Up & Coming Weekly

August 27, 2019

Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.

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24 UCW AUGUST 28-SEPTEMBER 3, 2019 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM Britt, Cape Fear seek to continue volleyball success by EARL VAUGHAN JR. HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS Eagles, Bulldogs look to regroup in soccer by EARL VAUGHAN JR. Fayetteville Academy and Terry Sanford both enjoyed outstand- ing success on the soccer field last season, the Academy cap- turing another North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association state title while Terry Sanford went unbeaten in the Patriot Athletic Conference and made the third round of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association 3-A playoffs. But look for things to be much different at both schools this sea- son. For one, both suffered major graduation losses, especially the Academy, which lost 12 seniors, 10 them starters. Terry Sanford will be much younger with only three seniors back along with 14 juniors and three sophomores. But the biggest change for the Bulldogs will be the loss of head coach Karl Molnar, who is taking over as the school's varsity boys basketball coach. Replacing him will be another veteran coach in the Terry Sanford program, Steven Barbour. "I've got big shoes to fill,'' Barbour said. "There's a winning tradition at Terry Sanford and its always daunting to come in behind a coach who was so successful.'' Terry Sanford's Jarred Miller and Andrew Troutman were the offensive and defensive players of the year in the Patriot Conference last season, but both graduated. Barbour knows he's got a lot of work to do to build chemistry and make use of everyone's talents. "We've got a deep pool of talent,'' he said. "If we get everyone to work together and utilize their abil- ity, I think we can be competitive.'' Barbour expects the midfield to be the heart of the team with Davis Molnar, Alex Fox and newcom- er Graham MacLeod leading the way. Another returning forward expected to contribute heavily is Ever Aguero Aranda. With the coaching change plus having to play all home games at Reid Ross High School while Terry Sanford's stadium is being rebuilt, Barbour expects a challenging season. "I feel we're in the crosshairs of a lot teams,'' he said. "Gray's Creek, Cape Fear and Pine Forest all have their sights set on us. It's going to be a fun season to rise to the challenge.'' Fayetteville Academy's Andrew McCarthy may have an inexperienced group but said they are working hard to get bet- ter every day. "We've got players playing positions they've never played before,'' he said. "They are cer- tainly improving and that's all we can ask for.'' At this point, McCarthy said he can't claim the Eagles are either a strong attacking or a strong defen- sive team, just a work in progress. "The two captains, Cortez Herring and Davis Saint-Amand, are our two seniors,'' he said. McCarthy said the two midfielders have been around the Eagle program for a number of years and will be counted on to provide needed leadership. EARL VAUGHAN JR., Sports Editor. COMMENTS? EarlUCWSports@gmail. com. 910-364-6638. Ever Aguero Aranda Cortez Herring Davis Saint-Amand With a pair of All- Sandhills Conference players returning, new Jack Britt volleyball coach Jess Grooms is hoping she can continue in the tradi- tion of former coach Leigh Ann Weaver in leading the Buccaneers to the top of the league volleyball standings. Meanwhile, in the Patriot Athletic Conference, veteran Cape Fear coach Jeff Bruner will be looking to retool his lineup after major graduation losses following the Colts' latest conference title. Grooms said maintaining communication will be a key to success for the Buccaneers this season as she hopes to build on the foundation estab- lished by Weaver. "Our libero, Ilena Hall, has done a phenomenal job all summer,'' Grooms said. "She's grown so much and has become more of a vocal leader on the floor.'' Kaiah Parker, who like Hall was all-conference last year, will be counted on to be a top hitter for the Buccaneers. "I think I'm going to move her outside because she's such a dominant hitter,'' Grooms said. "I think she's going to be a big impact player.'' Grooms thinks Britt returns enough talent to contend for the Sandhills Conference title again this season. She got a chance to see a number of the teams Britt will face this season in preseason scrimmages and saw signs of improvement in all of them. "This year we genuinely have a group of girls that likes each other,'' she said. "That makes my job a whole lot easier when there are no issues between the girls on the team.'' Cape Fear's Bruner lost nearly all of the offense from last year's conference championship team but does return the core of his defense in Taylor Melvin and Marlie Horne. "They have always kind of been our back row and done everything for us,'' Bruner said. Another key returner is Tori McGowan, who frequently came off the bench last season but will be pressed into a starting role this year. "We've made her a full- time setter,'' Bruner said. "She's always been able and capable to play for us.'' So far this season Bruner has been focusing on his team's defense. "We've always had the concept of anytime we get the ball over the net, we've got a good enough defense someone is going to get a hand on it,'' he said. "Essentially if we're all playing and we're all aware after some- one touches it and everyone's helping, there's no reason in our mind that a ball should ever hit the floor.'' He expects the Patriot Conference to be highly competitive this season. "Cumberland County has improved its level of play,'' he said. "Across the board, there is no easy game.'' L-R: Taylor Melvin, Marlie Horne Ilena Hall Kaiah Parker

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