Serving Lucas, Ottawa, Sandusky and Wood Counties
Cardinal Stritch had its best season since 2016 last year, producing a 15-8 campaign under the direction of now third-year head coach Logan Manders.
“I think what really drove the excitement level for last year was the grit behind the girls,” Manders said. “They have been through so much and through seasons where we weren't winning and we weren't having success, and they lit the fire under themselves early — from the start of summer ball last year to the end of the season, they put their minds to it, and they didn't give up.”
This year, Stritch will have to overcome the graduation of three seniors, highlighted by outside hitter/defensive specialist Layla Cathers, who had 275 kills, 219 digs, 56 aces and 18 blocks.
With the loss of such a key player, Manders feels that it will be somewhat of a building year for the Cardinals.
“She was a huge leader in the program, so I'm expecting to have to build a little bit while pulling in more of the younger girls to a full varsity level, but I’m also expecting the girls to just hit the ground running,” she said. “They're super excited to get the season going, and coming off of such a successful season last year, we're really looking forward to staying on track and challenging ourselves throughout the season.”
Two areas of continued focus for Stritch are in serve receive and improving individual verticals.
“Serve receive was a strength for us last year, so I don't want that to go back downhill,” Manders said. “And then we’re looking to improve our vertical and our blocking. We are a very short team. I think the tallest kid on my roster is like 5-8. We lack in the height department, so the girls have been going through summer workouts with our strength and conditioning coach at school. We've seen some improvement already. We’re really honing in on that vertical training and our blocking to try to save our back row a little bit.”
Stritch has 10 returners overall, including four seniors — Kennedy Burzynski, Olivia Ford, Jasmine Peek and Ryley Rodriguez.
The others include Eliyah Pecina, Morgan Kennedy, Gabby Cathers, Carlie White, Allie Clinker, and Mariah McDade — although some of those competed on the JV squad and will be entering their first full-time varsity seasons.
Gabby Cathers finished second on the team in kills during her rookie campaign last year.
“Gabby came in as a freshman and really kind of blew everyone out of the water,” Manders said. “I don't know if anyone was really expecting it. She had a little bit of a tough beginning. She was coming to a new school and getting used to new people and things like that, but she settled in nicely and now you wouldn't even know that she has only been in the school for a year.”
In terms of filling the void left by Layla Cathers, Manders said the team has several options at the pins, which is one of the team’s strong points.
“Carlie was a first-time middle for me last year and actually killed it, but she loves the outside,” she said. “I have the potential to move people around if I need to.”
Manders also noted junior Hayden Mathena, who is a transfer from Clay, as an option at the pin along with Gabby Cathers, Peek, and Ford.
“Ford is our starting setter right now, but she has the potential to be an outside as well,” she said. “We have plenty of options to move around our pins, which is super nice.”
White and Peek are two of the team’s most versatile players.
“Between her and Jasmine, they're like my true utility players,” Manders said. “I can look at them and say, ‘I don't have a setter today, I need you to set’ and I could do that with both of them, or, ‘I don't have a middle today, so you're going to play middle, but then I'll put you back on the outside tomorrow.’ They're both willing to do what needs to be done for the team and willing to go where I need them to go.”
Manders is excited about a potential breakout season for players like Kennedy and Pecina, who saw time at both varsity and JV last year.
“I’m really looking to see them break through and show their potential on the varsity court this year,” she said. “Those are two of the juniors that I'm really excited to see play.”
Stritch opens its season Aug. 16 at home against Danbury.
“They’re all super excited to just get going, find our niche and find our groove,” Manders said. “I'm really looking at the senior class. This senior class is the class I started with, so I have a little bit of a connection with them. I'm really looking at those guys to step up and be the heart and the leaders of this team.
“But I’m also really kind of putting some pressure on Carlie and Gabby because they were top stat leaders on my team last year in multiple categories. Gabby has so much potential, and I'm so excited to see what she can do this year being one of our main offensive weapons.”
