Will the Night of October 31 Be a Night the Knights Never Forget? A Preview of Girls Division One Sectional Five

2008 RECAP

To our knowledge, no sectional features more returning all-state players: Nicolet sophomore Melissa Morello (HM), Menomonee Falls senior Catie Fredrich (HM), Arrowhead senior Janelle Hobbs (HM), Watertown senior Erienne Lauersdorf (2nd Team) and Homestead senior Erica Reetz (2nd Team). In the 2008 sectional final, Watertown defeated Menomonee Falls in four tightly contested sets (there was only a two-point separation in each). Arrowhead and Homestead were the other sectional semifinalists.

2009 CONTENDERS AND RANDOM NOTES

• Arrowhead The Warhawks will look to senior middle Janelle Hobbs, a Valparaiso recruit, for leadership and kills. They're also likely to get key contributions from junior outside Lauren Rolerat and junior middle Taylor Sieth.
• Cedarburg The Bulldogs will no doubt turn often to senior outside Alexandra Ripperger, junior right side Libby O'Rourke and senior setter Heidi Buss.
• Germantown Look for key contributions from, among others, a couple of sophomores: middle/setter Taylor Edmonds and right side Sydney Mortl. There appear to be just three seniors on the roster: middle Carley Sanfelippo, right side Taylor Neinfeldt and setter Brittany Baxter.
• Sussex Hamilton Look for key contributions from seniors Stephanie Kirchner and Alaina DiGiorgio-Verdun, a Western Illinois recruit.
• Homestead The Highlanders will be led by senior outside Erica Reetz, a Yale recruit. They'll also turn often to senior libero Andrea Voss, senior middle Lauren Kellaher, sophomore outside Clare Raddatz and sophomore middle Hannah Young.
• Menomonee Falls Senior right side Catie Fredrich is a Ball State recruit. Look for additional contributions from junior Becca Fuchs, sophomore middle Chelsea Lee, junior DS Taylor Golabowski, junior outside Sarah Wildish and junior setter Dayna Simmons.
• Milwaukee Madison Campus/Milwaukee Northwest We need more information about this school.
  
• Milwaukee Vincent We need more information about this school as well.
  
• Nicolet The Knights won the North Shore conference last season, going undefeated in head-to-head play and winning the conference championship. They'll feature a good mix of younger and more experienced players, including four seniors who've played together for years: senior middle Nikki Flemming (second-team all-conference), outside Sam Lautmann (honorable mention), setter Rachel Morello (first-team) and libero Katelyn Richards (honorable mention). Look for additional contributions from sophomore middle Kristalyn Goode, sophomore right side Dana Kenney and sophomore outside Melissa Morello, the only freshman named all-state last season.
  
• Oconomowoc Their offense will once again revolve around talented junior and Marquette recruit Lindsey Gosh. Look for key contributions from Lauren Gnewuch.
• Watertown This senior-filled team includes several starters from the 2007 Division 1 state championship team, including outside Erienne Lauersdorf, outside Leanna Lillge, DS Erica Hozeska and setter Kaley Jacobson. Other key returning players include sophomore Genelle McFarland, junior setter Hanna Cahoon and senior middle Jenna Schwartz.
• Waukesha North Look for contributions from junior middle Chelsea Sheldon and junior Nikkie Vandendriessche.
• Waukesha South Senior Libby Woodford should be a key contributor.
  
• Waukesha West They graduated Ashley Applequist and setter Jamie Mueller, but return some talented players, including junior setter Becky Honerlaw, sophomore right side Allison Barnes, senior libero Laurel Kascht and junior outside Morgan Leverance.
  

OUR PREDICTION
Nicolet over Homestead in five ridiculously competitive sets (and, yes, there are about 4-5 different legitimate sectional final matchups that we were toying with, including a Watertown-Falls rematch or Sussex Hamilton against any of the above--all of this predicting is hard work.)

KEY LINKS

• WVCA Division 1 Scores
• 2009 Rosters (Incomplete)
  

2009 SEASON NOTES (ONGOING)

• Watertown finished 1st at the Thomas More Milwaukee Lutheran Joust, 8/28-29
• Germantown finished 1st at the Niki Doedens Invitational, 8/28-29
  
• Menomonee Falls won the Becky Warner Memorial Invitational (Mukwonago) and Oconomowoc finished second, 9/5/09
• Germantown finished 1st at the Mary Blandino Invitational, 9/11/09
• Nicolet and Menomonee Falls finished tied for 3rd at the Brookfield Central Lancer Invite, 9/11/09
• Germantown, including senior middle Carley Sanfelippo and senior outside Taylor Nanfeldt, received a nice write-up in the 9/15/09 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
• Nicolet finished 1st at the
• Watertown finished 1st at the Watertown Invite, 9/19/09
• Menomonee Falls finished 2nd at the Watertown Invite, 9/19/09
• Watertown finished 3rd at the West Bend Lynn LaPorte Sprawl, 9/26/09
• Menomonee Falls finished 4th at the West Bend Lynn LaPorte Sprawl, 9/26/09
• Arrowhead finished 16th at the West Bend Lynn LaPorte Sprawl, 9/26/09
• Germantown finished 2nd at the Germantown Invite, 9/26/09