With the fall athletic season just around the corner, the Southwestern Conference is excited to launch its Southwestern Conference Fall Preview. The preview will be a tradition for faithful Southwestern Conference followers and will signal the beginning of the much anticipated 2019 fall athletic seasons and the first step on the pathway to this year’s Southwestern Conference Champions.
Follow along this week as we preview each of the Fall sports as they begin their 2019 campaigns:
Monday Aug 12th – Football
Tuesday Aug 13th – Boys & Girls Golf / Girls Tennis
Wednesday Aug 14th – Boys & Girls Cross Country
Thursday Aug 15th – Volleyball
Friday Aug 16th – Boys & Girls Soccer
Amherst Steele
Head Coach: Tony Trunzo
Years at school: 12
Last Year’s Overall Record (Conference Record): 7-9 (4-5)
Number of Returning Starters: 3
Athletes to Watch: Alexis Hamrlik (Sr), Kaylee Pajor (Fr), Makayla Schreiber (Sr), Adeline Tellier (Sr)
2019 Season Outlook: Coach Trunzo hopes his Comets will have a strong showing in the Southwestern Conference in 2019.
Avon
Head Coach: Eric Korey
Years at school: 1
Last Year’s Overall Record (Conference Record): 10-6 (6-3 in SWC)
Number of Returning Starters: 6
Athletes to Watch: Lauren DuPerow (Jr), Hannah Hapanowicz (Sr), Katie LeHoty (Sr), Hanna LeMaster (Jr), Dina Mavrakis (Sr), Alyssa McLellon (Jr)
2019 Season Outlook: In Coach Korey’s first season at the helm, he hopes his Eagles will be competitive in every match, continue to improve as a team, and compete at a high level in the SWC.
Avon Lake
Head Coach: Jessica Browne
Years at school: 4
Last Year’s Overall Record (Conference Record): 12-5 (7-2 in SWC)
Number of Returning Starters: 5
Athletes to Watch: Bianca Henline (Sr), Jade Josie (Sr), Elisabeth Lendal (Jr), Brooke Mangano (Jr)
2019 Season Outlook: The Shoregals have their eyes set on another winning season in 2019, hoping to secure a conference championship.
Berea-Midpark
Head Coach: Larissa Will
Years at school: 5
Last Year’s Overall Record (Conference Record): 3-11 (1-8 in SWC)
Number of Returning Starters: 3
Athletes to Watch: Ellen Barrett (Jr), Abby Lash (Jr), Zoe Treher (Sr)
2019 Season Outlook: The Lady Titans look forward to the youth of their program as they continue to build with increasing numbers adding onto the experiences of their returning players.
Lakewood
Head Coach: Lucy Finnegan
Years at school: 4
Last Year’s Overall Record (Conference Record): 16-2 (8-1 in SWC)
Number of Returning Starters: 1
Athletes to Watch: Maya George
2019 Season Outlook: Coach Finnegan has her Rangers working this season on both their game on the court and their mental game.
Midview
Head Coach: Jill Yates
Years at school: 3
Last Year’s Overall Record (Conference Record): 10-5 (5-4 in SWC)
Number of Returning Starters: 4
Athletes to Watch: Jessi Jones (Sr), Olivia Kneisel (S0), Morgan Moraco (Sr), Paige Moraco (So), Bridget Moran (So), Lydia Szuhay (So), Gabriela Yates (Fr)
2019 Season Outlook: With a mix of experienced senior leadership and younger players that have been putting in the work during the off-season Midview feels they are positioned to compete well in a more challenging 2019 schedule.
North Olmsted
Head Coach: Eric Hodge
Years at school: 18
Last Year’s Overall Record (Conference Record): 4-11 (8th in SWC)
Number of Returning Starters: 6
Athletes to Watch: Sydney Bates (Sr), Megan Benjamin (S0), Makayla Johnson (Sr), Autumn Mellino (Jr), Otilia Oita (Sr), Taylor Stergar (Sr)
2019 Season Outlook: The Eagles look to finish near the top half of the SWC with a strong returning core.
North Ridgeville
Head Coach: Josh Doberstein
Years at school: 2
Last Year’s Overall Record (Conference Record): 1-9 (0-8 in SWC)
Number of Returning Starters: 5
Athletes to Watch: Dominique Conklin, Hailey MacGregor, Christina Scialabba
2019 Season Outlook: With a mixture of both veterans and youth, Coach Doberstein is pleased with the early development of his 2019 team. He feels his team has the talent, experience and drive to stay competitive this season.
Olmsted Falls
Head Coach: Laura Graham
Years at school: 21
Last Year’s Overall Record (Conference Record): 8-5 (5-4 in SWC)
Number of Returning Starters: 5
Athletes to Watch: Emma Barnard (Jr), Sammie Gaba (So), Ellie Goetz (Jr), Gabby Gosciewski (Sr), Aly Leither (Sr)
2019 Season Outlook: Coach Graham is excited for the 2019 season, returning a great group of athletes and many new girls who are eager to grow and develop. The Bulldogs will be lead by captains Gabby Gosciewski and Aly Leither. Graham knows how difficult the path to an SWC title can be, but feels confident her Bulldogs will to win will help them navigate the 2019 season.
Westlake
Head Coach: Doug Cook
Years at school: 1
Last Year’s Overall Record (Conference Record): 14-5 (9-0 in SWC)
Number of Returning Starters: 3
Athletes to Watch: Mia Iditolu (So), Jackie Wong (S0), Bella Zanotti (Sr)
2019 Season Outlook: Coach Cook takes over a young but exciting group of Demons who hope to compete well in the SWC.