Seaholm Preview.

Written Wednesday October 7th at 1:40 PM

There will be a lot of experience heading into this matchup on Thursday night.

The Maple Forest will be rocking when the third ranked Dragons travel to Birmingham to play Seaholm renewing one of the best volleyball rivalries in the State.

The Maples were an honorable mention in the State poll this week after suffering an upset loss to Stoney Creek at home on Thursday night but Seaholm bounced back on Tuesday night with a five set win at Clarkston.

Seaholm is very big in length, experienced, and senior heavy as well led by Annie Schlecter, Kate Carey, and Lauren McLeod. All three girls can kill the ball with their length and athleticism as well. They have been big for the Maples all season long especially with that front line.

Also coach Heather Lippert has a strong junior class as well. One of those players is Amelie Cekauskas whom is very talented as well as she had 32 assists against Oxford and Stoney Creek, 30 assists against Clarkston, and 28 helpers against Rochester Adams. Another solid  junior has been Kelsey Loffler. Loffler has been a force this season for the Maples, taking over games at times while joining that big front row that has Schlecter, Carey, and McLeod. There are others whom are also solid for Seaholm as well.

The Maples are a serious State title contender this season as they are at Bloomfield Hills for districts with Birmingham Marian, Bloomfield Hills, Avondale, Groves, and Troy. Orion also a serious State title contender is in a district with Clarkston, Pontiac, Oxford, Waterford Kettering, and Waterford Mott, at Waterford Kettering.

Schlecter, Carey, and McLeod are well known to the Dragons considering they are three year varsity players.

Last season's matchup went four games as Orion won that matchup at home. Schlecter had 18 kills and 16 digs in that matchup. Carey and McLeod also had impacts in the game last season.

The last time the Dragons went into Birmingham they lost in five games to the Maples in 2013. McLeod had 17 kills, Carey had 11 kills, and Schlecter had nine kills in that matchup.

Orion does bring its fair share of experience as well heading into this matchup for coach Tony Scarvada. Natalie Wehner, Wies Hurkmans, and Marley Redd are all three year starters in the program. In last season's game Danielle Sargent had nine kills, Redd had six kills, and Kori Varney had 25 digs. Wehner and Redd had a few kills in the 2013 meeting in Birmingham. Also the Dragons have the Wightman sisters on board but one of them won't be playing as Courtney Wightman is out 2-3 weeks with an ankle injury suffered in last week's tournament in Mount Morris.

This match has the makings of a classic five game set and not to mention that the Red is on the line here. Orion is unbeaten in league while Seaholm is one game back, tied with Stoney Creek. Clarkston the defending eight time league champions has three losses to these three teams is out of the league race, getting ready for the playoffs.

We'll see what happens.