Volleyball team must replace six seniors

By Greg Seubert

Kathryn Hazen waits for a serve from Iola-Scandinavia during a five-team volleyball scrimmage at Waupaca High School. Hazen and the Waupaca Comets are moving this season from the Eastern Valley Conference to the North Eastern Conference.

A new conference and plenty of new faces are in store this season for the Waupaca volleyball team.

The Comets will compete in the North Eastern Conference with Clintonville, Denmark, Fox Valley Lutheran, Freedom, Little Chute, Luxemburg-Casco, Marinette, Oconto Falls and Wrightstown. Four of those teams – Clintonville, FVL, Freedom and Little Chute – were in the Eastern Valley Conference last year with Waupaca.

“I know Oconto Falls is notorious for having a pretty good program, but I haven’t seen many of those teams, even at tournaments,” coach Chelsea Benitz said Aug. 24 after the Comets hosted a five-team scrimmage with Weyauwega-Fremont, Iola-Scandinavia, Mosinee and Ashwaubenon. “I’m not exactly sure what the conference is going to bring this year, but we’re going to look to do as well as we can in it.”

The Comets lost six seniors from last year’s team, including all-conference players Sydney Brooks, Mandy Tomlinson and Alyssa Nicewander.

Returning players include senior Brenna Oleson.

“She was our libero last year, but this year, we’re going to have her play all the way around as an outside hitter,” Benitz said.

Abby Wolfgram is the team’s libero this season, while Kathryn Hazen and Taylor Vaughn also saw varsity action last year.

“They’re working very hard, they’re communicating as a team and staying very positive,” Benitz said. “Those are definitely things we’re going to build on.”

The four-hour long scrimmage gave the Comets a chance to work on a lineup.

“We threw a lot of different people in a lot of different places they haven’t played before just to get a feel of who’s going to play well for us in which position,” Benitz said. “We can move people in and out without them worrying about the score. I’m looking at who plays well. We definitely worked out a few kinks.”

Benitz is in her third season with the Comets.

“This year, I’m kind of back to feeling how I was when I first started with a fresh, new bunch,” she said. “Last year, I just felt so confident. This year, it’s working on that rebuilding.

“We’re definitely starting over,” she added. “The positive thing is I have seen these girls before and I know them. That helps.”

Waupaca Volleyball 2015 Schedule

Varsity
Tuesday, Aug. 25 – at New London Invitational, 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 27 – at Amherst triangular, 4 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 3 – at Luxemburg-Casco, 7 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 10 – vs. Oconto Falls, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 12 – at Shiocton Invitational, 9 a.m.
Thursday, Sept. 17 – vs. Denmark, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 19 – at Newman Catholic Invitational, Wausau, 9 a.m.
Thursday, Sept. 24 – at Fox Valley Lutheran, Appleton, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 29 – vs. Wrightstown, 7 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 1 – at Clintonville, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 6 – at Little Chute, 7 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 8 – vs. Freedom, 7 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 15 – at Marinette, 7 p.m.

Junior Varsity
Thursday, Sept. 3 – at Luxemburg-Casco, 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 8 – vs. Clintonville, Nekoosa, St. Mary Catholic, 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 10 – vs. Oconto Falls, 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 17 – vs. Denmark, 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 19 – at Bay Port Invitational, Howard, 9 a.m.
Thursday, Sept. 24 – at Fox Valley Lutheran, Appleton, 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 29 – vs. Wrightstown, 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 1 – at Clintonville, 5:30 p.m.
Monday, Oct. 5 – vs. Stevens Point, Appleton West, 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 6 – at Little Chute, 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 8 – vs. Freedom, 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 15 – at Marinette, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 17 – at North Eastern Conference meet, Clintonville, 9:30 a.m.

Freshman
Thursday, Sept. 3 – at Luxemburg-Casco, 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 10 – vs. Oconto Falls, 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 17 – vs. Denmark, 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 24 – at Fox Valley Lutheran, Appleton, 5:30 p.m.
Monday, Sept. 28 – Waupaca Invitational, 5 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 29 – vs. Wrightstown, 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 1 – at Clintonville, 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 6 – at Little Chute, 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 8 – vs. Freedom, 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 15 – at Marinette, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 17 – at North Eastern Conference meet, Clintonville, 9:30 a.m.