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Aldridge tallied two goals and four assists on the season and Jonathan Tatroe, who was also awarded Most Valuable Forward by the team, sank the most shots with four goals.

"Brandon and Jonathan were a big reason that the Indians were able to more than double our offensive output this year," Coach Dan Lucas commented.

Lucas said Ryan Tatroe, who was also awarded Most Valuable Defender by the team, had a big "foot" in the overall reduction of goals scored on the Indians.

The Tribe recognized several key players with team awards for the fall season as well, including Most Improved Player Bret Kuchar, Rookie of the Year Jason Birchmeier, Most Valuable Midfielder Steven Kovach, and the Coach's Award recipient Kyle Hoover.

GAC, Regional voting reflects stellar NL volleyball season

New Lothrop's varsity volleyball team once again excelled on the court this season, winning its seventh league championship in the last eight years, capturing its ninth district crown in the past ten tries, earning its fifth district title in the past ten seasons and finishing the 2007 campaign with a 35-17-3 overall record.

New Lothrop's team excellence helped produce several individual honors in recent league and regional voting by coaches. Six NL players were recognized by GAC coaches and three Hornets garnered All-Region honors for their outstanding contributions to the team's success.

Kayla Krupp and Sabrina Besaw were named to the All-GAC Blue First Team, Monica Confer and Rachelle Kviz landed berths on the second squad, and Kelsey Gasper and Shauna Henige earned honorable mention in voting by the league's coaches.

Krupp was a strong outside hitter for Sheri Warner's Hornets in 2007. The senior standout slammed 94 kills in league competition in addition to recording four blocks. Krupp also came up with 115 digs, clicked on 169 of 187 passes for an impressive 90.4% average, and drove home 16 aces on 108 of 131 serves (89.3 %).

Senior Sabrina Besaw orchestrated the Hornet offense by dishing out 351 assists in GAC play. Besaw also registered 15 kills, 61 digs and drilled 30 aces on 157/184 serving (85.3 %).

Confer and Kviz, both just sophomores, were accorded Second Team honors for the Hornets.

Confer, a middle hitter, amassed 129 kills in league play while blocking nine potential spikes by opponents. She also came up with 72 digs, passed at an 85.8 % efficiency rate (97 of 113) and connected on 154 of 163 serves, including 25 aces, for a 94.5 % ratio.

Kviz was also a middle hitter, tallying 105 kills, 39 digs and 3 blocks in GAC action. She also passed at a 90 % clip and clicked on 88 of 104 serve opportunities (84.6 %). Kviz also smashed 25 aces against league foes.

Junior outside hitter Kelsey Gasper logged 58 kills, 82 digs and passed at an 89.3 % success rate to earn Honorable Mention. Gasper had a whopping 44 aces in league play and served at 80.4 % (119/148).

Senior Libero/defensive specialist Shauna Henige had 59 digs and was 60 of 68 passing for 88.2 %. Henige also served at a 92.6 % pace with 4 aces on 25 of 27 serving.

New Lothrop's journey down the post-season tournament trail carried it all the way to the state quarterfinals, where the Hornets finally lost a thriller to McBain Northern Michigan Christian. Krupp, Besaw and Confer each earned All-Region recognition for their contributions to the Hornets' 2007 season success. The following statistics on those three standouts reflect their numbers through district play and do not include regional and quarterfinal numbers.

Krupp amassed 323 kills on the season and served at 93.7 % with 53 aces on 372 of 397 attempts. She also came up with 434 digs, passed at a 90.5 % rate (641/708) and had 15 blocks along the way.

"Kayla was a primary passer in our three-person rotation. She was an aggressive defensive player with good ball control and she was a smart attacker with a variety of shots as well as being able to hit the second-tempo ball," praised Coach Warner. "Kayla has a great work ethic and is a true competitor who loves the game."

Besaw piled up 1090 assists during the 2007 season and also turned in 207 digs. She had 41 kills and 16 blocks while serving 484 of 559 for an 86.6 % average with 85 aces.

"As our setter, Sabrina did a great job at working with her hitters. She utilizes a variety of sets, which includes running a multi-tempo offense," commented Warner. "She gives us great hustle on defense, has a nice float serve and loves the game. She did a great job at running our offense and she is a tremendous leader."

The third All-Region Hornet was sophomore Monica Confer. Confer drove home 386 kills, was good on 407 of 438 serves, including 44 aces, for a 93% median, posted 50 blocks, passed at 87.6 % (248/283) and turned in 227 digs on the year.

