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Sports

South Suburban Conference Volleyball Preview

Top-ranked Lakeville North looks to defend state title but will face steep competition in a deep conference.

The South Suburban Conference will be filled with volleyball talent this fall, and the Minnesota Volleyball Coaches Association preseason rankings prove it.

Defending state Class 3A champion Lakeville North tops the first 2011 MVCA poll, and Bloomington Jefferson is ranked second.

Lakeville South is ranked fifth in the preseason poll, Apple Valley 13th and Eastview 17th.

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“The conference is loaded with talent,” said Apple Valley head coach Gordy Hagert. “There are legitimately five to six teams in the conference with a player who could make the all-state team and numerous kids who are (NCAA) Division I and II recruits. This may be the toughest conference schedule we've faced in many, many years.”

Teams to watch

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-- Lakeville North. The Panthers (31-1 last season) are the defending Class AAA state champions, winning the 2010 tournament in style, going 9-0 in three state matches. Lakeville North lost just once last season, a 2-1 decision to No. 2 Wayzata in the finals of the Apple Valley Tournament. Three senior starters return for the Panthers, senior middle blocker Nicole Latzig, senior hitter Jessica Wolff and outside hitter Kelly Nizzari — in addition to sophomores outside hitter Alyssa Goehner and Abby Monson — from last year's state championship team.

-- Bloomington Jefferson (26-4) is loaded with five returning starters Haley Bodway, Kelley Wollak, Emily Schadow, Eliza Zachary and Ashley Peper off last year’s 26-4 team. Bodway (6-0), Wollak (5-9), Schadow (5-9), Zachary (6-2) and Peper (5-11) will give the Jaguars an imposing front line again. The Jaguars lost only four times last season, all to ranked teams, twice to No. 1 Lakeville North, once at No. 4 Eastview and once to Hutchinson, No 1 in 2A.

-- Lakeville South (19-8) should be a deep, talented and experienced team led by returning all-state outside hitter McKell Anderson and middle blocker Monica Turner. Turner has started since she was a freshman and earned all conference or all conference honorable mention each year. She was an AAU All-American player for her club team this summer. Anderson has also started since she was a freshman and earned honorable mention all-state and all-conference honors. She’s committed to play at Southwest Minnesota State. Sisters Jade (freshman hitter) and Jazzmyn Tinglehoff (junior setter) give the Cougars more top players to contend with. Also back are Allie Mosser (senior setter), Elle Roesner (senior defensive specialist) and two-year starter Kaitlin VanWinkle (senior, middle hitter), who has committed to UM-Moorhead.

-- Apple Valley. Back from last season’s 19-9 team is Natalie Johnson (fifth year varsity) Aly Johnson, Maren Loe and Shanotta Bawek (fourth year), Rachel Voss and Kelsey Harms (third) and Garet Miliner (second). “We’ll have lots of experienced players who have played together for a number of years,” said coach Gordy Hagert.

-- Eastview (19-10) lost a top hitter but usually finds a way to reload and compete.

-- Eagan welcomes the return of veteran coach Kathy Gillen and transfer sophomore all-state left side hitter Taylr NcNeil to the mix.

-- Prior Lake was young last season and took some lumps, but many of those young players are back bigger and stronger this season, including freshmen Laureen Miller and Brittany Luethmers and sophomores Melissa VanBenthuysen, Jayme Lubansky and Kacque Luth.

Players to watch

-- Burnsville senior Camille Benson was second in the state in digs last season with 474.

-- Eagan gained the services of all-state outside hitter sophomore Taylr McNeil, who transferred from 2010 state champion Lakeville North.

-- Lakeville South all-state honorable mention senior McKell Anderson (313 kills last season and 316 digs).

-- Bloomington Jefferson returns senior all-state player Haley Bodway.

-- Lakeville North’s Alyssa Goehner.

-- Bloomington Kennedy defensive ace Bull Karin (111 blocks last season).

-- Lakeville South’s Kaitlin VanWinkle and Monica Turner.

Key losses

--Lakeville North lost 2011 coach of the year winner and Hall of Fame inductee Milan Mader, who retired after coaching teams to 806 victories. Also gone are Miss Volleyball, Class AAA Player of the Year and all-state setter Kellie McNeil to graduation and all-state tournament outside hitter Taylr McNeil to transfer.

-- Lakeville South lost libero Kelly Davenport, who’s now plays for St. Benedict’s.

-- Eastview all-state player Ashley Murtha.

-- Apple Valley outside hitter Mel Racz (now playing at Liberty University) and all-state honorable mention setter Taylor Voss (now playing at Columbia in New York City).

-- Burnsville’s Laura Beckman (327 kills last season).

-- Rosemount defensive aces Ali Fromme and Elaine Warner.

-- Bloomington Jefferson loses Megan Scherber’s senior leadership.

Toughest road trip

-- Lakeville South at Lakeville North

-- Lakeville North Sept. 10 at the SW Minnesota Challenge and Sept. 23 in the Apple Valley Eagle Invitational (Apple Valley, Alexandria, Bethlehem Academy, Jordan, Blaine, Shakopee, Eden Prairie, Wayzata).

-- Bloomington Jefferson at the Marshall tournament.

-- “Any game in the South Suburban Conference,” said Hagert. “There are no gimmies.”

Preseason Conference Player of the Year

--Two close to call between Bloomington Jefferson's Haley Bodway and Lakeville South's Monica Turner.

2010 final standings

Overall

Lakeville North                                   31-1

Bloomington Jefferson                       26-4

Lakeville South                                   19-8

Apple Valley                                       19-9

Eastview                                             19-10

Rosemount                                          16-12

Burnsville                                            14-15

Prior Lake                                           12-16

Eagan                                                  11-16

Bloomington Kennedy                       10-17  

Top 2010 postseason finishes

Lakeville North -- Won 18 straight matches and the Minnesota Class AAA volleyball state title with a 31-1 record last season. The Panthers didn’t lose a game in state tournament play and dropped Wayzata 3-0 for the championship.

Bloomington Jefferson – Advanced to Class AAA Section 3 finals before losing 3-2 to Lakeville North.

Eastview – Advanced to Class AAA Section 3 semifinals before losing 3-1 to Bloomington Jefferson.

Apple Valley – Advanced to Class AAA Section 3 semifinals before losing 3-0 to Lakeville North. 

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