Rosholt hopes to be in mix in CWC small By MIKE KEMMETER of The Gazette With three returning starters, the Hornets are looking to battle defending champion Iola-Scandinavia and 1999 runner-up Tigerton for the title in the Central Wisconsin Conference's small division. Rosholt, which finished 11-5 a year ago, have a new coach, Troy Miller. Seniors Lana Dalton (setter) and Jenna Eschenbauch (middle hitter), and sophomore Allie Larson (left hitter) are back after holding starting spots for the Hornets last season. Also returning from last year's varsity team are junior middle Emily Steines, senior left-hitter Kari Kurszewski and junior left-hitter Stephanie Wierzba. The Hornets have a quartet of newcomers - seniors Amy Scott (middle hitter) and Sylvia Slivicke, and juniors Aubrey Rice (left hitter, transfer from Rhinelander) and Natasha Check (right hitter). "We have good height and good athleticism. We have good depth," Miller said. "We're about where I'd expect at the beginning of the season. We're going to be as strong as our passing and communication will allow us to be. If we can improve our passing and communication, we can be a good team." Miller hopes that happens and Rosholt challenges the two teams that topped the Hornets in the conference standings last year. "We should be in the upper level of the conference. Iola-Scandinavia, in my opinion, is still the team to beat and Tigerton will be strong," Miller said. "I see us in that mix." Rosholt opens its season Saturday at the Amherst Invitational. Almond-Bancroft The Eagles hope their depth can carry them into the top half of the Central Wisconsin Conference small division. A-B, which finished eighth with a 3-13 conference mark last year, have four returnees and a host of newcomers in 1999. Senior Sarah Berry, the team's middle hitter, leads the quartet of seniors who are back from last season. Natasha Russell - A-B's setter - returns with seniors Emily Getzloff and Renee Reince. The Eagles have 10 new players at the varsity level, including seniors Kim Koch, Amanda Lemke, Andrea Scholler, Cindy Nickel and Jamie Warzynski. Juniors Alicia Dill, Tara Sawyer, Courtney Newby, Darlene Turzinski and Jade Gutke will also play varsity for A-B. Newby will join Russell as a setter. "We have kind of a mixture. We're going to have to see who steps up for us," A-B coach Roger Young said. "Our strength is our numbers. We have a lot of players that can play. We have a lot of people who can play different spots. This is probably the deepest team I've coached. "It's a real nice advantage to have. As a coach, it presents a problem of getting everybody enough playing time and keeping everyone happy. But that's a nice problem to have." A-B opens its season Saturday at the Amherst Invitational. The Eagles, who lost Stephanie Jenz, Krista Cummings, Tabitha Sawyer, Lindsay Folan and Nicole Johnson to graduation, are hoping to finish among the top four or five in the nine-team conference. "We're looking to be in the upper half," Young said. "Obviously, you have to pick Iola-Scandinavia as the favorite. They were undefeated (16-0) last year and have a lot coming back. Tigerton (14-2 in 1999) and Rosholt (11-5) are going to be right there."