Team: Wisner-Pilger
Mascot: Gators
Colors: Green and White
Class: C-2
Head Coach: Jean Groth (40th season) (757-232 record)
2016 record: 20-12
Returning Starters: 6
Overview:
Wisner-Pilger looks to get back to top form and have another good season after going 20-12 a season ago.
6 starters return for long time Head Coach Jean Groth, and they are Maci Batenhorst (8 M 12 5.11 3), Lauren Jacobsen (9 S 12 5.10 3), Ashton Meyer (6 OH 12 5.8 2) , Cass Dixon (14 OH 12 5.9 1), and Jordan Wegner (7 M 11 6 2).
Groth says Batenhorst is a player to watch out for. "Maci, hit .206 last year and returns with 267 kills (1/4 of last year’s total number of kills) She led her team with 74 ace serves. Scored on 26 solo blocks. Maci also is one of our primary receivers when siding out. Maci has a terminator attitude and is very well equipped to score runs of points at the net or from the service line."
Groth adds Jacobsen is a great player in her own right. "Lauren led the team with 890 set assists, nearly 11 per set. Also led team in solo blocks with 28. Lauren was leading server for her team last season also. Lauren is an extraordinary leader and has excellent ball control skills. She does an amazing job of raising the level of play of everyone around her, while holding the bar at a high level for herself. She will direct our offense again this season. Her strength of serve will be a huge asset for her team, as well as swinging for points when in the front row."
Groth says Ashton Meyer is a very valuable member of the team. "Ashton is a returning starter, who was a integral part of our primary passers in serve receive. She also is our third leading attacker at the net returning in kills."
Groth says Ariel Meyer will have an expanded role this year. "Ariel will take over some of the setting role in transition to allow Lauren to become a part of our offense."
Groth says Dixon bolsters and strengthens the team. "Cass also returns as an outside attacker. Her strength of serve and ability to cut the ball at the net will add to the depth of this team."
Groth says Wegner is an all around great player. "Jordan is an impact volleyball athlete. She was a Gator her freshman year and then transferred out her sophomore year, she returned last fall, with 9 matches left on the season. During that short stint, she led her team with blocks per set -28 total and averaging .56 per set. She also scored on 174 kills, an average of nearly 4 kills per set. Jordan is a very accomplished high jumper in track and uses her ability to get up in the air to control the net in her area."
Other possible contributors are Emily Hatterman (1 DS 5.4 11), Karrin Jindra (13 M 5.9 10), and
Aspin Waterman (16 OH 5.9 10).
I'm expecting big things out of the Gators this year. Wisner-Pilger certainly has the talent and experience to have a great season. Now it's simply a matter of putting things all together and going out there and getting the job done night in and night out.
Season Outlook:
Wisner-Pilger looks to get back to their dominate ways this season. Groth says the Gators are a hard working and experienced group. "The 2017 Gator Volleyball team has an excellent collective work ethic in this young season. They are committed to being stronger together. The team has 5 seniors that are very experienced on the court and complement one another. Strength of serve and ball control on “in-system” serve receive are focal points early - and I anticipate will become our strength as the season matures."
The Gators are in a tough C2-4 Sub-District with Stanton, Battle Creek, Howells-Dodge, and Lutheran High Northeast.
Wisner-Pilger has a pretty tough and challenging schedule, but I look for the Gators to compete with everyone on the slate.
The Gators should be a very fine team, and I look for them to make a push in the early season, in the conference tournament, and in postseason play.
I think every team will get Wisner-Pilger's best shot with a lot of these girls being seniors and juniors.
This is the final go around for quite a few of these girls, and I fully expect the Gators to go out with a vengeance.
I don't think Wisner-Pilger will go down quietly or softly this season. I feel the Gators will be a team that is never out of a match no matter the situation.
A tough schedule should give Wisner-Pilger a lot of wildcard points and an opportunity to make state if the Gators take care of business.
I view Stanton as Wisner-Pilger's biggest threat to making a district final and the state tournament.
So it's really important for the Gators to do well in the regular season in order to give themselves a chance at a wildcard to go to state should they need it.
State has to be the ultimate goal for Wisner-Pilger, and what a way it would be to go out for these five seniors.
The Gators know what to expect, and should be ready to roll from the onset this year.
Wisner-Pilger has to get off to a fast start and finish even stronger.
The Gators have been very good and consistent over the years, and I look for Wisner-Pilger to have another 20+ win season this year.
All the Gators' hopes and dreams are out there to achieve...Wisner-Pilger just has to have the drive and determination for greatness, and must take the bull by the horns every day when they wake up.
2017 Wisner-Pilger Gators Volleyball Schedule:
08/24/17 Schuyler
08/31-09/02 (To Be Determined) NEN Tournament (2/3-Day Tournament) Wisner/Pender
09/05/17 West Point-Beemer
09/12/17 @ North Bend Central
09/19/17 Stanton Triangular (host: Stanton)
09/19/17 Pender Triangular (host: Stanton)
09/21/17 Battle Creek Triangular (host: Crofton)
09/21/17 Crofton Triangular (host: Crofton)
09/23-09/23 (To Be Determined) Wisner-Pilger September Classic (1-Day Tournament, >4 Teams) Wisner
09/26/17 Madison Double Triangular (host: Wisner-Pilger)
09/26/17 Howells-Dodge Double Triangular (host: Wisner-Pilger)
10/05/17 Lutheran High Northeast Triangular (host: Guardian Angels Central Catholic)
10/05/17 Guardian Angels Central Catholic Triangular (host: Guardian Angels Central Catholic)
10/07-10/07 (To Be Determined) Wisner-Pilger Invite (1-Day Tournament, >4 Teams) Wsiner
10/10/17 Tekamah-Herman
10/12-10/14 (To Be Determined) East Husker Conference (2/3-Day Tournament) Top Seeds/Logan View
10/17/17 @ Twin River
10/19/17 Logan View Triangular (host: Scribner-Snyder)
10/19/17 Scribner-Snyder Triangular (host: Scribner-Snyder)
10/24/17 Oakland-Craig
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