Fall success: Watterson looking for more postseason titles
No school in central Ohio was busier – or more successful – on the final Saturday in October last fall from an athletic standpoint than Watterson.
In addition to its boys cross country team earning a Division II state berth that day, Watterson captured district championships in girls volleyball, girls soccer and boys soccer and a regional title in field hockey.
While the postseason doesn’t begin in cross country until Oct. 22, the athletes in the other four sports will begin their tournaments between Oct. 17 and 19.
Based on what’s taken place so far this fall, the Eagles again figure to be among the contenders to celebrate Oct. 29 when district championship contests in girls volleyball and girls soccer and regional finals in field hockey are held, with the boys soccer team also hoping to be in the mix at that level.
“We’ve got a lot of talented girls at this school,” field hockey coach Janet Baird said.
The girls volleyball team was 12-6 overall and 4-1 in the CCL after losing to Hartley 25-22, 22-25, 25-21, 25-21 on Oct. 4.
Watterson defeated DeSales 25-10, 25-11, 25-14 on Sept. 20 as coach Stephanie Grieshop earned her 100th win with the program. The Eagles then beat Hartley — the Division II state runner-up last season — 16-25, 25-19, 20-25, 25-22, 15-9 on Sept. 22.
Grieshop has been “really happy” with the progress her team has been making, with a motto of “progress not perfection” as it prepares for the Division I postseason.
Outside hitter Clara Vondran, who is part of a seven-member senior class that also includes Ava Hoying (outside hitter), Maren Jenkins (right-side hitter), Riley McGee (middle hitter) and Sydney Spears (setter/right-side hitter), believes the “friendships” among her teammates set the Eagles apart.
“In the beginning it was a little rough, but we’re getting more experience together and we’ve meshed more,” said Hoying, a Northern Kentucky commit. “After losing to (Olentangy) Orange in the regional semifinals last year, we’re fired up.”
The girls soccer team, which also lost in a Division I regional semifinal last season, was 9-4 overall after falling 2-1 to Hilliard Bradley on Oct. 1. But with a 1-0 win over Hartley on Sept. 29, Watterson wrapped up the CCL title at 3-0.
The Eagles have navigated losing senior forward Rachel Spencer, who was their top returning scorer, to a season-ending injury in a 4-2 loss to Upper Arlington on Sept. 10.
“We plan to be on track (for the postseason), and our chemistry as a team helps us get there,” senior midfielder Erin Karas said. “It’s just been recognizing the strengths of specific new players on the field and the things they can do, and we’ve figured out how they play. We just need to step up the urgency a little bit, but I think we’ll get there.”
According to coach Scott Dempsey, Karas has taken on a key leadership and creative role, while senior Gabby Capozella and sophomore Bailey Kerins have led the defense.
“It’s hard to say we’re not having a good season,” Dempsey said. “We’ve had to adjust to losing Rachel Spencer to a knee injury. She was our second-leading scorer last year and we’ve had other players try to pick up the slack in terms of scoring and tweak our formation. It’s been an evolutionary process.”
That's also how Baird views the progression the field hockey team has experienced after winning the last two state championships.
The Eagles lost 2-1 to Upper Arlington on Aug. 24 in their opener and by the same score to Hudson on Sept. 10, but beat Columbus Academy 1-0 on Sept. 28 on a goal by senior attacker Sophia Schultheis.
After beating Thomas Worthington 2-1 on Oct. 3 and Olentangy Liberty 4-2 on Oct. 4, Watterson was 12-3 overall.
The Eagles were 7-0 in the COFHL-East Division before playing Lancaster on Oct. 6.
“It’s been slow but steady,” Schultheis said. “We had kind of a rocky start, but our team chemistry is huge and is something we’re working on. We’re definitely getting a lot better at depending on each other.”
Schultheis has emerged as the leading scorer, with senior defender Ellie Pardi and senior goalie Kenzi Jones leading the other side of the field.
According to Baird, her team has been attempting to grow in “field hockey IQ” after losing program veterans such as Grace Cantwell, Camille Gregory and Molly Griffith to graduation.
“It’s definitely been an adjustment losing eight starting seniors (from last season), but I think we’ve all come together and have learned a lot,” Pardi said.
The boys soccer team, which lost in a Division II regional semifinal last season, has been trying to turn the corner under first-year coach Aaron Linden.
After beating Ready 5-0 on Sept. 27 to finish 1-1-2 in the CCL, the Eagles were 3-6-2 overall after beating Grandview 1-0 on Oct. 1 and before facing Columbus Academy on Oct. 6.
According to Linden, junior forward Dillon Brown has been leading the way and sophomore midfielder Angelo Ginocchi and junior goalie Noah Thomas also have been standouts.
“We’re right where we should be and we’re getting better every game we step onto the field,” Linden said.
julrey@thisweeknews.com
@UlreyThisWeek
This article originally appeared on ThisWeek: Fall success: Watterson looking for more postseason titles
