Document text
'The Big Three" are the head of the class Roseburg, North Medford and Ashland will contend for the SOC crown By TIM PYLE The pack is compressing, but "The Big Three" still leads the way. At least that's the way Southern Oregon Conference volleyball coaches see it heading into the 2001 conference season, which begins Tuesday. Roseburg, North Medford and Ashland - a.k.a. "The Big Three - are predicted, in that order, to claim the top three SOC spots, according to a preseason poll among league coaches. Roseburg (47 total points) received six first-place votes, while North (42) and Ashland (40) each got one. Past SOC champions 2000 - North Medford (14-0) 1999 - Ashland (14-0) 1998 - North Medford (13-1) 1997 - Roseburg (14-2) 1996 - North Medford (14-2) 1995 - North Medford (16-0) 1994 - Ashland (15-1) 1993 - Ashland (15-1) 1992 - Ashland (15-1) 1991 - Ashland/North Medford (14-2) 1990 - Ashland/North Meford (14-2) 1989 - Ashland (16-0) 1988 - North Division: Crater (11-2) South Division: Ashland (13-0) 1987 - North: Roseburg (11-1) South: Ashland/North Medford (11-1) 1986 - Roseburg, Hidden Valley, Crater (13-3) 1985 - Ashland (14-2) 1984 - Ashland (14-2) Noteworthy Two SOC programs feature new head coaches this season, although one of the coaches is anything but new to the conference. Steve Levesque, the erstwhile North Medford head and assistant coach, has taken his services to Grants Pass. At Klamath Union, Mandy Hubble replaces Malcolm Munson, who is now an assistant at North. Despite finishing second in the SOC due to two losses to North, Roseburg enjoyed the conference's best showing at state last season, earning fourth place (sub-tournament win over Marshfield; tournament victories over Crook County, McNary and St. Mary's; quarterfinals loss to Jesuit). North lost in the first round to Gresham of the Mt. Hood Conference, then beat Benson before being eliminated from consolation play with a loss to West Linn. Ashland, the SOC's third-place team, lost in the sub-tournament to Westview, while South Medford, SOC No. 4, blew out St. Helens, then lost to North Bend in sub-tourney action. Roseburg boasts the most returning all-SOC performers with four (1st team: Shannon Burmeister; 2nd: Mary Pat Junkin; honorable mention: Katie Kahn and Kristen Ritter). Ashland, however, has two first-team all-SOC players back (Megan Beugli and Molly Grossman), tops in the league. Other all-SOC returnees, by team: North (2nd: Chaley Higgins and Candace Fleener; h.m.: Tara Siebenlist); Crater (2nd: Brandi Hall and Audrey Hop); and Eagle Point (h.m.: Kara Stuart and Aubrey Harrington). * The state playoffs begin Oct. 29, when the SOC Nos. 3 and 4 teams will pay sub-tournament matches. SOC No. 3 will host Valley League 4, while SOC 4 travels to Metro League 3. SOC 2 gets an Oct. 31 sub-tournament second-round home match against the winner of Metro 4 versus Mt. Hood 4. There are three sub-tournament rounds in all. The SOC champion receives an automatic berth in the championship tournament and plays in the first round on Nov. 9 at the University of Portland's Chiles Center. The race for fourth, and the league's final postseason berth, should be tight, the poll says. Crater earned 26 points to top Grants Pass (24) and South Medford (23). Eagle Point (16) and Klamath Union (7) round out the rankings. Although "The Big Three" may once again preside over the SOC, league coaches believe the other five programs are improving. "There's a lot more parity in the league in terms of top-to-bottom," Ashland coach Josh Rohlfing says. "As a league we're going to contend with the Mt. Hood Conference." That's lofty praise considering that the Mt. Hood is Oregon's universally recognized conference of volleyball prowess. South coach Jerry Hagstrom has also noticed the escalation in level of play. "It's better every year," he says of the SOC. "Our strong teams stay strong, and the teams that finish in the bottom half get better every year. So I think it's going be very competitive. And the coaching is always very good." Roseburg, which finished second in the SOC at 12-2 last season and had a league-best fourth-place showing at state, is aiming for its first conference crown since 1997. With players like all-SOC hitter Shannon Burmeister and second-team setter Mary Pat Junkin returning for eighth-year coach Bruce Myers, some league coaches are all but conceding the title to the Indians. "I don't think they're gonna be touchable," Eagle Point coach Lisa Hutchins says. "After Roseburg, I think anybody can beat anybody." North coach Ron Beick, who guided his team to a perfect SOC mark last season, believes the Indians belong in the top five of the state's rankings. "Roseburg returns the strongest corps of players in terms of starters and experience," says Beick, who singles out Indians junior hitter Kristen Ritter as one to watch. "They have a good, strong balance. Everything should lend itself to them being the preseason favorite." Roseburg travels to Grants Pass for its conference-opener