By Phil Murphy
Senior Multimedia/Content Manager, DigitalSports.com
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With its recent record of success, Chantilly has a resume any team would envy.
And with all three of its all-region players returning, the Chargers — who dropped only four games in their first 22 matches last year — are odds-on favorites to repeat as Northern Region champions, and make a strong case as the best team in Virginia.
Coaches around the region agree.
“They didn’t lose much,” one said. “The pressure is on them. They should repeat.”
Added another: “Question is: Can someone stop Chantilly from running the table? It’s going to take a special night.”
The most notable graduation is Jessy Cooper, who played right side. But the Chargers (22-1) return five starters.
Headlining that list is senior outside hitter Samantha Reeves (320 kills), who made first-team all-region and All-Met, first-team all-region senior middle hitter Allison Williams, second-team all-region senior libero Laura Misiewicz, and honorable-mention all-district junior Emily Wright.
Northern Region Coach of the Year Charles Ezigbo could not help but agree that the spotlight is firmly affixed to his team.
“There will be pressure, but the key will be to relieve ourselves of that pressure,” he said. “The most pressure that we face is the pressure that we put on ourselves. We just have to do a good job of managing our own expectations.”
Among the teams with the best opportunity to prevent a Chantilly repeat is a squad that was 0-4 in matches against the defending champions last year, Westfield.
Entering his seventh season, coach Jim Bour led the Bulldogs to the Concorde District, Northern Region and Virginia AAA State finals last season, their first-ever, but Westfield failed to win any titles.
It fell to Chantilly in both the district and regional championships and fell to state champion Albermarle, 3-1, in the AAA title game.
The Bulldogs (22-8) were senior-laden last year, graduating second-team all-district middle back Kelly Murray, second-team all-district setter Kat Lanigan and Northern Region Player of the Year, outside hitter Sammy Spees (Loyola-Marymount).
But Bour, winner of two regional titles, foresaw the high turnover over a year ago and made his roster deeper than ever last year.
“I took my biggest squad ever last year, I took 16 players,” he said. “So the cupboard is not bare. I have seven people that were on that team last year returning to play for me. That’s huge.
“Six of them are seniors and one junior and a good corps of them were starters on that team last year or had a lot to do with playing on that team.”
The projected impact Bulldogs are senior middle hitter Emma Stewart, a dominant, third-year player that moved from outside hitter; junior outside hitter Emily Koehler, an absolute powerhouse; and senior setter Gabie DiVincenzo, a third-year varsity player.
Bour also anticipates significant contribution from senior setter Clare Lanigan, Kat Lanigan’s younger sister.
Much like last season, Westfield will test itself in out-of-district games. On its schedule is 14-time Maryland state champion Centennial, 2006 and ‘07 Virginia state champion Deep Run, Flint Hill, South County, Langley, Yorktown and Stone Bridge.
Another possible source of Chantilly upheaval also resides in the Concorde District, Herndon.
The Hornets were 19-5 last year, going 0-3 against the Chargers. But they were one of just four Northern Region teams to even take a game from the defending champions. Herndon beat South County and Langley on the road in the Northern Region Tournament last season before getting bounced by Chantilly in the semifinals.
The Hornets need to replace second-team all-district libero Emily Jones and honorable-mention setter Mandy Roth. They will switch from a 6-2 offensive set to a 5-1 to compensate for Roth’s graduation.
Herndon has seven returning varsity players, most notably second-team all-district middle back Steph Drahozal, senior outside hitter Kelly Madden and 6-foot-1 senior middle back Hannah Vick.
Coach Pat Smith also anticipates strong contribution junior outside hitter Mia Chernick, a junior varsity player last year.
Centreville has seven seniors on its roster, including outside hitters Celine Alasomuka and Jenny Smith. The Wildcats have reached the district championship match in eight of the last 10 seasons.
Robinson will be led by 6-foot second-team all-region junior outside hitter Susie Murach, who has a 23-inch vertical.
Email: pmurphy@digitalsports.com
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