Girls Volleyball Preview

Written Wednesday July 10th, at 1:00 PM

Hello all, Volleyball season is not that far away. This season it should be good and also always expect the unexpected at anything, here are my projections and analysis for the 2013 OAA Volleyball season starting from the Blue to the Red.

Dragons Den Top 10 Rankings to Start

1. Clarkston

2. Bloomfield Hills
3. Orion

4. Beverly Hills Wylie E. Groves

5. Birmingham Seaholm

6. Troy

7. Stoney Creek

8. North Farmington

9. Oxford

10. Troy Athens

Blue:

Projected Order of Finish:

1. Royal Oak

2. Avondale

3. Southfield

4. Hazel Park

5. Southfield Lathrup

6. Ferndale

7. Oak Park

8. Pontiac

FAVORITE: Royal Oak: The Ravens last season shared the Blue with Berkley but in a division that is not very good it should be no problem for Royal Oak to do some damage this season but if they don’t improve their non conference schedule than it could be a rough go in the playoffs especially with Beverly Hills Wylie E Groves lurking.

NEXT BEST: Avondale: The Yellow Jackets are the next best team in the Blue. The talent is not there than in the past but Avondale will compete and do well this season. The problem for the Yellow Jackets will come in districts especially with Troy, Troy Athens, and Waterford Kettering in there.

DARK HORSE: Southfield: Two seasons ago the Blue Jays took home a district title but last season lost some talent. In a division where it’s manageable Southfield can do some damage this season and could be in the thick of the Blue race. The Blue Jays could have an impact in the playoffs especially with how down the district is but the two Farmington schools will likely have a say in the Blue Jays playoff run.

TEAMS IN TROUBLE: Well anybody who is not in the top four: The bottom teams are not very good this season and have constantly struggled year in and year out. It looks like who is not in this group could have a long season in this division.

DREAM SCHEDULE: No One: The Blue is very tough even though there are some games that they do interact with the White but the top four teams in this division have tough games so really there is not a true favorite on this list.

NIGHTMARE SCHEDULE: Avondale: Well there is one team on this list that will have a brutal saying this season and that's the Yellow Jackets. Avondale has to travel to Beverly Hills Wylie E Groves, Adams, Southfield, and Hazel Park and that's not counting that Berkley and Royal Oak all have to come to Auburn Hills. Then district play will loom and they have Troy, Troy Athens, and Waterford Kettering at Troy Athens, that's murders row right there.

PROJECTION: I look at this division as a pretty bad division. Royal Oak is the best team in the division although if any of these teams have a brutal non conference slate in tournaments than they will be good. Avondale will be very competitive in this league. Southfield will still have the athletes to compete for a league crown. Hazel Park will be in the middle of the pack this season but could take advantage of a weak district draw after losing a tough district final last season to Warren Fitzgerald once playoff time comes around. Southfield-Lathrup, Ferndale, Pontiac, and Oak Park will all struggle this season. It will be a three team race but in the end it will be the Ravens being the last ones standing.

White:

Projected Order of Finish:

1. Beverly Hills Wylie E. Groves

2. Troy Athens

3. Farmington

4. Berkley

5. Adams

6. Rochester

7. Farmington Hills Harrison

8. West Bloomfield

FAVORITE:  Beverly Hills Wylie E. Groves: The Falcons are a dark horse contender this season. Beverly Hills Wylie E. Groves returns almost everyone back on a team that took Bloomfield Hills Lahser to the limit in the district semifinals last season. The Falcons will be led by Sarah Costello, Liz Putti, and Kristen Rathburn this season. Beverly Hills Wylie E Groves avoid being put in the Birmingham Marian district where Birmingham Seaholm and Birmingham Marian are at this season. Instead the Falcons will  have Oak Park, Southfield Lathrup, Berkley, and Royal Oak all in a district at Lathrup Village. A district title is very likely depending on the draw for Beverly Hills Wylie E Groves but a regional title is very questionable.

NEXT BEST: Troy Athens: The Red Hawks are a serious contender this season, since losing to Troy in the district last season Troy Athens will have some experience in the front line and with a strong non conference slate expect the Red Hawks to compete very well in this division and if they get the right draw in a district where they host then it could be havoc for those who have to play the Red Hawks. Also Troy is very young so this could be the right time for Troy Athens to make it's mark.