"Monica is one of our primary passers and is a strong presence for us on defense. She is an aggressive middle hitter who can run the first tempo attack and is very smart and effective at utilizing the right side for attacking," Warner remarked. "Monica is a hard worker who loves the game and plays with a lot of heart."

Rams land 14 players on GAC grid team

Montrose's varsity football team climbed back to the top of the league standings in 2007 and the team's excellence on the field was reflected in recent voting by the GAC coaches. Montrose led all other teams with 14 players named to the league's dream team, including six Rams who were named to the squad's First Team.

Coach Dennis Reinhart's team posted a 5-1 mark in the GAC-Red division, good for a co-championship, and finished with an overall record of 8-2.

All six of Montrose's First Teamers are seniors, many of whom played on both sides of the ball.

A pair of offensive linemen paved the way for the Rams, whose devastating ground game averaged 338 yards per contest.

Most of the rushing yards for Montrose came from behind right tackle Joe Neumann, a bruising 6'2", 240 pound senior.

"Joe worked hard in the off-season and gained a lot of strength," said Coach Reinhart. "He was a dominant force for us this year."

The other mainstay on the offensive line was Zach Kuzniar, who excelled at trap blocking and was instrumental in helping the Rams rack up 430 yards of total offense per game. Kuzniar also excelled on defense where he recorded 17 solo tackles, 18 assists and two fumble recoveries.

"Zach was undersized, but more than made up for it with his hard work," commented Reinhart about the 5'9", 185 pound senior. "He might be small in stature, but he has a huge heart."

Nick Percy was the third First Team member on offense for Montrose. Percy did the punting for the Rams, averaging an impressive 42.5 yards per punt.

"Nick was an important weapon for us and his foot improved our field position dramatically on several occasions," said Reinhart.

Cody Groulx won top honors for his play at strong safety, but the talented senior was also a standout at running back for Montrose. On defense, Groulx registered 20 solo tackles, 10 assists and two interceptions. Groulx was also the leading rusher on offense for the Rams, churning out 674 yards on 89 carries for a remarkable 7.6 yard average against league foes. Groulx scored 11 touchdowns and five two-point conversions.

"Cody was our unquestioned leader on the field and off it," said Reinhart in reference to his senior captain. "He is simply a great athlete and a great kid."

Derek Elston anchored the Ram defense from his linebacker position. The 5' 8", 210 pound senior was the team's leading tackler with 30 solos and 15 assists. He also had a pair of fumble recoveries and an interception. Elston was the quarterback of the defense, making the calls up front and any adjustments that needed to be made.

"Derek worked his tail off to become the player he was," praised Reinhart. "He was told not to play football again from a knee injury he received his junior year. Despite the odds, with hard work and determination, he led us defensively."

Brandon Boone, a 5'8" 215 pound defensive tackle completes the list of First Teamers for Montrose. Boone was a dominant force inside with 13 solo tackles, 7 assists and a pair of quarterback sacks.

"Brandon was our best defensive tackle and a hard-nosed competitor," remarked Reinhart.

Six more Rams were named to the GAC Second Team, including a pair of juniors.

Junior James Person, who Coach Reinhart describes as the fastest back in the league and a threat to go the distance on any given play, gained 573 yards on the ground on only 59 carries. He averaged an eye-catching 9.7 yards per carry in addition to scoring five touchdowns and a two-point conversion.

Senior Joe LaMay filled in at quarterback for injured Seth Hursh and kept the offense on an even keel. LaMay averaged 4.6 yards per carry and ran for five TD's. He also completed 20 of 39 passes for four scores and 373 yards. He only had one interception in league play.

Junior Jeremy Fondren, was the team's top receiver, hauling in 18 receptions for 247 yards, a 13.7 yard average per catch. He caught a pair of touchdown passes against league foes.

Brad Boone was named to the Second Team for his work as Montrose's center of the offensive line. At 5'8", 215 pounds, the talented senior was pegged by Coach Reinhart as a key member of Montrose's offensive scheme. Boone was also a Second Team all-league player as a junior.

Marvin Boswell was a defensive end/tackle, where his work earned him Second Team recognition. The 6'2", 230 pound senior had 20 solos and 9 assists to go with 4 QB sacks and a fumble recovery in GAC play.

At just 5'6", 140 pounds, Mitch Schneider earned Second Team honors. Coach Reinhart had high praise for his senior defensive back, calling him probably the team's fiercest competitor, a player who "sold out" on every play. Schneider's league stats included 17 solo tackles, 14 assists, a pair of interceptions and a fumble recovery.

