Clear Lake: Volleyball Preview

Story by Billy Loveless 

Coach: Chanda Eager (Sixth year)

2007 record: 28-10 (11-1 in district; Lost to Clear Creek in Region quarterfinals)

Graduated: 11

Returning lettermen: 4

Returning starters: 2; Breanah Burque (MB, Sr.), Rachel David (libero, Sr.).

Strengths: The Lady Falcons turned in a memorable 2006 season, winning the district championship. With the title, Lake ended Clear Creek’s bid to win its fourth straight 24-5A championship. Creek did get a bit of a payback, however, as the Ladycats ended the Lady Falcons’ season in the region-quarterfinal round of the playoffs.

Clear Lake has high hopes again this season, but the Lady Falcons will have to do it without a bulk of last year’s team, as 11 seniors graduated. Five of those – Brittany Crislip, Anna Schepcoss, Natasha Law, Ellen Fandry and Candace Richardson – are now playing in the collegiate ranks. Crislip was District 24-5A’s player of the year. 

Coach Eager, who was last season’s 24-5A coach of the year, has plenty of optimism for this year thanks to four quality returning letterwinners, as well as having athletes from last season’s district champion junior varsity squad moving up to the varsity level. Among the experienced athletes returning this year are seniors and two-year letterwinners Breanah Burque, Rachel David and Mary Burger. Burger, an outside hitter, was sidelined last season with a shoulder injury. Also returning is senior defender Kasey Mills, who is a one-year letterwinner.

The Lady Falcons are also an enthusiastic and determined team, Eager said. The girls learned last year that they could play with the district’s top teams and Eager is expecting the confidence earned from that experience will spill over to this season.

Areas of improvement: An obvious area of opportunity is the experience factor, which will come with time. With only four returning letterwinners it would appear to some this could be a rebuilding year, but this isn’t necessarily the case. While Eager admits her girls will be looking to bond together as a single unit, she feels her Lady Falcons have a lot of talent and leadership skills, as well as some experience. One example is Lake’s JV team, which won the district title last season. Many of those girls will bring the experience of playing on a winning squad to the varsity level.

Clear Lake’s girls won’t be as tall as last year’s team, but Eager is hoping the girls’ overall athletic abilities will help make up for it.

Season Outlook: As always, District 24-5A will be a fierce race. Realignment has moved Pearland out of the district, but it added 4A playoff team Dickinson into the mix. Being the defending district champion, The Lady Falcons also realize that opponents will be bringing their best efforts when they take the floor with them.

At the same time, Eager doesn’t want her team to focus on other teams. Rather, she wants her squad to concentrate on playing at top form during every match.

“I think the biggest thing is for us to focus on what we have to do,” Eager said. “You can’t take anybody lightly in this district.”

Quotable: “We’re excited for the year to start,” Eager said. “This is a very dedicated group and they learned from last year’s team that to get what you want you have to put in the work. We’re expecting a great season.”