Programs to Watch for Spring 2021: Mendham

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">West Morris Mendham High school 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. </span></p> <p><b>[player_tooltip player_id="99813" first="Lauren" last="Wilcock"]</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> ‘21 is one of said returning core players. Having been committed to playing beach volleyball at the University of South Carolina since her sophomore year, it is clear her presence on the court is a huge asset for Mendham’s program. Wilcock plays as a full-rotation outside hitter, and last year she earned 434 kills, 46 assists, and 14 blocks at the net. From the back row, she stunned us with 279 digs, 140 service points, and 30 aces. Clearly, she is a force to be reckoned with no matter where she is on the court. It’s the combo of her heart and versatility that makes her such a threat.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Her younger sister, </span><b>Sarah Wilcock</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> ‘23, was one of two outstanding setters for the varsity team. Returning as a sophomore this year, Wilcock is the future of the program and an example for all underclassmen to follow. She ended her first year with 75 blocks, 122 digs, 441 assists, 98 service points, and 20 aces. Notably, she is in the top 5 for the whole state when it comes to assists and blocks - quite a remarkable position to be in as a first-year athlete! The duo of her and her older sister alone is enough to keep Mendham at least as solid as they were last season.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Libero </span><b>Michele Kifyak </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">will be a returning senior this season. With her 2019 totals of 304 digs, 42 assists, 120 service points, and 25 aces, this defensive champion will aid in the near-seamless transition of Mendham’s defense from 2019 to the 2020 season. My personal favorite part about Kifyak’s gameplay is her ability to follow an out-of-system play and make an athletic move to get the ball directly on target without fail. She’s always on her toes and scanning the court for her opponent’s next move.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Middle blocker and outside hitter </span><b>Cat Holtz</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> also returns as a senior this year. Garnering 225 kills, 15 blocks, and 75 digs as a junior, the sky is the limit for her this upcoming season in either position. She is already committed to Gettysburg College for the fall of 2021. The Minutemen will be relying on her to fill the blocking shoes of </span><b>Lauren Castignetti</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (MB Class of 2020) and the defensive and service gap left behind by </span><a href="https://highschoolsports.nj.com/player/julia-trzesniowski/girlsvolleyball/season/2019-2020"><b>Julia Trzesniowski</b></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (OH Class of 2020). Joining her to fill those absences are returning varsity athletes </span><b>Ally Blackwell</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> MB ‘21, </span><b>Gabi David</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> OH ‘22, and </span><b>Poppy Skjonnemand </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">MB ‘22. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If I had to predict, depending on what other personnel can be expected from the underclassmen, Holtz may spend her final season as an outside hitter opposite [player_tooltip player_id="99813" first="Lauren" last="Wilcock"]. With the occasional swap to middle depending on how much of her blocking is needed, her powerful swing paired with her height will enable the outsides to continue a reign of terror that they enjoyed in the 2019 season. This will enable Blackwell and Skjonnemand to duke it out for the middle blocker spots and leave Gabi David as an alternate outside and/or defensive specialist. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There are also a ton of great underclassmen expected to join the program this spring. To name just a few I’m aware of: </span><b>Elizabeth Fox</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><b>Emma Stark</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><b>Catherine Rudd</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><b>Sofia Kaparis</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><b>Marissa Manuel</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><b>Jessica Stern</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and </span><b>Ania Trzesniowski</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (younger sister of the recently graduated stud Julia</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Trzesniowsk) </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">will all be vying for a spot on the squad. </span></p>