In addition to the six First Team and six Second Team members, Montrose also had two players receive Honorable Mention.

Senior cornerback Mike Foster was asked to cover the opposing team's best receiver, a task he performed consistently well. Foster racked up 15 solo tackles and five assists in league action.

Senior Brian Molaski also received Honorable Mention accolades for his important contributions on the defensive line.

Thirteen Hornets garner GAC gridiron recognition

New Lothrop landed 13 players, including five First Team members, on the GAC-Blue football squad in recent voting by the league coaches. The following statistics on each player reflect game action in the six league games played by New Lothrop. The Hornets finished with a 5-1 mark in the GAC.

Four seniors and a junior earned First Team honors for Coach Jake Emmendorfer's Hornets.

Senior Quarterback Ryan Praski ran the high-powered NL offense, which averaged nearly 40 points per game against league opponents. Praski ran for 684 yards in five GAC games, averaging 9.6 yards a carry and 114 yards per game. Praski also passed for 100 yards a contest, completing 43 of 63 attempts for 597 yards and seven touchdowns. The talented senior playmaker accounted for 18 touchdowns on the year, 11 rushing and 7 through the air.

"Ryan's stats speak for themselves. We didn't have him slated at quarterback in the beginning, but he stepped in because of injuries and did a tremendous job," praised Coach Emmendorfer. "He was probably our best all-around athlete and he was definitely our field general."

Senior offensive lineman Ethan Bishop keyed the front line that opened up the holes for Praski and other Hornets. Bishop's blocking triggered an NL offense that churned out nearly eight yards on each running play and passed for over 100 yards per game. Bishop was also a stalwart on the defensive line for the Hornets.

"We will really miss Ethan, because he led by example and always gave 120% at every game and at every practice," commented Emmendorfer in reference to his four-year varsity starter. "As our right guard, he was vital and we ran our option offense right behind him."

Junior Marc Confer not only anchored the defensive line for New Lothrop, but he also came up big at inside linebacker when called upon. Confer recorded 45 tackles, including 17 solos, and had three QB sacks. His efforts were instrumental in holding opposing runners to an average of under four yards per carry.

"We moved him around some, and he always got the job done for us," remarked Emmendorfer. "He's a great student athlete. He carries a 4.0 GPA and is also a very hard worker on the football field."

Senior Kyle Moore led the Hornets in tackles for a second straight year in 2007, recording 60 stops, including 31 solos. He also had five tackles for losses from his inside linebacker position. The three-year varsity starter also contributed on offense, pulling in 11 passes as a tight end, scoring two TDs and averaging better than 18 yards per catch.

"Kyle Moore has instincts on the football field that you can't teach. He simply has a nose for the football," praised Emmendorfer. "In addition to his football skills, he is truly a great role model on and off the field."

Senior Kyle Trent rounds out the Hornet First-teamers, earning all-league accolades as a defensive back. Trent notched 31 tackles, including 16 solo stops, sacked the quarterback three times, had five tackles for losses and came up with an interception in league action. He also grabbed nine passes for 126 yards on the offensive side of the ball.

"Kyle was a second year starter for us and also a good student athlete," Emmendorfer said. "He was a hard-nosed player and certainly one of the toughest kids I have ever coached."

Two offensive linemen were named to the Second Team for New Lothrop. Brandon Baryo, a senior, and Barry Brown, a junior, landed spots on the team. Each doubled as contributors to the Hornet defense, with Baryo tallying nine tackles and Brown notching seven stops.

Senior Tom Wenzlick, a workhorse running back for the Hornets was also named to the Second Team. Wenzlick ran for over 600 yards against GAC rivals, averaging 7.3 yards a carry and scoring seven times.

Keith Perrizzollo, just a sophomore, was the fourth member of the league's GAC squad for NL. Perrizzollo earned his honors for his work at linebacker, where he had 29 tackles and a sack.

Honorable mention went to four Hornets.

Senior Jason Henige earned his honors as an offensive end, Junior Jeremy Emmendorfer also won a spot as an offensive end, Junior Trevor Vincke was honorable mention as a defensive back and Shea McGillen, just a sophomore, earned notice for his work on the offensive line.

In addition to all-league honors, two Hornets received recognition at the state level. Kyle Moore was named to the All State First Team and Ryan Praski received Special Mention at quarterback. Look in next week's Citizen for coverage on those two athletes and their accomplishments.