Sports
Second season begins tonight for area volleyball teams
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Tuesday, November 3, 2009 9:55 AM EST
REESE - It's time for the ‘second season' to start for high school volleyball teams in the state of Michigan, as the regular season ends and the district tournaments tip off.
Shiawassee County area teams will compete in five different district tournaments starting tonight and running through at least Thursday. One tourney will conclude Friday and another one will conclude Saturday.
Coach Sheri Warner's New Lothrop's volleyball team, which won its fourth straight Genesee Area Conference Blue Division crown this past Saturday and which has posted a 50-10-3 mark so far, will be chasing its 11th district title in the last 12 years.
The Hornets have won back-to-back Class D regional titles and advanced to the state quarterfinals the past two seasons.
New Lothrop will compete in the Class C district at Reese High School. The Hornets will lock horns with Reese (26-7-3) tonight at 8 p.m. in a first-round battle.
New Lothrop will be armed with the two leading attackers in the area (in season kills) in Monica Confer and Rachelle Kviz.
“Both Monica and Rachelle have been key for us in the middle but they'd both be the first to tell you that it all starts with a good pass and a good set,” said Warner. “We have a solid supporting cast. Kayla Henige has been our primary setter all year, HIlary Krupp has been our libero and Jen Birchmeier is our defensive specialist.”
Warner said that she believes her team is ready to take on a tough Reese opponent tonight and hopefully make some noise again this year in the postseason.
Warner has led New Lothrop to state titles in 2000, 2002 and 2004.
“I just got back from the kids in practice and I told them, ‘We're battle-tested and we're ready.' ”
Among the other districts is a showcase of Shiawassee County area schools. No less than five area teams - Perry, Durand, Ovid-Elsie, Chesaning and Corunna - will compete in a Class B district at Ovid-Elsie.
Here is a brief preview of where area teams are headed for district tournament action this week and who and when they will be playing.
Class A District at Flushing
The action kicks off tonight with Flushing battling Saginaw Arthur Hill at 6 p.m. Immediately following that game, it's Saginaw Heritage vs. Clio at 7 p.m.
Owosso plays Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. vs. the Heritage/Clio winner. The early game on Wednesday is a 5 p.m. battle between Saginaw and the Flushing/Arthur Hill winner.
The district finals are Thursday at 6 p.m.
Class B District at Ovid-Elsie
Saginaw Swan Valley and Corunna (12-24-6) have drawn first-round byes in this district.
Tonight's slate includes a 5:30 p.m. skirmish between Perry (10-35-7) and Durand (32-12-4). The Railroaders captured runner-up honors in the Genesee Area Conference Red Division this season. Then at 7 p.m. it's Ovid-Elsie (9-26-3) colliding with Chesaning.
On Wednesdsay, it's Swan Valley vs. the Perry/Durand victor at 5:30 p.m. Then at 7 p.m., it's Corunna vs. the Ovid-Elsie/Chesaning survivor.
Class C District at Burton Bendle
Byron, the GAC Blue runner-up, will compete in this district. The Eagles open up tonight with a 7 p.m. clash against Flint Hamady. The early match-up, at 6 p.m., finds Flint Beecher squaring off against Burton Bendle.
Class C District at Vermontville Maple Valley
This district kicks off Tuesday with Bath and Dansville battling at 6 p.m.
Also on Tuesday, it's Laingsburg facing Vermontville Maple Valley at 7:30 p.m.
Second-round action Thursday features a 6 p.m. clash between Potterville and the Bath/Dansville winner. At 7:30 p.m. it's Pewamo-Westphalia vs. Laingsburg or Maple Valley.
The finals will be Saturday morning at 10 a.m.
Class D District at Webberville
Morrice (20-16-6) will be competing in this Class D district.
The Orioles' first test comes Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. vs. Lansing Christian. Portland St. Patrick and Webberville will square off at 7 p.m.
The two winners meet in the district title game Thursday at 7 p.m.
observer wrote on Nov 3, 2009 10:01 AM: