12 |
SPORTS
|
MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2022 | BRAINERD DISPATCH
BRAINERDDISPATCH.COM
VOLLEYBALL
Kelly Humphrey / Brainerd Dispatch
Brainerd’s Anika Aho sets the ball for Lyanna Pickar, front, and Ava Loney during a scrimmage against Pequot Lakes on Wednesday at Brainerd High School.
Warriors to bring firepower to the court By Conrad Engstrom Brainerd Dispatch Brainerd head coach Rick Kuehlwein said it’s not about replacing the firepower from last year’s team as it is the defense. The most notable absence will be Meghan Smith who was a Brainerd Dispatch All-Area player and led the Warriors with 245 kills while being second in digs with 224. Senior captain Kate Stadum a returning starter for the Warriors. Last season, Stadum was All-Area First Team and was second on the team with 230 kills and first in digs with 234. She also led the team in ace serves with 36 and serve percentage at 96%. “Meghan Smith was so good on defense that it’s tough to replace her,” Kuehlwein said. “Kate’s always had firepower, as does Iyana Pickar and our sophomore Karley Dunham. We just need to find that consistency.” Kuehlwein called the fouryear player, Stadum, one of, if not the best, hitters in the area. “(Pequot Lakes’) Maci Martini and Kate would be the two premier hitters up in this area,” he said. “Kate is just so competitive and is a great all-around player. She needs to improve a little bit on defense, but offense I don’t worry about. She’s a great leader, too.” Fellow senior captain Iyana Pickar is a middle and outside hitter who will play a bigger role for the Warriors this season. Last season, she finished with 68 kills, but was second on the team in blocks with 54 which makes Kuehlwein happy.
VOLLEYBALL FACTS
WARRIOR SCHEDULE
Head coach: Rick Kuehlwein, sixth year at Brainerd (18 years at CretinDerham Hall) 2021 finish: 7-5 CLC, 17-11-1 overall Career record: 487- Kuehlwein 186 Captains: Kate Stadum, Iyana Pickar Assistant coaches: Carla Stall, Ken Solarz, Tana Johnson (B-squad), Ann Hunnicutt (freshmen), Jean Martin (freshmen)
Seniors: Kate Stadum (OH), Ella Anderson (L/DS), Anika Aho (S), Emma Storm (DS/OH), Iyana Pickar (MH/OH), Abby Paulson (RS/MH), Aden Yost (S) Juniors: Savannah Johnson (OH/ RS), Greta Jager (RS/MH) Sophomores: Ana Bjorklund (RS/ MH), Emma Garding (DS/L), Ava Loney (MH/RS), Karley Dunham (OH/MH)
Tuesday, Aug. 30, hosts St. Cloud Tech 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 1, at Sartell 7 p.m. Sept. 6: hosts Sauk Rapids 7 p.m. Sept. 10: at Sauk Rapids Invite 9 a.m. Sept. 13: hosts Pequot Lakes 7:15 p.m. Sept. 15: hosts Fergus Falls 7 p.m. Sept. 20: at Alexandria 7 p.m. Sept. 22: hosts Rocori 7 p.m. Sept. 24: at Duluth East Invite 8 a.m. Sept. 29: at St. Cloud Tech 7 p.m. Oct. 4: hosts Sartell 7 p.m. Oct. 6: at Sauk Rapids 7 p.m. Oct. 11: at Bemidji 7 p.m. Oct. 13: hosts Willmar 7 p.m. Oct. 14: at St. Cloud Apollo 7 p.m. Oct. 15: at Irondale Tournament 9 a.m. Oct. 27, Nov. 1, Nov. 5: Section 8-4A Playoffs Nov. 9, 10, 12: Class 4A State Tournament
“We are really good at blocking one-on-one,” he said. “But we need to close better. It’s really important that we get better at our block and our serve-receive.” Senior Aden Yost returns as one of two setters for the Warriors. Last season, she shared time with Myah Nelson and Yost tallied 351 set assists. Senior Anika Aho is another setter for Brainerd. “Aden Yost will be our main setter,” Kuehlwein said. “We are going with a 6-2 and I might use her in four rotations at times. Our second setter is Anika Aho, so those are
our two. And Aden has a lot of experience and does a lot of good things. She is really important to what we are doing this year, but we have to get her the ball in serve-receive.” The big question for Kuehlwein is who will be at libero and defensive specialist. He said seniors Ella Anderson and Emma Storm along with sophomore Emma Garding are fighting for those spots. “Of those three we need to get someone who is more consistent when it comes to serve-receive,” Kuehlwein said. “We are working on reading better than just reacting.
WARRIOR ROSTER
I want our serve-receive to be more aggressive.” Last season, Storm played in 56 sets and tallied 55 digs while Anderson played in 45 sets and recorded 55 digs. Other hitters expected to help are Dunham and senior Abby Paulson both of who are listed at 6-foot along with Pickar. Dunham played in all 90 sets last season and tallied 80 kills with a 39.6 kill percentage. Paulson played in 85 sets and had 45 kills last season. “If I can get Abby at 6-foot, Karley at 6-foot and Iyana at 6-foot, at times I put them in the front row at the same time and they can switch positions all three of them and can work to our advantage for the rest of the season,” Kuehlwein said. “I’m going to be starting Karley at outside hitting. She actually hit the highest (percentage) in the middle, but if I can get her to serve-receive at an OK level we can be really good.” Last season, the Warriors finished 17-11-1 overall and 7-5 in the Central Lakes Conference. Kuehlwein said the conference should see some parity with Willmar, Sauk Rapids, Alexandria and Sartell all being challengers. “We got to see Alexandria, Sartell and Willmar last Friday (Aug. 19) in a scrimmage,” Kuehlwein said. “Willmar has a big 6-4 kid who is going to the University of Minnesota next year in Sydney Schnichels, she’ll be the best hitter in the conference. Willmar will probably be the favorite behind Alex, us, Sartell and Sauk Rapids. You know, there’s a lot of
Good Luck Athletes!
124 N 6th St, Brainerd, MN 56401 (218) 828-1248 • breenandperson.com
National Insurance Brokers - Hice Agency
GOOD LUCK AREA ATHLETES
1223 Oak Street | Brainerd, MN | 218-829-7790 kthesing@lakesprinting.com | www.lakesprinting.com
505 Washington St. NE 829-6925 521 W. Washington St. 829-5201
WWW.BEAUDRYOIL.COM
Liz Timothy… a houseSOLD name since 1997. 218-839-7000
liztimothy@edinarealty.com
7638 Woida Road, Baxter • 829-1484 • www.anbmn.com
Good Luck Athletes!
Since 2015
218-203-5540 • Tom Hice Agent/Owner - CLCS
CONRAD ENGSTROM may be reached at 218-855-5861 or conrad.engstrom@ brainerddispatch.com. Follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/the_rad34.
GOOD LUCK ATHLETES!
Good Luck Athletes!
www.insuredmn.com
parity which is kind of fun. You are not going to go into a gym and expect to win.” The Warriors hosted a preseason scrimmage Aug. 24 in which they saw seven different programs including Sauk Rapids and Walker-Hackensack-Akeley, which made state last year, and area rival Pequot Lakes. “We saw Sauk Rapids first in the scrimmage and I thought they played a little better than us,” Kuehlwein said. “Against Walker, they really couldn’t stop our offense and the last one I really charted was Pequot Lakes. Now Pequot has been a little better over the years, but when we play them anyone can win that match.” The Warriors open their season Tuesday, Aug. 30, against St. Cloud Tech at home. The Pequot Lakes matchup is scheduled for Sept. 13 at Brainerd High School. Brainerd is also in three tournaments which include the Sauk Rapids Invite Sept. 10, the Duluth East Invite Sept. 24 and the Irondale Tournament Oct. 15 to end the season. In Section 8-4A, the Warriors will have to get past Rogers, St. Michael-Albertville, Moorhead, Sartell and Bemidji to reach state. “Rogers will probably be No. 1 with St. Michael No. 2,” Kuehlwein said. “Between three, four and five you could probably slot anyone in there including us. So anyone can win, it’s just about who is going to step up on that particular day.”
218.825.7234 7376 Woida Road Baxter, MN 56425