DARK HORSE: Farmington: The Falcons may be the sleeping giant in the White this season. Farmington will feature a lot of experience coming down from the brutal Red where they saw Clarkston, Lake Orion, Birmingham Seaholm, Troy, and North Farmington all on a consistent basis. The Falcons will feel right at home in its new division also the district is manageable where they host, as long as they don’t play Farmington Hills Mercy first.

TEAM IN TROUBLE: Rochester: The Falcons moved down from the Red to the White but the competition there could be a challenge and also Stephanie Sikorski graduated so this could be a long year for the Falcons. Rochester has to deal with Beverly Hills Wylie E Groves, Troy Athens, Rochester Adams, Berkley, and Farmington. Well if there is one positive, Rochester does not have to deal with Clarkston,  Orion, Birmingham Seaholm, Bloomfield Hills, among others in the rugged Red but they will in tournaments. The White is also a tough division as well this season.

DREAM SCHEDULE: Rochester Adams: The Highlanders will be in a much better division moving down from the rugged Red to the White. They have a new coach in former Birmingham Marian coach Irick Gardner. Gardner comes to Rochester with championship pedigree from his coaching days at Birmingham Marian. Adams will have Beverly Hills Wylie E Groves, Troy Athens, Avondale, and Berkley coming to Rochester this season. The Highlanders go to Farmington and crosstown rival Rochester but the district is brutal with teams like Lake Orion and Clarkston looking ahead at Clarkston.

NIGHTMARE SCHEDULE: Farmington Hills Harrison: Poor Harrison, moving up to the White will have some difficulties this season. The Hawks have trips to Beverly Hills (Beverly Hills Wylie E Groves), Rochester (Adams), Berkley, Southfield, and Troy (Athens) in their future. Harrison entertains Farmington and Rochester on their home floor as well which could be brutal. Also district play they are in the Birmingham Marian district where they have to deal with Birmingham Marian, Birmingham Seaholm, North Farmington, and Bloomfield Hills. This could be a long season in Farmington Hills for the Hawks.

PROJECTION:  It’s a new league in the White with Rochester, Farmington, and Adams coming down from the Red to the White and Farmington Hills Harrison and Berkley moving up from the Blue but the kings of this division will be Beverly Hills Wylie E. Groves. The Falcons return almost everyone back from a district semifinal team who lost to Bloomfield Hills Lahser last season. Troy Athens will be good and returns experience back on its team from a team that lost to Troy in the district finals last season. Farmington will be good this season after moving down from the Red to the White. The Falcons will use this experience to help them while Rochester and Rochester Adams will be rebuilding a bit. Rochester lost Stephanie Sikorski to graduation and it will be tough to replace her in the lineup. Adams will still be young but competitive in the White after moving down a division. They like Rochester will use its Red experience to compete this season. Berkley moves up from the Blue to the White returns a lot of talent led by Alexis Northcross, Claire Borgrow, and Grace Hammerle. Last season Berkley won its first district since 2007 with a sweep of Royal Oak. West Bloomfield will struggle and could battle with Farmington Hills Harrison for last place in the White. The Hawks who moved up from the Blue to the White lost their best player to graduation and will struggle this season but the road goes through Beverly Hills.

Red:

Projected Order of Finish:

1. Orion

2. Clarkston
3. Bloomfield Hills

4. Stoney Creek

5. Birmingham Seaholm

6. Troy

7. North Farmington

8. Oxford

FAVORITE Orion: The Dragons lost a five game heart breaker to Clarkston last season and coach Ross Talbott wants to get his girls back to Battle Creek in his second season. Orion will certainly have the talent to do so in Hannah Murdock, Tess Marshall, Maddie Hargraves, Hannah Suciu, Kayla Rockey, Rachel Giwa, and Ally Shinouskis but the problem that will linger is who will be that force in the middle and also the liberio will be an issue with the departure of Gabby Kalugar to graduation. This group is very unproven heading into this season and has a lot of question marks. The Dragons do host Clarkston at home in the regular season but goes to Clarkston in districts and whoever gets Stoney Creek could be in trouble.

