Everyone shoots for consistency in their lives and certainly the world of sports is no different.
But it is hard to remain consistent year after year at the high school level because students come and go, and things tend to run in cycles when a particularly good group of athletes keeps a program at the top of their conference during a specified four years.
Football
The Viking football team is coming off a 9-3 season that included a 3-2 record in the Mideastern 4A Conference, and veteran Coach Scott Braswell–despite losing a plethora of players to graduation–returns 25 varsity letter winners back and appears in good position to challenge for the title in the revamped Mideastern 3A/4A Conference.
“We’re pretty solid on the defensive line and our special teams are strong, but we are lacking in overall experience, especially at some of the skill positions,” Braswell said. “In the conference you always have to be wary of Laney and New Hanover but we are coming into the season with a first-place finish on our minds.”
Offensively Braswell is hoping for positive contributions from several returning players, among them running back Keevin Thompson (5’9’, 185), wide receiver Randall Emerson (6’2”, 190), tight end Luke Ward (6’3”, 230), and fullback and H-back Trevor Brown (5’9”, 190).
The question in the early going is who will be under center for the Vikings as junior returnee Nathan Parker and junior transfer (from Topsail) Austin Schoenleber are vying for the top spot.
Braswell’s top-listed players are on defense with outside linebacker Julius Reynolds (5’10”, 205) topping the list along with strong safety Kirk Messick (6’2”, 195), defensive tackle Malik Moore (6’2”, 285), and defensive ends Kyle Delaney (6’5”, 215) and Devyn Bond (6’2”, 215).
Braswell has set the Vikings up with an ambitious pre-conference schedule with road games at South Columbus (Aug. 23), Irmo, S.C. (Aug. 30), and Lumberton (Sept. 20), and contests with Purnell Swett (Sept. 6) and Wake Forest Rolesville (Sept. 13) before they open conference play at home against Topsail (Sept. 27).
Volleyball
Ron Strickland, head coach for 33 seasons, lost several top performers from last year’s 20-7 squad–among them Montgomery Register, Ellen Tootoo, Courtney Tarter, Shelly Saito and Angie Papach–but he returns several players with a wealth of varsity experience.
“This group is rising to every challenge I have put in front of them,” said Strickland, who listed quickness and drive among the team’s strengths. “They’ve worked hard all summer, put in countless hours of open gym, played in the summer league, and attended two camps. They are ready to go.”
Strickland said replacing two senior setters has been a challenge but he feels the girls working on filling that vital slot are coming along well.
“Losing two senior setters has put a lot of pressure on (juniors) Peyton Apel and Sydney Westmoreland but, so far, they have thrived on the challenge, also putting in lots of extra hours beyond team practices. Running a complex offense requires extreme effort and these two girls are showing they have both.”
The two new setters have some very good middle and outside hitters to go to, among them Elly Cosgrove, Cassidy Stephenson, and Alyssa Zupan.
Elly (5’11) is a junior but a returning starter off last year’s final four team, Strickland said. “She is a threat at middle or outside and I expect big things from Elly, and the team needs her offense. I think she is capable of greatness. Alyssa returns from last year’s team and adds a lot of athleticism to the team. She has great vertical and throws up a huge block.
“Cassidy throws up a huge block and is one of strongest middles in Hoggard program history. Her energy on the court is only surpassed by her enthusiasm. Already committed to Appalachian State, Cass is ready to lead her team to Raleigh.”
Size is important in volleyball but sometimes dynamite comes in smaller packages, and Strickland has an excellent defensive specialist and libero in 5’5” McKenzie Bongiorno.
“McKenzie brings a huge amount of experience to her spot,” Strickland said. “She has solid floor leadership and makes those around her better. We need her to lead our defense in order to run the offense.”
Depth is not going to be a problem for the Lady Vikings as Strickland is expecting major contributions from Mary Ann Syzmeczek (5’10”), who was injured a large part of last year, Brooke Zebrski (5’8”), and incoming transfer (from Guilford County) Rillia Green (5’8”).
Boys soccer
Peter Broadley steps in to replace veteran Coach John Teller. Broadley spent some 17 years coaching at the collegiate level and amassed a record of 195-127-45.
It takes time to adjust to new players and new coaching techniques but Broadley likes what he has seen to date.
“We have a strong junior and senior class, they are skillful and possess good team speed,” Broadley said. “This team will no doubt create opportunities to score goals and defensively hold their own. At this stage I do not see too many weaknesses.”
Being new to the conference Broadley was not too sure who the top contenders would be but said of his own team, “We expect to be in the top three I think.”
Several players have caught Broadley’s eye in the early going, among them seniors Gus Piepmeyer (co-captain), Jack Sordellini (co-captain), Seth Harris and Patrick Hargrove.
