2024 volleyball preview: 5 storylines to watch in the NewsTribune area

With the volleyball season getting underway Monday, here are five storylines to watch across the NewsTribune area this season.

Demi Salazar takes over at Mendota

The longtime area coach has come out of an extended break from coaching high school volleyball to take over the Spikers.

Salazar has a long history of winning in the area, especially in the postseason. He has led Putnam County, Hall and Henry-Senachwine to regional titles and guided Hall to a fourth-place finish in Class A in 2005. In his career, Salazar is 402-232-4 with eight regional championships and four sectional titles.

He inherits a roster short on experience, but Salazar has liked what he’s seen so far.

“They’re hungry for everything,” Salazar said. “They want to do well. They want to prove who they are. I was pretty happy with how the group melded together [over the summer].”

Although Salazar said the Spikers will look to build toward the postseason this season, the coaching staff also has its sights set on building the program for the future.

“This year we’re trying to put everybody together and see what we can do,” Salazar said. “They’ve worked really hard. I’m glad we took them. Our underclassmen look really good. Our plan is long term, so what can we do now and how can we help kids improve?”

Can Henry-Senachwine take the next step?

Last fall with a team led mostly by juniors and sophomores, the Mallards won 22 matches and advanced to the Tri-County Conference Tournament championship match for the first time since 1990.

In the spring, many of those same juniors and sophomores led the softball team to a regional championship for the first time since 2005.

That group, headlined by setter Lauren Harbison and middle hitter Kaitlyn Anderson, now will look to end a regional drought for the volleyball squad, which last won a regional plaque in 2010, and compete for the Tri-County crown.

Will La Salle-Peru and Fieldcrest win regionals again?

La Salle-Peru and Fieldcrest continued their traditions of postseason success last fall, as each won a regional championship.

For L-P, it was the 20th regional plaque under coach Mark Haberkorn and 22nd in program history, while the Knights won their second consecutive regional title and fifth in eight seasons under Cathy Sanders.

Both teams suffered heavy losses to graduation.

The Cavaliers lost both setters/right side hitters, the entire back row and an outside hitter.

However, L-P also returns a strong group of hitters, including middles Ava Currie and Kelsey Frederick and outside Aubrey Duttlinger, so the Cavs once again could be in the hunt for postseason hardware if they get solid play from their setters and back row, which includes seniors Kalli Ware and Callie Mertes, who both saw some time last season.

The Knights lost three-time unanimous All-Heart of Illinois Conference outside hitter Allie Wiesenhofer and several other key plays.

Fieldcrest returns only setter Macy Gochanour and libero Pru Mangan, but the Knights have done a nice job reloading in recent years and are always battled-tested going through HOIC play.

Bureau Valley joins a new conference

The Storm have left their longtime home in the Three Rivers Conference to join the Lincoln Trail Conference.

Second-year coach Saige Barnett said she is looking forward to being a part of the Lincoln Trail, joining Abingdon-Avon, Annawan, Galva, Knoxville, Monmouth United, Princeville, ROWVA-Williamsfield, Stark County, West Central, Wethersfield and Ridgewood, the co-op of Cambridge and AlWood.

“They’re a competitive small-school conference with a reputation of successful female sports,” Barnett said. “We will have our work cut out for us, but we’re also anticipating some success of our own. The head coaches over there have been welcoming me and my staff with open arms to answer any questions and assist us as we are navigating this change.”

Who will emerge as the area’s top players?

Six of seven players from the 2023 NewsTribune All-Area first team graduated, including 2023 NewsTribune Girls Volleyball Player of the Year Maggie Richetta of Putnam County and 2022 Player of the Year Allie Wiesenhofer of Fieldcrest.

That leaves plenty of opportunities for other players to rise to the top.

Henry-Senachwine senior setter Lauren Harbison is the lone first-teamer returning and likely will have another big season. Teammate Kaitlyn Anderson also is a talented player for the Mallards at middle hitter.

La Salle-Peru has a pair of powerful hitters back in senior middle Ava Currie and sophomore outside Aubrey Duttlinger.

Fieldcrest lost a lot of talent, but junior setter Macy Gochanour is back after being a solid contributor last fall, and she should be stepping into a larger role with setter Bella Fortner graduated.

Princeton has a talented junior class, including middle hitter Keighley Davis, outside hitter Caroline Keutzer, setter Makayla Hecht and outside/opposite Keely Lawson, but Lawson may be the best of the bunch. She’s a newcomer to the Tigresses after sitting out last season following her transfer from Bureau Valley, where she was a strong varsity contributor as a freshman in 2022.

St. Bede’s Lily Bosnich is an exceptional four-sport athlete and will be in a larger role this season as an outside hitter after gaining some varsity experience last fall, while Putnam County middle hitter Maggie Spratt is entering her third varsity season and will become the Panthers’ go-to hitter with Richetta graduated.