Tuesday night. North, however, won't willingly relinquish its crown. Returning second-team all-league performers Chaley Higgins and Candace Fleener, both seniors, figure to help pave the Black Tornado's path to another postseason appearance. Beth Rathburn, Amy Bakker, Tara Siebenlist and Henley transfer Krystal Young are also key players. "We've got good strength in the middle attack," says Beick, beginning his eighth season at North. "Setting, we're trying different combinations of players (to replace 2000 SOC player of the year Kaci Maldonado). That'll be a real key to how we do." Fleener, who served as a hitter last season, and Young are among the most likely setters. The Black Tornado, which opens conference action by hosting Eagle Point at 7:15 p.m. Tuesday, will find out where it stands among the state powers at a tournament in West Linn on Saturday. Coming off a 9-5, third-place SOC finish, Ashland should be in the title mix again. In senior setter Molly Grossman and junior defensive specialist Megan Beugli, the Grizzlies have two of the league's three returning first-team all-SOC standouts. Senior outside hitter Cacey Zundel joins Grossman as team co-captain. Junior middle Marla Morin, senior outside hitter Ashley Fence, senior defensive specialist Tiffany Talbott and senior outside hitter Christina Kalemkeris are other prime Ashland contributors. "I'm really confident in what we're trying to do right now," says Rohlfing, who had a 14-0 league campaign in 1999 among his four years as Grizzlies coach. "We have great potential, great upside. ... We're stronger than we were last year, top to bottom." Ashland is home to South at 7:15 p.m. Tuesday and also plays in the West Linn tourney Saturday. Crater, 6-8 in the SOC a season ago, is trying to break its fifth-place jinx. During coach Leaf Jensen's four-year tenure, the Comets haven't finished anything other than fifth, just missing the playoffs each time. Senior hitter Brandi Hall and junior defensive specialist Audrey Hop were second-team all-SOC last season. They are joined by senior middle Nicholette LeBel, junior outside hitter Erin Kinney and senior setter Sarah Yager. Jensen feels this could be the year Crater makes the postseason. "It's the quickest team I've ever had," he says. "I've had big teams in the past, but we've always been a little on the slow side. This year, we have three girls over 6-foot and more athleticism." Former North head and assistant coach Steve Levesque enters his first season in charge at Grants Pass, and he inherits a program that went 2-12 to finish last in the league in 2000. Levesque does have nine seniors on his rosters, including setter Apryl Allen and outside hitters Ally Codington and Kathy Richard. "The opportunity presented itself, and I grabbed it," Levesque says of his taking over the Cavers. "They're a very disciplined group, very willing to work hard. ... Trying to get them to be more consistent will be key for us." Opposing SOC coaches aren't sure what to expect out of South, which returns just two varsity athletes. "I think what this season will tell us more than anything is how well our program has come along," says Hagstrom, starting his fourth year with the Panthers. "Because this is the first year we will be completely reloading from within the program." Right side Beth Mueller, a junior, and leftside hitter Megan Shanahan, a senior, are the returnees; sophomore setter Stephanie Andersburg, senior setter Amanda Blair, junior middle Jessica Rickman, senior outside hitter Amanda Cox and junior defensive specialist Michelle Chancler are other key contributors. Hagstrom is confident that his program, which has 51 girls playing in all, is on the rise. "Our program has improved tremendously," says Hagstrom, who has a new assistant in Angie LeRoy. "We'll be surprising some people that think we are down this year." South will find out immediately if it can contend for the SOC title, as it starts the league slate against Ashland, Roseburg and North. After tying for sixth at 3-11 last season, Eagle Point hopes to be a factor in the scramble for fourth. "We should definitely finish higher than last year," says Hutchins, in her third year. "How much higher, I don't know." Senior hitter Kara Stuart and junior setter Aubrey Harrington earned all-league honorable mention in 2000. Senior hitter Dani Rouhier and sophomore middle Ashley Curtis are also starters. "We hadn't learned how to win last year," Hutchins says. "Hopefully, they've learned." Every opposing coach tabbed Klamath Union for last, but new coach Mandy Hubble says the Pelicans have the chemistry to open eyes. "Team unity is gonna be pretty good," says Hubble, mentioning that her senior class lost but two games when they played together on the freshmen team. KU was 3-11 last season, and middles Lorisa Bliss and Megan Leppert, setter Maggie Fischer, hitter Celina Hernandez and defensive specialist Krista Day are returnees. Reach reporter Tim Pyle at 776-4483 or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.