Friday, Sept. 26, 2008 | midnight
After coaching Palo Verde's boys golf team since the school opened 13 years ago, Jeff Wolfram has added coaching the girls team to his duties following the retirement of Peggy Lair.
"They asked me if I'd take it, and I said I would," Wolfram said.
The coach inherited a mostly inexperienced team that returns two players from last season.
Sonja Pejak is back as the team's top golfer. The senior shot 39 and 41 in each of the Panthers' initial two nine-hole Northwest Division matches.
Behind Pejak is junior Kaylee Snyder, who moved to the area from Salt Lake City during the summer. Leah Bayne, a junior who has been with the program three years, is its No. 3 player. Freshman Kellie Watkins and junior Missy Schvaneveldt round out the top five.
Though Wolfram said he is happy with the team's play, the coach said it should be able to shoot better.
"They have nice swings, they put in their time, but they need to start progressing and getting better," Wolfram said. "They're not playing close to their potential yet. "
Knee injury limits cross country team
A knee injury to freshman Julian Julani has left the Bishop Gorman boys cross country team with just four available runners, one less than the required number needed for a team score.
Coach Don Giardina was counting on Julani to score big.
"I thought Julian would be a big start in rebuilding the Gorman cross country program," Giardina said. "Now we have only four kids. It's like playing a basketball game with four players. If you don't have five you don't get a team score."
The Gaels only have one returning letterwinner from last season, sophomore Weston Reisch.
"This sport is hard to do in high school anywhere in the country but to do it in the desert takes a special breed," he said. "And there a lot of freshmen that try playing football."
The Gorman girls team has had slightly better luck as nine athletes are out for the team.
Senior Maddie Levine is the captain and top runner, Giardina said. The rest of the roster is made up of underclassemen.
Other runners who regularly score points include sophomore Meghan O'Callaghan and freshman Taylor Stueve.
The Gaels will travel to Lake Havasu, Ariz., Sept. 27 and to Pepperdine University in California Oct. 4 for their next two meets.
Faith volleyball looks for redemption
Faith Lutheran's volleyball team has no shortage of motivation this year.
After finishing the regular season in first place in the 3A Southern league in 2007, the Crusaders were upset in the first round of the postseason by Pahrump Valley. Couple that with the fact it's the school's final year competing at the 3A level and Faith Lutheran is eyeing a big year.
"There is a sense of urgency to take care of business and get a shot a state title," coach Amy Fisher said. "We started the year a little slow but we're starting to come into our own and will get better as the season progresses."
The Crusaders return 11 letterwinners from a season ago, including three starters. Those include senior middle hitter Katy Trollier, a second-team all conference selection, junior outside hitter Hayley Washinsky, a first-team all conference selection, and junior middle hitter Alex Treadwell.
All three have been instrumental in the team's 14-10 start, Fisher said. But perhaps the team's top performer has been junior outside hitter Meagan Houser, who is leading the Crusaders in kills and hitting percentage.
"I think we have a legit shot to win conference and get to state," Fisher said.
Christopher Drexel can be reached at 990-8929 or [email protected].
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