NEXT BEST: Clarkston: The Wolves were swept in the regional final against Birmingham Seaholm last season but does return some talent for coach Kelly Avernall. Clarkston brings back a transfer who got an offer to play at Mississippi State in Taylor Dellianger and also Katie Chadwell who committed to Oakland for next season. Chadwell will have to become more of a leader for Clarkston to do well this season. The Wolves will have questions in the back end of the court along with the other wing and the liberio position as well. Clarkston hosts their district this season but Lake Orion and Stoney Creek are going to be dangerous foes.

DARKHORSE: Bloomfield Hills: The Blackhawks are now one after Bloomfield Hills Lahser and Bloomfield Hills Andover merged. They will mostly be led by the girls who came from Bloomfield Hills Lahser. The Blackhawks will be big up front led by Micah Paulateer and Katie Wenson. Bloomfield Hills is also loaded in the back court, they are led by Erin Okuniewski and Megan Cunningham are two dangerous and talented servers who has a direct knowledge of the game. Bloomfield Hills’s district is going to be tough yet again with Birmingham Seaholm, North Farmington, and the new looked Birmingham Marian is in the district this year.

TEAM THATS IN TROUBLE: North Farmington: The Raiders lost a lot of talent in Kaitlin Schoeppner and Nicci Joyce from last season’s regional finalist team but it doesn’t mean that North Farmington will compete this season or lay down for anybody. Coach Jessica Condeni will have her team ready for the season but the district this year is tough with Birmingham Seaholm and Birmingham Marian in that district, it could be a long season in Raider country.

DREAM SCHEDULE: Bloomfield Hills: Welcome back to the Red, Bloomfield Hills. The Blackhawks are very talented this season and does have Lake Orion, Stoney Creek, and Clarkston all coming to Bloomfield Hills this season but a tricky road game to Birmingham will be dangerous. The district is brutal as well with the Blackhawks in the Birmingham Marian district with Birmingham Marian, Birmingham Seaholm, and North Farmington in there.

NIGHTMARE SCHEDULE: Orion: Dragon coach Ross Talbott likes to make the schedule tough as nails like his former coach Bob Howey did when he took the Dragons to the state title match in 2011. Orion hosts Clarkston and Troy but have to go to Stoney Creek, Birmingham Seaholm, and Bloomfield Hills. The district is not easy either with a trip to Clarkston and possibly dealing with the Wolves yet again and possibly Stoney Creek..

PROJECTION: The Red by far is one of the toughest division’s in the state and there is a reason why it is one of the best. You have two state ranked teams in there every year (Clarkston and Orion) and three teams in this division were in the state quarterfinals in the last two seasons (Orion 2011, Clarkston 2011, and Birmingham Seaholm 2012.) I look at the Red shaping up this season like this. Clarkston will be the favorite with the addition of Taylor Dellianger along with Brianna Frakes and Katie Chadwell. Bloomfield Hills with the combination of Lahser and Andover will be very good and talented, the back court with Cunningham and Okuniewski maybe the best in the league this season but familiarity will be a question for the Blackhawks. Orion has a lot of talent coming back but is very unproven and has question marks all over the place, especially at liberio and who will be the sidekick to Hannah Murdock in the inside after Sophie Murdock and Melanie Heath graduated. Stoney Creek as well will have a say and will be very experienced moving up from the White, the Cougars concerns will be familiarity like Bloomfield Hills. Troy lost a lot of senior talent but still has Olivia Parks back for her senior season and will be fine. Birmingham Seaholm went to the state quarterfinals last season before losing to Macomb Dakota, who won the state championship last season lost a lot of talent but will have liberio Andrea Gothard back and the Maple Forest to back them up at games, the question will be is can the Maples get back to form after last season’s dream trip to the quarterfinals and how will the new players fit into coach Heather Lippert’s system. North Farmington will be rebuilding a bit after losing a lot of talent but coach Jennifer Condeni will have her Raiders ready this season. Oxford has Darien Bandell back for her senior season but the question for coach Kristi McDermitt and her Wildcats is who else will be Bandell’s sidekick this season if she struggles. A lot of questions in this division will be answered this season but the Dragons are a slight favorite over the Wolves and Blackhawks in a rugged Red division.