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[size="2"]Submitted by Shane Kleiman for WisSports.net



2009 Recap [/size]



Deerfield won the Trailways North Conference in 2009, finishing 8-0 in dual match play and winning the conference tournament. Johnson Creek (7-1), Dodgeland (6-2), and Williams Bay (5-3) finished second, third, and fourth respectively in both dual match play as well as at the conference tournament. In Division Three Regional action Dodgeland (five seed) upset Palmyra-Eagle (four seed) in the first round before losing to Wayland Academy in regional semifinals. Deerfield won its first two matches of regional play before losing to eventual Division Three State Runner-up Cuba City. In Division Four, Johnson Creek got to sectional semifinals before losing to Catholic Central in five games.  



2009 Final Standings

2009 All-Conference Teams



2010 Preview



Predicted order to finish:

1) Deerfield

2) Dodgeland

3) Rio

4) Hustisford

5) Johnson Creek

6) Williams Bay

7) Abundant Life

8) Fall River

9) Pardeeville  



Players to Watch:

MacKenzie Kinney, Deerfield

Zoe Page, Deerfield

Rachel Smith, Deerfield

Brianna Schmitt, Dodgeland

Samantha Schultz, Dodgeland

Hailey Koch, Fall River 

Brandi Peltier, Hustisford

Chelsey Reierson, Rio



2010 Season Outlook:

Unlike the Trailways North Conference, in which almost every team returns more than half of their starters, the Trailways South is going to be relatively young and inexperienced, with most teams having to replace multiple key players. One of the few teams that return most of their key players is 2009 conference champion Deerfield. The Demons return five of eight players who played in at least 100 of their 114 games, including three who received some sort of All-Conference recognition. Key returnees include: First Team All-Conference junior setter Rachel Smith, Second Team All-Conference senior outside MacKenzie Kinney, Honorable Mention All-Conference senior Libero Zoe Page, senior opposite Megan Gross, and senior middle Jazmin Herman. However Deerfield loses the services of two First Team All-Conference players in middle Stephanie Jahn and outside Calli Dahl. Look for senior outsides Rebecca Perrin and Kayla Gosdeck to see an increase in their playing time in the front row this season.



Dodgeland finished third in the conference last season and should easily be able to move up a spot to second, if not challenge Deerfield for the title. Like Deerfield, the Trojans return five of their eight players who played in over half of their games, including 1st Team All-Conference senior Libero Brianna Schmitt and Second Team All-Conference senior Samantha Schultz. Schultz, who is listed as both a middle and a setter, has an interesting stat line. She was the only Dodgeland player to have over 100 kills (202) and had 91 total blocks, while also having 127 assists. Second-year head coach Darcia Schweitzer knows her seniors' leadership should be a team strength, but still has that question mark at the setting position. Schultz may have to take over even more of the setting duties in 2010, as primary setter Kassy Kluge graduated. Other key players back in 2010 includes a trio of outside hitters; Taylor Yuenger and Allie Sachse are both juniors, while Marissa Bailey is a senior.



Rio finished the 2009 season with a disappointing 4-17 record, but should be much improved in 2010 as they only lose two players to graduation. Second Team All-Conference senior outside Chelsey Reierson leads those returning, while senior Libero Amberley Canales, sophomore setter Sara Thompson, sophomore setter Mary Strause, and senior middle Erica Reierson all saw regular playing time last season. The Vikings have to replace a pair of Brodes this season in outside Sara Brode and middle Emily Brode. Look for them to be replaced with a lot of height in juniors Lorryn McGuire (6 5") and Megan Petty (5 10"). Hustisford had a deep rotation last season, with 10 players getting floor time in at least two-thirds of Hustisford s total games. Five of those players graduate, including key skill position players in setter Samantha Kuehl, Libero Cassy Cloes, and defensive specialist Gena Grzesiak. Returning hitters include Second Team All-Conference senior Brandi Peltier, senior outside Payton Murphy, senior outside Morgan Culver, junior outside Marissa Nass, and senior middle Allison Dabrowski. One hitter that will have to be replaced is middle Alyssa Kreitzman, who led the Falcons in blocks and was third in kills last season.



Johnson Creek was a senior-studded roster in 2009, with nine of their twelve team members graduating this past spring. The most notable players the Blue Jays will have to replace First Team All-Conference right side Ashley Rome, First Team All-Conference outside Joelle Bauer, First Team All-Conference setter Kassidy Lemminger, Second Team All Conference outside Willow Hombsch, and Libero Jordan Emrath. Senior middle Laura Karwacki was the only non-senior to see regular action last season, while fellow seniors Nicole Gross and Kayla Schuler will be expected to fill in after seeing limited action on varsity last season. Long removed from the time it won three straight Division Four State Championships between 2003 and 2005, Williams Bay faces an uphill battle in 2010. Only three non-seniors return from last year s team that went 8-16 overall. Sophomore outside Claire Canda, junior Kristina Rodriguez, and sophomore Claudia Wautlet all played in over half of the Bulldog s games last season and will be the team s leaders going into 2010. The most important losses due to graduation include First Team All-Conference outside/setter Becca Hobbs and Second Team All-Conference setter/right side Kendra Sandberg.



Abundant Life looks to improve on a 2009 season in which they only won one match all year, a 3-2 conference victory over Pardeeville. All ten players on the Challengers 2009 roster saw considerable amounts of playing time, and five of those players return in 2010. They return two of five starting hitters; juniors Michelle Wentz and Charissa Wright were the top two in kills and blocks last season. However ALCS will have to replace its two primary setters, so look for senior Amy Busch and junior Kira Francis to fill in. Fall River returns four of nine players who played in over sixty percent of its games in 2009, most notably Second Team All-Conference sophomore middle/all around Hailey Koch. Other returnees include senior all around Chelsey Klecker, junior setter Dawn Tramburg, and sophomore outside Kendall Foley. Pardeeville returns three of eight players who saw considerable amounts of playing time in 2009. Those three players are sophomore setter Caiti Lindert, senior outside Brooke Hauge, and senior middle Emily Schumann.