“Gus is skilled defender that created eight goals last season and he will be a real threat coming out of the back,” Broadley said. “Jack is a solid defender with lots of experience to help anchor the defense. He is a very good passer of the ball.
“Seth is a very skillful playmaker and will create opportunities for teammates to score, and he also has a great shot from the outside. He will be a leader at midfield for us. Patrick is creative and skillful and will threaten and challenge any team to shut him down. He can score goals and create opportunities for others.”
The goalkeeper’s duties will be handled by senior Austin Bagley, and Broadley is also hoping for big things from Mohammed Ismail and Chandler Bagley.
“Austin is a very good goalkeeper with quick feet and a good shot,” Broadley said. “Mohammed is a solid striker who has a blistering shot. He will cause problems for the opposition’s defense and will be tough to handle this season. Chandler is an aggressive attacking midfielder with the capacity to score goals and cause major problems for defenses,” Broadley said.
Cross country
Billy Mason enters his 11th season as the Vikings’ boys cross country coach and he will welcome back six of his top seven runners from last year’s squad, losing only his No. 4 runner (Matt Wilson) from a year ago.
“We are returning six of our top seven from last year and we have an exceptionally strong top five,” Mason said. “We need to develop depth, especially outside the top five and reduce time speed between our No. 5 runner and numbers six and seven.”
Mason included his squad as one of three conference contenders along with New Hanover and Laney.
“We should finish anywhere from one to three depending on how much our top runners improve from last year,” Mason said. “Ashley is no doubt the early season favorite as they have won the MEC Conference championship the past two seasons and return a large number of very experienced runners who had excellent spring track seasons.”
Mason has positive things to say about hit top five–Ben Schmidt, Andrew Irrera, Graham Parker, Nathan Sudduth and Robinson Snider.
“Ben (a junior who was first team All-Conference last year) has had a good summer of training and is certainly one of the top runners in the conference, and Andrew is one of our senior captain this year and is looking to have a great final year here at Hoggard.
“Graham made great strides during track season last spring in becoming one of our top two distance runners along with Ben Schmidt, and Nathan is looking to move up. Robinson was the fastest freshman in the conference last year and one of the top four freshmen in the 4A East Regional. Robinson has a tremendous upside and hopefully will improve significantly this year.”
Pamela Mitchell will handle the girls team and she has four letter winners back from last year.
“We have four experienced runners but we will be very young,” Mitchell said. “Still, along with Laney and New Hanover I feel we will challenge for the top spot and our goal, of course, is first.”
Rachel Snider will be the Lady Vikings’ top runner and one of the team captains along with Emily Golini. Mitchell is also expecting good things out of freshman Sara Pellizzari, sophomore Mdeline Hulbert, sophomore Elizabeth Magill, and freshman Sydney Thurman.
Tennis:
Michael Bowen is in his ninth year coaching tennis at Hoggard, and his Lady Vikings return nine girls with varsity experience.
“This group has a great work ethic and a great team rapport,” Bowen said. “What we need to work on most is we are somewhat inexperienced in the middle and at the bottom of the lineup.”
Bowen said he felt the team that wins the conference will “Be the team that works the hardest and our finish will depend on how hard we work throughout the season.”
Bowen currently has five seniors, two juniors, and two sophomores vying for positions. Senior Anna Hodges is currently penciled in at the No. 1 slot with sophomore Melanie Post at No. 2 and senior Caroline Tervo working out of the No. 3 slot.
They will be pushed by junior Dallas Barnhardt, senior Sarah Spaulding, junior Catie Dull, senior Tessa Clarke, senior Bonnie Hu and sophomore Tess Jarden.
Bowen is also looking for improvement and possible contributions from newcomers Kara Ferner, Hannah Marable, Claudia Opper, Paxton Brewer, Lauren Traflet, Lindsay Diab and Monae Duplessis.
Golf
Coach Jennifer Chervenic welcomes back two experienced players, Alison Cole and Emily Rasmussen.
“We have a strong captain in Alison and team spirit with a desire to constantly improve. We have three players with over four years experience in golf but we’re going to have to get better at tournament play and in adjusting to the speed of play at this level,” Chervenic said.
“We are lacking in overall experience with some of the players, and the girls need to work on their consistency.”
Chervenic is high on several of her girls, among them Alison Cole, Emily Rasmussen, Maia Cheatham, and Charity Brown.
“Alison is a strong player with an excellent drive to succeed,” Chervenic said. “She had a broken foot over the summer that has delayed the improvement of her game but she is getting better every day. She has great focus and potential. Emily is the only senior on the team and played in the Coastal Junior Golf Tour over the summer. She hits the ball well and is competitive and driven to succeed.
Chervenic also is encouraged by a couple of sophomores–Melissa Williams and Greer Taylor.
