Raising the stakes

By Jeremy D. Malamed

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Posted: Friday, September 5, 2008 10:36 AM CDT

Kelsey Hull is part of a dynamic trio of Calaveras juniors with a year of varsity experience already under their belts. Enterprise photo by Mark Godi

For the first time in a long time, the Calaveras High girls volleyball program isn't starting a new season from scratch.

Ten of the 12 players on the Calaveras varsity roster played on a newly formed club volleyball team with coach Mike Koepp this summer, raising the Redskins' expectations for the 2008 season.

“In past years, it's been two steps forward, one step back, having to reteach things at the beginning of each year,” Koepp said. “This year, we were able to take the things we learned in the high school season into the club program and build on them.

“We're starting at a higher point than we have in the past so there are more things we are able to do.”

Calaveras finished fifth in the Mother Lode League last season with a team that featured only two seniors and had sophomores Cecily Basques, Kelsey Hull and Tanna Bindi playing key roles. This year, the Redskins-athletic and with a year of varsity experience and club tournaments under their belts-are looking to challenge reigning MLL champion Linden and rival Bret Harte for a top spot in the league standings.

“We've drastically improved as far as the chemistry of the team,” Koepp said.

The MLL is expected to be evenly matched throughout this fall, but the Redskins need look no further than last year's Bret Harte team for proof that a jump from the bottom half of the standings to the top is possible in one season.

The Bullfrogs finished fifth in 2006, but leaped into second place last year. With seven seniors back, including third-year varsity setter Mariah Mathews, from that team, Bret Harte hopes to make another run at its first league championship since 1988.

“We have strong senior leadership with a lot of experience,” Bret Harte coach Rich Juarez said.

The return of so many key players is the good news for the Bullfrogs and Redskins. The bad news is that Linden, which went 14-1 in MLL play last year, returns just as many.

The Lions return five all-league players, including last year's Most Valuable Player, setter Katie Chiccone.

“They will be the team to beat,” Koepp said, adding, “We look forward to the challenge of changing how the league sees us.”

The play of Basques, Hull and Bindi could go a long way towards changing perspectives.

Part of a dynamic junior class of girls at Calaveras, all three were varsity starters in multiple sports as sophomores and earned all-league honors in at least one sport.

Basques returns as setter, a position she earned all-league honors at last season. Hull, 5-foot-10, is a hitting and blocking force at the net, teaming with senior Nicole Catto to give the Redskins two of the league's strongest middles. Bindi, 5-foot-8, is hoping to emerge as the outside hitting force Koepp is looking for to compliment the middles.

“You can't teach experience,” said Koepp, who coached all three girls on the CHS freshman volleyball team in 2006. “Part of the reason why those three were brought up last year was to get as much experience at the varsity level as possible. They were ready to play last year and having that experience is going to definitely help out this year, and even more next year.”

Photo extras by Jeremy D. Malamed and other staff reporters: Issue 07

Contact Jeremy D. Malamed at sports@calaverasenterprise.com

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