Jeff Chaney
Sports Scene
Last year, the Frankenmuth volleyball team set a school record for wins with 53.
It was a senior-laden team loaded with experience.
And just like all high school coaches, coach Chip DeGrace couldn’t hold on to his 12th graders forever.
“You know what happens to seniors, they graduate,” DeGrace said.
That would be eight of them.
But what last year’s senior class did was set a foundation of competing with some of the best teams in the state.
“We beat North Branch twice, and they are the measuring stick for volleyball in this area,” DeGrace said. “And we beat Mt. Morris, and they are a great team as well.”
So the bar was set high, but the Falcons did return some players who saw action last year, like senior middle hitter Maddy Mertz.
And with an infusion of strong young talent from the junior varsity team, Frankenmuth has done well this year, posting a 34-20-3 record heading into the Tri-Valley Conference this weekend at Alma College.
Mertz didn’t know what to expect coming off last year’s record-setting season, but she is pleasantly pleased. “I thought it would really be a tough transition,” she said. “But the girls from the junior varsity know there was a high expectation after last year, and they have stepped into their roles and we are doing pretty well.”
That’s how you build a winning program.
“We have 13 on the roster this year, five were on last year’s roster, and only two played in the postseason,” DeGrace said. “So what this year tells me is that we can lose a strong senior class, but can still challenge for a conference championship.”
That starts this weekend.
“We got beat by North Branch, but we may have another shot at them,” DeGrace said. “And then we have to play Mt. Morris in the first round of districts, and they are ranked fifth in Class B. And if we get by them, we would have North Branch in the regionals.”
To do all of that, DeGrace will need strong play from Mertz, fellow senior Madison Mossnet, and juniors Kelsey Baarck and Melissa Schoenow.
Mertz thinks her team has the ability to make a deep run in the state tournament.
Last year the Falcons won district and regional titles before falling to state power Marysville in the finals.
“It depends on how well we play,” Mertz said. “We have a lot of ups and downs with a young team, but when we are up, we can beat any team in our class. Lately we have been showing that potential.”