Local prep volleyball teams ready for 2012

PALMER — The Palmer Moose have won three straight Northern Lights Conference titles. This year, as the Moose aim for the four-peat, Palmer has something new in its arsenal.

“We finally have a respectable high school block,” Palmer head coach Steve Reynolds said Monday afternoon. “Something I think we have working better for us is blocking.”

Reynolds has had quality middle hitters in recent years, but overall Palmer has sported smaller squads.

“We’re not going to block like Mary (Klapperich) and Allison (Leigh) over at Colony, but we’re finally going to have the block working for us,” he said.

Reynolds said juniors Brecken Riekenna and Kalei DePriest will be pivotal parts of the Palmer block. Junior setter Macey Buresh and senior right side hitter Jessica Cole will also contribute to the Palmer block.

“Everyone can block a little better,” Reynolds said.

Palmer graduated a solid senior class (Jenna Arlow, Morgan Morfe, Kasara Brandenburg and Kalene Smith) that was a big part of the team’s run to a third straight region title in 2011. But Reynolds is happy with who has returned.

Senior Lily Cullers is back to lead the squad from her position in the back row. Reynolds also said juniors Buresh, Riekenna and outside hitter Elliot Perkins saw ample varsity time as sophomores.

“All come back and fill the same roles they filled last year,” Reynolds said.

Cullers, the libero, and Buresh, Palmer’s top setter, are emerging as the early-season leaders on the court.

“It’s kind of fitting. The libero should be in charge of the defense and passing. The setter is the quarterback,” Reynolds said.

Reynolds also noted junior defensive specialist Cassidy Giese, a utility player for the Moose. Palmer also has sophomore Mariah McNamara to add depth to the Moose hitters.

Palmer was one of three Valley teams to compete in the Chugiak Invitational at Chugiak High last weekend. The Moose finished fourth in the tournament’s gold bracket.

“We got to see a bunch of different people,” Reynolds said.

Colony Knights

With five seniors returning, the Colony Knights could have one of the deepest veterans groups in the NLC.

“We have five returning seniors who were all on varsity last year,” Colony head coach Amy Carter said.

Brooke Deans, Mariah Weydahl and Maryann Zmuda, join Klapperich and Leigh in that senior group.

Leigh, who now stands at 6-foot-2, emerged as one of the top players in the middle last season in the NLC. Carter said Leigh continues to take her game to higher levels.

“Allison has come a long way since last year,” Carter said.

While Leigh will be the force in the middle for CHS, the 6-foot Klapperich could play multiple roles for the Knights. Carter said Klapperich missed the final day of the Chugiak Invite due to injury. Once the senior standout is completely healthy, Carter said Klapperich could be found in a few different areas on the court.

“She brings lots of versatility,” Carter said of Klapperich.

Carter said she expects sophomore Ashley Turcotte to join Leigh in the middle. Deans is one of Colony’s outside hitter, and Brooke Nezaticky and Zoe Headley are expected to contribute on the right side.

Carter is pleased with her duo of setters — Zmuda and Mackenzie Everett. Junior Chelsea Friesen has found a role as a defensive specialist.

Colony finished second in the silver bracket of the Chugiak Invite Saturday. The Knights also scored a 3-0 win over Wasilla early last week.

Wasilla Warriors

While Colony returns the bulk of its team, Wasilla lost basically everyone. After graduating seven seniors from a team that placed third in the NLC and advanced to the state tournament, the Warriors bring back only one varsity player — sophomore Machia Towes.

“She’s the only player that has some experience with the varsity team,” Wasilla head coach Claudia Farias-Pinard said. “We have a really young team.”

With the amount of holes on the roster, Farias-Pinard is looking to a number of players to fill the void.

Middle hitters Ashlyn Dorn and Cassidy Edwards, and outside hitters Alexis Butcher, Alexis Abbott, Amber Sizemore and Emily Pepper have been asked to contribute immediately.

“I have pretty good potential in players that will need to really step up and work hard to improve their techniques,” Farias-Pinard said of that group.

Setter Peyton Mobley will be among the leaders on the team, she said.

Despite the inexperience, Farias-Pinard said she’s already seen progress.

“We’ve improved already,” the head coach said. “We’ll be ready by the end of the year.”

Wasilla (0-1) hosts Houston tonight at 6:30 p.m.

Houston Hawks

The Houston Hawks are entering a new era of volleyball. Christy Zahrt has official taken over the program as head coach, and the Hawks are back in their old home in the 3A Southcentral Conference.

Houston is on its third head coach in as many years, and has spent the last several years as a member of the 4A Mid-Alaska Conference. It was a tough time for the Hawks in the MAC, but Zahrt said the Hawks are back on the court, and feeling re-energized.

“This team is extremely coachable. I couldn’t ask for a more coachable team,” Zahrt said. “They love the game, they listen. I’m very blessed to be with them.”

Zahrt said it’s sad to see the group of players go through the constant turnover of coaches, but praised her players for sticking with the Houston volleyball program. Zahrt said the Hawks have a big junior class and a nice group of athletes.

“We’re really an athletic team,” Zahrt said. “We’re deep. It’s not like we only have six players.”

Leading the squad on the court are senior middle blockers Maggie Theis and Kylie Gordon. Houston also has a pair of juniors — Emilee Melin and Khristin Nida — who have been varsity players since their freshman season.

Junior Sydnee Belanger has been a defensive standout.

“She’s phenomenal. She can dig almost anything when she’s on,” Zahrt said.

Houston also has freshmen Kimberly Quincy and Caitlyn Oakes, who are expected to contribute.

The Hawks make the trip to Wasilla High to face the Warriors tonight.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com, follow him @matsu_sports and find him by searching Valley Sports Huddle on Facebook.