running. We want to be there (at state)."

Liberty Lancers

First-year coach Amanda Larson takes over a Lancer program in her first head coaching job of any kind.

"The girls have been very positive," said Larson. "We've just been going hard.

"I was overwhelmed just being a first-time head coach going into it. I've done it from the team point of view, but I've never had to arrange everything - getting uniforms, balls and nets, so I've had to learn that. They're helping me out a lot."

Larson will have four players coming back from a team that advanced to the regional tournament last season. Senior co-captains Amber Horlacher and Alyssa Konchuk will lead the Lancers this season.

Junior setter Melissa Martensen and junior middle blocker Cherice Piersol also come back for Liberty. A pair of sophomores, 6-foot middle blocker Jennifer Brumley and outside hitter Lynae Olson will also be counted on heavily, as will senior outside hitter Katie Hanek, who returns after sitting out the past two years.

"The girls are looking at least to regionals," said Larson. "We're trying to regroup as a team.

"The team's had a lot of changes over the last couple of years - coaches and players - so we're just trying to get a foundation for our program and build it up. We're a young team, and a fairly short team, so we're trying to get our hitters to start swinging.

"Right now, we're good passers," she said with a laugh.

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