JC spikers using new offense

By the time sectional rolled around last season, the Jay County Patriots were Sarah Westgerdes' team. They set the ball to her, and counted on the senior middle hitter to finish off points.

Westgerdes led the team in kills with 235 and was by far the most effective attacker in terms of kill percentage (32). With she and five other 2008 seniors gone, including fellow middle hitter Amy Alig, JCHS is turning to a new offense this year.

"We're really inexperienced, so it really doesn't matter what pattern we use. They're learning it anyway," said Patriot coach Fred Medler, who added that Kelsey Wood, Ashley Langenkamp, Mariah Hornaday and Maria Murphy would be his team of rotating hitters. "It just depends on where we put them ... They're going to get a lot of court time somewhere. Some of them are going to get all of the court time."

Wood is far and away the top returning offensive player for Jay County after finishing second to Westgerdes with 183 kills a year ago. She is also the returning team leader in digs at 232 and aces with 32.

Hornaday, who played on the right side last season, has the height to step into the middle slot. But Medler said after a year of experience away on the right side, he didn't want to limit her versatility to a single position.

"The new offense is going to create lots of opportunities for us to use her," said Medler of the sophomore, who had 65 kills last season and is the returning team leader with 38 ½ blocks. "She's going to hit from the left, she's going to hit from the middle, and she's going to hit on the right. We'll put her where we want to put her."

Langenkamp played mostly at the setter position last season, splitting time with then-senior Kristi Morningstar and classmate Liz Walker. The senior finished with 170 assists and will be the team's top setter this year, and will also be a key member of the Patriots' front-line attack.

Murphy, a sophomore, will be making the move up from the junior varsity squad, but has earned her spot as one of the best attackers on the team.

"Maria Murphy has come a long, long way," said Medler. "She's doing a great job. She plays bigger than she is and she's hitting the ball really well."

Others in the rotation to start the season are Kassi Hemmelgarn, Becky Muhlenkamp, Liz Walker and libero Lacey Randolph.

Medler said two main things will help determine how close the 2009 team can come to his annual goal of 20 wins.

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The first will be learning to play together as a group after losing the six core players from a year ago.

Westgerdes, Morningstar (253 assists), Alig, Lindsey Current, Chelsea Grady (400 digs) and Kelci Reed all played in 80 or more games during the 2008 season.

"We've got a whole new group of kids playing together," said Medler. "We lost a lot ... and they were six kids who played a lot of volleyball for us. ... The ones who are back, there's not a lot of varsity experience out there."

The other key will be one that has been an issue for the Patriots for several seasons - consistency in the passing and setting game. The 2008 squad finished with 154 passing errors.

"That's going to dictate how long it's going to take to get us where we want to go," said Medler, whose team finished 16-19 last season. "We're progressing in minor steps all along just trying to get a little better, a little better, a little better ... The passing as got to become better. The setting has got to become better.

"They're good kids. ... We've got to be bulldogs this year. We've got to develop that bulldog mentality as a group that we're just not going to walk off the court, we're going to have to be knocked off the court."[[In-content Ad]]