New Jersey Teams to Look Out for in 2021 Campaign: West Orange
This is 2021 season is going to be nothing short of unprecedented due to COVID-19. There are going to be some difficult times for everyone but there will still be opportunities to showcase…
Access all of Prep Dig
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingThis is 2021 season is going to be nothing short of unprecedented due to COVID-19. There are going to be some difficult times for everyone but there will still be opportunities to showcase their skills. A team to watch out for is West Orange.
West Orange was an outstanding team last season that was extremely deep. Yes, the squad was led by some seniors but this team has plenty of depth with a lot of juniors returning to take on their new roles. This presents a grand opportunity for them to improve off of a 19-6 campaign.
The team is bringing back some outstanding talent and have the potential for a something special. The squad finished third in the Super Essex Conference behind Nutley and Millburn. They did however go unbeaten in their division so it’s time to take the next step and challenge for the conference.
Some players to look out for are Lucinda Edwards, Kayla Sanchez and Tracey Ilderis. Edwards is the youngest of the trio going into her sophomore campaign. Last year as freshman, she showcased her ability as an O, OH with 62 kills and 147 digs. Edwards as great hands which helped her be third on the team in digs. She has a ton of variety in her game as she goes up for a kill as well. Watch out for her.
Kayla Sanchez is a setter who was one who was being groomed on the squad to be a true leader. She had 346 assists last season and I would not be shocked even in a shorter season where she could potentially reach that number again. She can pass from any spot on the court which allowed West Orange to be versatile on who was going to get the kill. Her leadership and passing will be a critical component for this Mountaineers squad.
Lastly, Tracey Ilderis is another OH, O and like Sanchez she will be looked upon as a Senior leader for her younger teammates. Ilderis finished with 67 kills and 110 digs which was middle of the pack on a very deep West Orange team.
My only concern for the team is at the position of libero as they only had one on their roster last season. This is the only concern that is significant for this team. Will there potentially be a position change for someone on the current roster. I would assume so as they have two returning players who were defensive specialists or will there be a new face that will take in the spotlight? If they address libero, this team will be formidable.
This is a squad only with 5 potential returners from last seasons’ squad so it will be an uphill climb but they have the star players to fix it. Watch out for West Orange.