The goal is simple: no worse than third place in the Bay Conference.
That is what the Shawano Community High School volleyball team hopes to do this season, after a seventh-place showing last year.
“I honestly don’t know what to expect out of the Bay Conference,” coach Jean Wolff said. “I just know that as a team, we have lots of team goals. Their goal is to finish in the top three of the Bay Conference, which I think they are completely capable of.”
Getting there will depend a lot on junior Annelies Young, who takes over the lone setting role as the Hawks transition from a 6-2 offense to a 5-1.
“Annalise is going to be the quarterback of our volleyball team,” Wolff said. “… She’s doing a fabulous job running that, very proud of her and anxious to see what she does throughout the season.”
Shawano ran a 5-1 two seasons ago when Wolff’s daughter, Mikayla Schoening, ran the offense.
“When I can run a 5-1, I will run a 5-1 offense,” Wolff said. “I just feel it’s a much more effective offense because all the hitters are depending on one setter. That one setter will know all the hitters’ tendencies and everything. It makes for a more consistent and flowing offense.”
Junior Erika Dunnam returns to the middle for Shawano and will be joined by senior Tori Wiskow, who moves over from the right side to replace graduated senior, and Bay Conference honorable mention, Bella Gonzalez.
“(Wiskow is) truly a middle,” Wolff said. “Now she gets to play her position. We have a very strong middle with Erika Dunnam and Tori. They’re both returning starters from last year. Both are very strong hitters, consistent hitters and they both block very well.”
Also returning are senior outside hitter Courtney Vomastic, senior defensive specialist Madison McBride and sophomore hitter Miranda Washinawatok.
Taking over the right side hitter role is Avery Vomastic, whom the coach called a sensation, earning a starting role as a freshman.
“They’re looking very strong. We’re working hard,” Wolff said. “I’m expecting a lot out of them, so sometimes there’s some frustration in practice. But they are working through it very well. They know what their goal is when we’re doing a drill and why we’re doing that.”
On defense, the Hawks are still trying to sort out their lineup.
“I’m extremely excited to see what our defensive core does,” Wolff said. “Right now, there is competition. I’m still making them compete at practice to see who is going to start defensively, because they are all so good.”
Wolff said there will be 14 players on the team this year, up from the usual 12 because the program had 56 girls try out the first day of practice. Forty-four girls ultimately made it onto one of the three high school teams.
“Our numbers were very high, and I don’t like cutting,” Wolff said.
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