Building back

Chautauqua Lake graduated just four seniors, most importantly Ava Olson, who was the MVP of the Class D Tournament at states. Olson led the team in kills with 220, aces with 104 and hitting percentage at .201, while also making 332 digs and 318 assists.

Just behind Olson was fellow senior and First-Team All-State selection Brynn Engdahl who was second in kills with 175 and digs at 349.

Despite the graduation of Olson, Engdahl and Breaunna Smith, Chautauqua Lake’s youth is ready to step up and keep the winning tradition going.

Noli Paddock enters her freshman year at Chautauqua Lake after helping the team to the state title leading the squad in blocks with 52 and was named to the All-Tournament team at states, eighth-grader Alice Scarpine comes back as the libero after recording 405 digs last year, sophomore Karagan Fairbank led in assists with 383 and junior Jeanine Group was next up in kills behind Olson and Engdahl with 152.

Maddy Alexander instructs the Southwestern volleyball team during a practice after overtaking the role of head coach a year after the program reached states.
OBSERVER Photo by Christian Storms

Chautauqua Lake joined Portville in taking home volleyball state championships for Section VI, but they weren’t alone as the Southwestern squad went farther than any girls program in school history by reaching the semifinals in Albany.

That squad was led coached by Alexis Johnson, but this year it will be 2015 Southwestern graduate Maddy Alexander taking over.

“I was the jayvee coach and with Alexis having twins this fall, which is super exciting, I get to slide into the varsity position,” Alexander said about taking over as head coach of Southwestern. “I’m super excited about it, being that I am an alumni from Southwestern. I’m taking my experience from coaching at JCC, I coached with Ashley Lund for several years and then Sally Rudny and I took over that program. This just seems like a good fit for me right now.”

Alexander’s biggest task in keeping the Southwestern volleyball program heading in the correct direction is replacing the production of First-Team All-State selection and All-Tournament pick Lauren Cotter.

“Lauren is definitely a big loss for us,” Alexander stated. “I think that a lot of players that looked up to her for so long are now coming out of their shells. … A lot of players that maybe didn’t play as much last year are stepping into that position to show us what they’ve got.”

Chautauqua Lake’s Jeanine Group eyes a serve during practice.
OBSERVER Photo by Christian Storms

Cotter led the Trojans with 266 kills, 142 digs, 86 aces and 37 blocks.

Second-Team All-State selection Jaidyn Newhouse will also be missed by the Trojans as she scored 166 kills and made 32 blocks her senior year.

“Last year was super exciting, I’m so glad that I jumped on to be a part of it,” Alexander said about last year’s team. “It was incredible to go to states with the girls and our goal this year is ultimately to get back there. We lost a couple key players, I know that Lauren Cotter, Jaidyn Newhouse and McKenna Bogdanowicz were always in the paper last year so they were some big losses for us. This year we have a very well-rounded team and I think everyone is going to do their part very well.”

Bella Sirianni will be another crucial piece for the Trojans after leading in assists her junior year with 414 and libero Payton Swartz returns for her senior season after 140 digs last year.

“All of the seniors have really stepped up to do their part,” Alexander said about this year’s team. “Bella’s been on the team a really long time, she’s my setter so she’s vocal, she gets to touch the ball every play. Siri DuBois has stepped up, she will be a huge part this year. Kate Miller is another good one, she does a lot of the communication. So those are some of my seniors that are definitely doing a bigger part than they did last year just because of the others who graduated.”

Randolph, like Southwestern, also captured a sectional title, but graduated its best player in Eve Adams. Still managing an All-State Fourth-Team selection in Class C despite not making the state tournament, Adams led the squad with 417 kills and 180 digs and will be playing at the Division I level for the UB Bulls.

The reigning Class C2 champions do return senior Donnilynn Sheldon who had 138 kills, senior Avery Morrison who made 150 digs and sophomore Aliza Hind who dished 617 assists.

Randolph’s season came to an end at the hands of Portville as it was on a warpath to a third straight Class C state title, but before the Cardinals fell it was Falconer giving the Panthers a fight in the Class C1 finals.

Falconer graduates just three seniors and brings back plenty to find itself among the best teams in the area. Junior Hannah Melquist is coming off a year in which she had 170 kills, 430 assists, 137 digs, 90 aces and 17 blocks to earn an All-State selection on the Fifth Team in Class C.

The Golden Falcons bring back Nylah Sharpe who led the team with 237 digs, Emily Zaranek had 119 kills, Augustine Krenzer with 103 kills and 121 digs and Mylie Zaranek had 144 digs.

Gowanda came up short in the Class C2 final and graduated their top scorer in Aubrie Heron who had 139 kills and libero Ella Luther who made 459 digs a year ago.

The Panthers bring back Jillian Gernatt who made 526 assists, Corrina John who led in blocks with 71, Elizabeth Green who had 116 kills, Holland Browning with 106 kills and 266 digs and Addison Kota who made 234 digs.

Panama was upset by rival Chautauqua Lake in the Class D final and the Panthers graduated a pair of Second-Team All-State selections in Sarah Harvey and Corinne Hovey. Harvey led the Panthers with 197 kills and 54 aces, while Hovey led with 220 digs. Panama will also miss Kylie Morgan who was second in kills 116 and led in blocks with 46.

Now under the direction of first-year head coach Madalyn Bowen, the Panthers will lean on junior Kiera Loberg who led with 330 assists last year and senior Kaitlyn Horton who had 105 kills and 40 blocks last year.

Westfield was knocked out of the Class D playoffs by Panama and graduated several key players who were there since the program was revived. Tanleigh Bestine’s 300 assists and Keara Kincaid’s 175 kills and 120 digs will be sorely missed, but Sydney Hotchkiss comes back with 129 digs and Charly Mathews who had 71 kills a year ago.

Fellow Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association Division 2 West member and Class D semifinalist Clymer/Sherman also graduated several key seniors, including Alexys Neckers, Tayler Michalski, Lily Martin, Olivia Maleski, Allison Bunting and Ericka Heslink.

Maple Grove lost most of its team due to graduation, as Hayley Johnson, Hannah Benson, Lily Benedetto, Harper Dawes and Ellery Yohe were all seniors last year.

Forestville brings back plenty of key players in Kaitie LoManto, Carilene Sliwa and Megan Gruber, but lost three players to graduation last year.

Then rounding out the rest of Division 2 West, Brocton lost over half its team to graduation while Cassadaga Valley only had one senior on last year’s squad.

In Division 1 West, Fredonia and Dunkirk both just graduated three girls, while Jamestown will have to replace six seniors from last year’s squad.

In the East Division, Silver Creek graduated four seniors, but will bring back Gracie Williams who led in kills and Josie Daniels who had the most digs a year ago as juniors. Pine Valley graduated just three seniors, but it included top scorer Vivien Libby with 114 kills last year and Jessina Miller with 95 kills, although Danica Farnham comes back for her senior year after dealing 225 assists last year. Salamanca graduated several seniors including its top killer in Lezly McComber with 117, Madison Hoag who had 113 digs and Marlee Maybee who made 146 assists. Cattaraugus-Little Valley looks for another promising year after losing just two seniors from its squad that finished 14-5.