2022 Prep Preview: Four Questions For The D2 Semifinalists

In Division 2, a select few programs have really established themselves at the top. Last year’s final four was truly a collection of the best of the best. Three of those four come into 2022 with a lot of roster turnover, while the other is still quite young for being as talented as it is. What can we expect from these four top-level programs this fall? <h4>Notre Dame Prep – Can it overcome graduate losses?</h4> [caption id="attachment_108271" align="alignright" width="234"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-108271" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/09/NDP-Allison-Berent-234x300.jpg" alt="" width="234" height="300" /> [player_tooltip player_id="66295" first="Allison" last="Berent"][/caption] Notre Dame Prep won the 2021 Division 2 title and made a fifth consecutive trip to Kellogg Arena in Battle Creek. After coming up short three times in 2018-20, last year’s NDP team wouldn’t be denied. The Irish overcame injuries and pieced together a real team effort for the title. Problem with that, is the 2022 team will have to overcome a lot of graduation losses. A total of nine senior were on the 2021 roster. Every position suffered with the large departing group. Among the biggest names were Alyssa Borellis (Ole Miss) at setter/RS, Josie Bloom (Virginia Tech) at libero, Bianca Giglio (Marshall) in the middle, and Sophia Sudzina on the outside. The Irish aren’t a team you expect to be in rebuilding mode, they tend to reload. It’s a big ask of this year’s squad, but don’t be surprised if they find a way to do it. Senior [player_tooltip player_id="66295" first="Allison" last="Berent"] (Alabama) was a key defender for the 2021 squad and is the next great libero for the squad. She also has one of the top serves in the state. Senior [player_tooltip player_id="66331" first="Margo" last="Sudzina"] was the other setter in last year’s rotation and will provide key leadership on the floor with Berent. At the net, senior middle Grace Wenaas will be a vital player to the 2022 squad. She led the Irish in blocks last year and fourth in kills. <h4>North Branch – Can it handle lofty expectations?</h4> [caption id="attachment_164757" align="alignright" width="218"]<img class="wp-image-164757" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/11/North-Branch-9-251x300.jpg" alt="" width="218" height="261" /> [player_tooltip player_id="110291" first="Alana" last="Deshetsky"][/caption] Last season, North Branch definitely looked like a team set to make a run at the D2 title in the near future. We just didn’t expect it to happen so soon. With just one senior and five juniors, the Broncos rode a young roster to the D2 finals before falling to the Irish. That included a very gutty semifinal win over Lakewood. Now, the Broncos step into 2022 with many viewing it as the team to beat in Division 2. That’s a lot for a team that had nine sophomores last fall. But, the amount of returning experience makes it hard to think North Branch won’t be back in Battle Creek this year. [player_tooltip player_id="110291" first="Alana" last="Deshetsky"] led a balanced offensive attack as a sophomore outside, while Bailey Gormley is back to compliment her on the outside in her senior year. Junior [player_tooltip player_id="110287" first="Kaela" last="Chingwa"] and senior Natasha Bickel are active middles, with Chingwa being a dominant blocker at 6’2”. [player_tooltip player_id="110302" first="Adrienne" last="Greschaw"] is an athletic junior setter that runs a fast pace and is technically sound. Defensively, [player_tooltip player_id="110301" first="Hailey" last="Green"] established herself as one of the best liberos in the state as a sophomore. All the pieces are there for Jim Fish and North Branch in 2022. <h4>Grand Rapids Christian – Who will be the new face?</h4> [caption id="attachment_207040" align="alignright" width="186"]<img class="wp-image-207040" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2022/07/DSC_7469-201x300.jpg" alt="" width="186" height="278" /> [player_tooltip player_id="66327" first="Makenzie" last="Ritsema"][/caption] In its 3-year run of Division 2 state championships from 2018-20, Grand Rapids Christian had its clear leaders behind setter Jordyn Gates in 2018 and 2019, as well as outside Addie VanderWeide in 2019 and 2020. Last year, in its semifinal run, GRC was led by outside Evelyn Doezema (Michigan State). She accounted for more than half of the team’s kills and was amongst the team’s block leaders. Doezema was one of five seniors to graduate, joined by other key contributors like setter Alyssa DeVries and middle Kate Breems. Coming into 2022, the Eagles need a player to step up on take on the leadership role if it hopes to remain a D2 contender. [player_tooltip player_id="66327" first="Makenzie" last="Ritsema"] could be that player. The senior middle led the Eagles in blocking last year and is the top-returning kill leader. She’s got the size at 6’1”, and the talent, to be a dominant player with an expanded role. Rowan Cebulski, a senior outside, also was a regular contributor to the offense last year and will get a chance to up her game in 2022. Defensively, [player_tooltip player_id="110324" first="Grace" last="Spoelma"] is back at libero as a junior. She can provide some on-court leadership while GRC works in a new setter to try and keep the offense rolling. <h4>Lakewood – What’s life like without an O’Gorman?</h4> [caption id="attachment_115980" align="alignright" width="205"]<img class=" wp-image-115980" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/11/Lakewood-Skylar-Bump-222x300.jpg" alt="" width="205" height="277" /> [player_tooltip player_id="66296" first="Skylar" last="Bump"][/caption] The Lakewood volleyball program was blessed with two of D2’s greatest talents for a five-year span. Aubrey O’Gorman and Maradith O’Gorman towered over the competition at the net and made the Vikings an incredibly difficult team to gameplan for. Aubrey graduated in 2021, while Maradith graduated last spring. Both now are Michigan State Spartans. The Vikings, who reached Battle Creek every year with the O’Gormans on the roster, now have to find new ways to win. To the credit of the program, Lakewood also reached Battle Creek in 2016 and 2014, while winning the 2012 state title. It has been a great program prior to the O’Gormans and likely will be after. This year’s team will have a couple of key pieces to work with in senior setter [player_tooltip player_id="66296" first="Skylar" last="Bump"] and senior libero [player_tooltip player_id="110318" first="Carley" last="Piercefield"]. Bump contributed as an outside hitter as well last year. The two will give some needed on-court leadership and championship experience to this unproven hitting squad. Junior outside Alivia Everitt and senior middle Ellie Possehn are the only two returning hitters that approached 100 kills last fall.