Team: Wisner-Pilger
Mascot: Gators
Colors: Green and White
Class: C-2
Head Coach: Jean Groth (41st season) (804-252 record)
2018 record: 23-11 (lost to Thayer Central at Sub-State)
Returning Starters: N/A
Overview:
The Wisner-Pilger Volleyball Team is looking for big things this year after coming up just one game short of making the State Tournament last year.
Head Coach Jean Groth says there are 6 girls on the team this year who have played all four years for the Gators. "Aspin Waterman. She is an outside attacker and a primary passer. She scored 214 points last season. 181 kills, 20 service aces, and 7 blocks. Rachel Otten. Rachel scored 281 points last season on 151 kills, 88 blocks and 42 ace serves. Ashley Brahmer scored 80 points last season on 48 kills, 13 blocks, and 9 service aces. Erin McGuire. Erin was one of the team's back up setters last season and will take on the setting duties along with Adi Meyer. Lexi Parker. Lexi is able to help the team as an outside attacker, a defensive specialist, and also as a serving specialist. Karrin Jindra. The ream is happy to welcome Karrin back after her knee in fury and rehab. She started for the team as a sophomore LIBERO in 2017.
Others expected to see varsity playing time are Sophomore middles Lily Otten and Lindsey Kneifl. They both are dominant athletes and very good middles.
Sophomore setter/attacker Adi Meyer returns as the Gators' freshman starter last year at that same position. Adi scored 95 points last season as a freshman. She scored on 51 ace serves, 31 kills, and 13 blocks.
Junior Reagan Scholting, returns as last year’s LIBERO. She led the team last season 300 digs. Junior, Tymarie Ott returns as a right side attacker.
Sophomore Joslyn Jacobs plays outside attacker for the team and appeared in 18 games last season. Sophomore, Shelby Braun is a defensive specialist for the team.
Wisner-Pilger lost three players from last year in Cassidy Gooch. She was a right-side attacker. She had 16 kills on the season and 7 blocks, Emily Hatterman. She was a setter. She had 644 set assists and 22 ace serves, Jordan Wegner. She was an outside attacker. The team had 884 kills last season and she had 382 kills. She also had 32 of their 160 blocks and 49 service aces out of 210.
Groth says the offseason went very well. "The team was very disciplined over the summer. They took advantage of many opportunities to improve individual skills as well as to gel as a team. Open gyms, individual camp, and team camps allowed them to take their games to the next level."
She adds this year's senior class is ready. "Returning seniors are ready for the challenge. Middles – Ashley Brahmer and Rachel Otten. Outsides – Aspin Waterman and Karrin Jindra. The right side of the net will be manned by Adi Meyer (sophomore) and Erin McGuire (senior) Defensively, we will lean on Reagan Scholting (Junior and Lexi Parker (senior)."
I feel the Gators have a chance to be very good this year and make it down to the State Tournament.
Season Outlook:
Wisner-Pilger opens up the season on Thursday at home against Schuyler in action that can be heard on 107.9 the Bull. Groth breaks down the matchup. "The match with Schuyler (a class B school) will be the “first night out” for the entire squad. There are always organizational jitters early I the season. I feel the team that focuses on earning points, in lieu of giving up points will have the advantage"
A win would be really good for the Gators' power points without a doubt.
Teams like Stanton, North Bend Central, and Stanton, and even Howells-Dodge have really dominated the conference in recent years. Groth weighs in on the conference this year. "I feel like Stanton and Clarkson Leigh have dominated the “talent pool” of the conference as of late. A majority of those athletes graduated last year. However, I respect their programs and expect no let down from them. Athletic prowess this season would probably go to NBC."
I'm sure Wisner-Pilger would love the opportunity to go to Sub-State again and make the State Tournament. Groth says there's a lot of tough competition out there and it often comes down to matchups. "Many times it is the pairings of the sub-district that set up one’s fate. There are quite a few powerful teams in northeast Nebraska in Class C-2. We will see…."
I think with a favorable matchup the Gators can get to State this year.
Losing Jordan Wegner and Emily Hatterman hurts big time, but I feel there are a lot of talented seniors on this team poised and ready to take the team to Lincoln.
It would be a big deal for Wisner-Pilger to get there in Coach Groth's 41st year.
State is a special thing and something that is earned, and with the new Sub-State format every match is super critical.
The Gators are going to see some tough competition this year, their schedule isn't easy, but I think if Wisner-Pilger wins and takes care of business against these teams they will be right where they want to be at the end of the season.
The Gators have to play every set and every point of every match as if there's no tomorrow and as if it's the last match they'll ever play cause that will come at some point at season's end.
Making it down to Lincoln would be a fitting way for this team to end their season, and they can definitely make it happen.
It's the last chance for these seniors to do so they have to go out there and make the most of their opportunity and seize the moment.
2019 Wisner-Pilger Gators Volleyball Schedule:
08/29/19 Schuyler
09/05-09/07 (To Be Determined) Northeast Nebraska Classic (2/3-Day Tournament) Wisner-Pilger/Pender
09/10/19 West Point-Beemer
09/12/19 Oakland-Craig
09/17/19 @ North Bend Central
09/24/19 Stanton Triangular (host: Wisner-Pilger)
09/24/19 Pender Triangular (host: Wisner-Pilger)
09/26/19 Battle Creek Triangular (host: Wisner-Pilger)
09/26/19 Crofton Triangular (host: Wisner-Pilger)
09/28-09/28 (To Be Determined) Wisner-Pilger Invitational (1-Day Tournament, >4 Teams) Wisner-Pilger
10/01/19 Madison Double Triangular (host: Wisner-Pilger)
10/01/19 Howells-Dodge Double Triangular (host: Wisner-Pilger)
10/10/19 Lutheran High Northeast Triangular (host: Wisner-Pilger)
10/10/19 Guardian Angels Central Catholic Triangular (host: Wisner-Pilger)
10/12-10/12 (To Be Determined) Wisner-Pilger Tournament (1-Day Tournament, >4 Teams) Wisner-Pilger
10/15/19 Tekamah-Herman
10/17-10/19 (To Be Determined) East Husker Conf. VB Tour. (2/3-Day Tournament) Pender High School
10/22/19 @ Twin River
10/24/19 Logan View/Scribner-Snyder
10/24/19 Fort Calhoun
No comments:
Post a Comment