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A big hit: Welch wins MVP in girls’ volleyball

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Lily Welch was named league MVP. / Photo by: Sue Moss

Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ volleyball senior captain Lily Welch was tabbed the Patriot League Keenan Division MVP.

Gyms were closed and the state was locked down. 

Remember that last year?

Of course you do. 

But it did not stop Lily Welch from getting in her reps. 

“I set up this old badminton net between two trees in my yard so I could practice hitting and peppering over it with my mom,” Welch said. 

Later that fall, Welch and the Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ volleyball team stumbled to a 3-9 record during a COVID-shortened campaign. 

“It just felt like every game I was putting in my everything, during remote school I would lift before going to practice, and I wanted it so bad, but we would come so short every game,” Welch said. 

She decided to take a year off from playing basketball to focus solely on volleyball. 

It paid off. 

Welch racked up 263 kills, 190 digs and 140 blocks this past season, propelling W-H to a program-best 13-6 record. She was named the Patriot League Keenan Division MVP. 

“Aside from her dedication, her talent is what sets her apart from others on the court,” said W-H head coach Samantha Richner. “Lily is dripping in athleticism, but she is constantly working on being better. She never settles and always wants to be better, and is shows.”

Welch was the catalyst in upset wins over both Hingham (17 kills and eight blocks) and Duxbury (15 kills). 

“During the game versus Duxbury at Whitman-Hanson, she showed so much leadership,” said fellow senior captain Abby Martin. “She was telling us everything she knew about the team the day before and was getting everyone hyped up before the game.”

It was that kind of leadership which is why Welch was a two-year captain. 

“She makes everyone around her better by honestly showing up to practice everyday and staying late after practice helping girls on the team,” Martin said. “She has a passion for this sport like no one else and she is just happy doing it.”

There is more. 

“During the offseason, Lily is constantly in communication with me and her team working on ways to improve for the upcoming season,” Richner said. “She dedicates her time to hosting and participating in clinics, volunteering to help run camps, and hosting captain’s practices.”

Welch believes her passion set her apart. 

“I practice almost everyday all year, I believe there’s always a way you can be getting better,” Welch said. “You can be talented or athletic but if you don’t want it, all of that means nothing. Volleyball is something I love so much and when I’m on the court there’s nothing I want more than to be the best I can be for my team.”

While Welch doesn’t have plans to play at the next level, she intends to stay involved in the game she loves. 

“Wherever I end up, I want to coach or teach lessons for volleyball and I will definitely be back to help and watch the younger players at Whitman-Hanson,” she said.

Gray courting success for W-H girls’ volleyball

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Caroline Gray leads the team with 167 assists. / Photo by: Sue Moss

“She’s a freshman!”

The chant echoed from the Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ volleyball team’s bench shortly into the third set of its sweep over Silver Lake last week. 

That freshman is Caroline Gray, who was doing what she’s done all season: dominating. The first-year Panther was in the midst of a 10-point serving streak to put the Lakers away. She also went on a nine-point run in the first set, to go along with 21 assists from her setter position. 

Volleyball is in Gray’s blood. Her dad, Josh, was the head coach at W-H from 2012-16. And you bet she tagged along with him. 

“I always used to go to the games and after school I’d go to the practices and help out there,” Caroline said. “It was really cool.”

Not only did she attend practice, but she took the court, too. 

“I practiced down balls from some of best hitters on the team,” she said. “It helped me a lot advance in the sport. I got to get ahead of my age.”

Her dad had a few pointers for her coming into first high school season, too. 

“He just said take control of the court,” Caroline said. “Communicate all the time and be confident in yourself because you want to be assertive on the court and know what you’re doing.” 

She sure does. Caroline has tallied a team-high 167 assists through the Panthers’ first 10 matches, in which they’re 7-3. She had 42 of them in a 3-2 win over Hanover and another 38 in a 3-1 triumph over Pembroke. 

“With Caroline, you just see endless potential,” said W-H head coach Samantha Richner. “She works hard. She always wants to improve her game. You can tell she cares a lot about it.”

Setter is a spot Caroline has grown into. She was both an outside hitter and setter in club volleyball. Then she heard the high school team was graduating both of its setters and switched exclusively to the position last winter. 

“After losing Sophia [Berardinelli] and Caileen [Hurley], who we on the team for four years, we were worried going into the season,” Richner said. “But Caroline’s filled those shoes well.”

