SNC Conference Part 2 Preview: Both Familiar and New Faces Gear Up for Season
This is part two of a series of previews of the Southern Nebraska Conference. The first part of the series had a ton of experience coming back. The teams in this preview have some big hitters back as well as…
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Continue ReadingThis is part two of a series of previews of the Southern Nebraska Conference. The first part of the series had a ton of experience coming back. The teams in this preview have some big hitters back as well as some very good setters. One familiar face will be on the sidelines as well as Thayer Central’s head coach is back patrolling the sidelines after an eight year hiatus. This conference ranges in classification from from C-1 to D-1. The teams included in this conference are Centennial, Fairbury, David City, Milford, Wilber-Clatonia, Heartland, Sutton, Superior, Thayer Central, Fillmore Central, and Sandy Creek. Here is a preview and snapshot of three teams in the SNC.
Thayer Central Titans
Co-Head Coaches: Kurk Wiedel and Jenna Wiedel Pachta (daughter)
2019 Record: 24-9
The Titans return junior setter 5’10” Jasa Wiedel Jasa Wiedel 5'10" | S Thayer Central | 2022 State NE who was All SNC Conference 1st Team, All Tribland 2nd team, All State Honorable Mention pick. The junior had 682 set assists and chipped in 129 kills, 20 ace serves and 403 digs in her sophomore campaign. Senior Chloe Souerdyke is a 5’11 Senior who will patrol the middle. She was All SNC Conference 2nd Team, All Tribland and All State Honorable Mention. She had 224 kills and 54 blocks for the Titans last year. Rounding out the returners with starting or varsity experience are Jayme Huhman a 5’8” Junior OH who registered 129 kills and 159 digs and Kaisha Solomon a 5’ 9” Junior OH who had 94 kills and 116 digs for the black and gold last year. Coach Wiedel mentioned that he has three very talented incoming freshmen in Jayden Bowman, Natalie Tietjen and Josey Welch who all have the talent to assist the varsity. Look for the depth to be a strength this fall for the Titans. Wiedel commented that he has the possibility of 11-12 players to push for varsity time. He also said having Jasa returning along with the top hitters of Souerdyke and Huhman the Titans will have a great core group returning along with the depth look for the Titans to make a run in C-2 this year.
Milford Eagles
Head Coach: Emily Restau
2019 Record: 20-12
The Eagles will rely heavily on returning Regis University commit Hannah Keppler who was on the Omaha World Herald Class C-1 All-State 2nd Team, Lincoln Journal Star Super-State 3rd Team and on the SNC 1st Team All Conference. Kepler hammered away an astonishing 563 kills, had 42 ace serves and 374 dgis for the Eagles last fall. Three juniors will be looking to replace losing 6 players on last year’s squad. RS Sydney Stelling registered 102 kills, 20 aces and 133 digs last year. The middle duo of Celia Bontrager and Savannah Spahr Savannah Spahr 5'10" | MB Milford | 2022 NE will return with varsity experience from last year as well. Bontrager chipped in with 89 kills and Spahr had 102 kills with 20 aces and 133 digs for the Eagles.
Restau said they lost their setter to graduation last year so she is making some changes by moving junior Caitlyn Adams from outside to setter and she was a serving specialist on varsity last year. The Eagles strengths this year will be that this team works very well together, are extremely coachable, and they play for each other Restau mentioned. Defensively we can be a pretty scrappy team at times and we serve aggressive. Restau commented on some weaknesses they are wanting to shore up as the season progresses such as adjusting to replacing some key positions from last year in the area of setting and defense since they lost their setter, libero, and one of their DS last year. “We need some girls to step up in the leadership role to help our team succeed,” she said. “Our serve receive will need some work too.”
Coach Restau’s general thoughts on the upcoming season were focused on some of the position changes and fulfilling the roles of graduated players. “We graduated 6 seniors from last year’s squad which saw 4 of them playing significant roles on the team – setter, libero, our second outside and our first defensive specialist. We are working on transferring our 3rd string varsity outside to a setter so we can run a 6-2”. “Like I said before, a weakness our team has is leadership in the vocal aspect and I am challenging our setters and our libero to step up and become more vocal in that aspect. We will need to figure out how to become more consistent in the area of serve receive as well as be able to attack more out of system balls.” The Eagles had satellite camps with UNK and VCN and attended the Seward Team Camp.
Fillmore Central Panthers
Head Coach: Dawn Temme
2019 Record: 20-11
Togetherness is what Coach Temme said is a huge strength for her young team this year. “They do a great job of playing together and are all pretty close,” she said. Inexperience at the varsity level and a lack of numbers with only having 11 girls out will be a weakness this fall for the Panthers. They will look to Lexi Theis Lexi Theis 5'11" | OH Fillmore Central | 2022 State NE who was a 2nd Team Southern Nebraska Conference, All State Honorable Mention Lincoln Journal Star, All State Honorable Mention Omaha World Herald and a York News-Times All Area Honorable Mention. The junior registered 148 kills, 238 digs and 43 aces for the Panthers last fall. Jordan Broman also returns with honorable mention honors as she chipped in 51 kills, 33 aces and 175 digs last year. Look for the Panthers to build around these two returners this fall. This summer they attended the Cross County Team Camp, league in Meridian versus Meridian and Tri-County and hosted a team camp.