3 Powerful Programs to Watch Spring 2021
Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, two shutdowns of indoor sports, and three rescheduled season start dates, we finally have a clearer picture of when the fall 2020 girls’ volleyball season will take place. At the time this article was released, the…
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Continue ReadingAmidst the COVID-19 pandemic, two shutdowns of indoor sports, and three rescheduled season start dates, we finally have a clearer picture of when the fall 2020 girls’ volleyball season will take place. At the time this article was released, the start date was slated for April 1st with the season to end around Memorial Day Weekend.
Club volleyball has been on for many clubs since the end of September. It begs the question of how players will be able to transition from club teams to high school and back again. How will those two schedules balance out? Your guess is as good as mine. The advantage to all of this is that now we have an even better look at players who haven’t used their year of high school eligibility yet this season.
In the meantime, let’s take a look at what programs to keep an eye out for this upcoming season.
West Morris Mendham
West Morris Mendham High School, colloquially known as “Mendham”, is a powerhouse program. Having finished the 2019 season with an overall record of 28-6, they made it to the final round of the Tournament of Champions only to lose to the ever-powerful Immaculate Heart. Though they’ve graduated 7 seniors, they still have a stronghold of core players returning. Some of said players include OH Lauren Wilcock Lauren Wilcock 5'10" | OH Mendham | 2021 State NJ ‘21, S/OH Sarah Wilcock ‘23, L Michele Kifyak, and OH/MB Cat Holtz ‘21. More on Mendham here.
Sparta
This program had a great 2019 season having made it to the semifinal round of the NJSIAA tournament. They’re losing a whopping 8 seniors, namely setters Morgan Saulys and Brooke Serovich, middle blocker Liv Bouma-Hannam, and DS Kate Esso. They have a ton of hitters returning: outside Mackenzie Wiggins Mackenzie Wiggins 5'11" | OH Sparta | 2021 State NJ , right side Martina Foy, outside Alexis Smernoff, middle blocker Brynn McCurry, and middle blocker Daniella Abbastante. They will also be rejoined by senior libero Jordan Aschenbach. With all of their setting personnel having graduated, they appear to have all these big hitting options no way to use them. Luckily, the younger sister of Alexis, Emily Smernoff, is a 6’1” setter/right side joining the squad as a freshman this year. More on Sparta here.
Bogota
Bogota High School took the NJSIAA Tournament and made it to the semifinals of the NJSIAA Tournament of Champions last season. They finished with an impressive 30-5 overall record, but that shouldn’t come as a surprise; this program hasn’t finished under .800 in the last decade. Five seniors are graduating, but eight competent returners are back to keep the momentum going. A few that are worth mentioning are setter Amber Vasquez ‘23, outside hitter Kiara Polanco Kiara Polanco OH Bogota | 2021 State NJ ‘23, setter Mia Pimental ‘23, and libero Gianna Estevez Gianna Estevez DS/L Bogota | 2023 State NJ ‘23. More on Bogota’s consistent success here.