Greendale High School: 2018 Season Preview and Players to Watch

Recently, Greendale High School has definitely made a name for itself — having made the state tournament the last three years. This past year specifically was extremely successful for the Panthers, as they started the year off with a fifth place finish at the joust. The then went on to win the Woodland West Conference and place second at the Woodland Conference tournament. From there they beat Franklin High School in the sectional final, moving onto the state tournament where they took DSHA to five games but ultimately lost in the first round.

Needless to say, Greendale racked up quite a few wins this past year, and though they graduated three seniors in the spring of 2018 who were leaders and recognized within the conference, there are several players looking to step up into those roles.

Some returning key players for the Panthers include:

Kayce Litzau (Class of 2019, Setter/Right Side): A fourth year varsity player and currently ranked 5th (Prep Dig) in the state in her class, Kayce should bring leadership and experience to the upcoming season. As the Panther’s starting setter, she has made an impact both offensively and defensively. She had 842 assists, 138 kills this past year, 37 blocks, and 77 aces. Kayce will definitely be a great senior leader for Greendale.

Nicole Martin (Class of 2019, Outside Hitter): Another fourth year varsity player for the Panthers who is sure to be a leader both on and off the court. Nicole has a great presence on the court and she has the stats to prove it. Topping out at 409 kills and 110 digs, she is a powerhouse for the Panthers. Nicole is a great all around player and a great asset to this team.

Sarah Mattes (Class of 2020, Middle Blocker): This Junior will be a third year varsity player is awesome defensively. She had 54 blocks and 154 kills for her second season on varsity. She even had 19 aces. Her growth from freshman to sophomore year was huge and second year varsity coach Kelly Schmidt is excited to see her continue to grow.

Ruby Anderson (Class of 2019, Right Side Hitter): Ruby really came into her own as a starter on varsity this past season. She had 134 kills on 459 attempts and 90 digs. Ruby is an awesome player who grew from her sophomore to her junior year and will continue to grow through her upcoming senior year. 2018 looks to be a strong year for Ruby!

Kayla Maduscha (Class of 2019, Defensive Specialist): Kayla looks to bring the heat on defense this year for the Panthers. With 119 digs in her junior year and 14 aces she definitely made an impact on the team. Coach Schmidt is excited for Kayla to step into a larger role both as a defensive player and a leader on the team.

Madison Reiter (Class of 2019, Defensive Specialist): Madison is another great defensive player. She had 149 serve receptions and 41 digs in 2017, her second season on varsity. Madison will be looked to this year to be consistent on defense and provide a strong presence in the back row.

Looking toward the 2018 season, Coach Schmidt is hoping to win conference again and have strong performances at their tournaments. The Panthers are looking to utilize the weekend tournaments as great preparation for the postseason. They definitely have a great season ahead of them!