W-H senior captain Lily Welch agrees. 

“We thought a setter was something that we would lack and struggle with this year and she stepped up huge,” Welch said. “I think her success comes from hard work.”

She’s seen Caroline’s commitment to the game up close. 

“Her dad ran clinics for us last spring and Caroline and I had a lot of late nights working together in the gym,” Welch said. “Our chemistry definitely comes from those nights and she barely missed any volleyball during the summer either.”

W-H is back in action Friday, Oct. 8 when it hosts Plymouth South at 5 p.m. 

“I just want to enjoy the season and get to know all the players even more and we really want to go to the tournament,” Caroline said.

‘Tis the season: Panther athletes get set to play on a very different field

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The fall sports season starts on Friday, Sept. 18 at Whitman-Hanson Regional High.

The wait is almost over.

After nearly six months without high school sports, the fall season is finally set to get underway tomorrow at Whitman-Hanson Regional High.

Cross country, field hockey, boys’ golf, soccer and girls’ volleyball will all begin practice. Football and fall cheerleading were moved to February.

“These have been difficult times for all of us, but especially our kids,” said W-H athletic director Bob Rodgers. “I am so excited to see them back with their coaches and teammates. I’m not sure people truly understand how much being part of a team means to our students but I know this will help them deal with these uncertain times.

“Our teachers have been working so hard for the return to school and the same holds true for our coaches. I hope everyone remembers that this is uncharted territory for all of us and we will do the best we can to serve our students the best we can. We will learn as we go and adjust when necessary.”

There are a few major changes coming to some sports. Field hockey will be played 7-on-7 instead of 11-on-11. There will be no throw-ins, slide tackling or heading the ball in soccer.

“This season is most certainly challenging, but we will meet this challenge with a covered smile,” said boys’ soccer head coach Dave Leahy.

That feeling is universal.

“I’m very excited that we get the chance to play this season,” said girls’ soccer junior Kelsee Wozniak. “It’s definitely going to be a challenge with the new rules, but the fact we even are allowed to play is great.”

Said girls’ volleyball junior Lily Welch: “All of my teammates and I are super excited about having a season. Even though it’s hard under the guidelines, we have all been getting together and training with each other. We have also had the chance to be teachers and work with the incoming freshman and I love that.”

There also won’t be a state tournament, but Wozniak said she’ll have no issue staying motivated playing in the Patriot League.

“We play in a very strong conference with talented teams,” she said. “Our goal is to compete and win our league. That will drive us every day to work very hard as a team.”

Regardless of what this upcoming season will look like or even how it may play out, one thing is certain heading into it.

“I can’t wait to get started,” said boys’ and girls’ cross country head coach Steve George.

Sister act: Martins court crossover success

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Sisters Olivia (left) and Abby Martin. / Photo by: Nate Rollins

The Martin sisters are making it a memorable time playing together.

For sisters Abby and Olivia Martin, it all starts at the dinner table.

“That’s where we game plan,” Olivia said.

And when your sister is on your team, that is the type of advantage you have.

“And then, mostly after every game, we go on Hudl and we watch the game with our family,” Abby explained. “Even though we were just in it, we want to watch it to see what happened and review it together.”

Their strategies have worked. After leading the Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ volleyball team to its first tournament appearance since 2016 in the fall, as starters, they’re both starting again this winter and have the girls’ basketball team headed back to the playoffs with its best regular-season record (14-6) since the 2009-10 season.

Olivia, a senior, is in her third year on the varsity team. She captains both sports. Abby, a sophomore, is getting her first experiences at the varsity level.

“It’s so much fun having her by my side,” Olivia said. “It’s really bonded us closer together.”

Said Abby: “I think it’s a lot of fun, and I can learn a lot from her as a player and as a person. She teaches me that there’s always room where you can grow and use different skills to win against different types of teams.”

During the fall, Olivia started at right side hitter, while Abby led the girls’ volleyball team in kills and ranked second in solo blocks at middle hitter.

“[Olivia] certainly lived up to the title [of captain],” said W-H girls’ volleyball head coach Samantha Richner. “She was a player that was constantly looking to improve on her game and would put in the work to achieve what she wanted to.”

“Abby was a huge player for us. We are so fortunate to have Abby returning to the team for another two seasons, she is definitely a player we need on the court.”

In basketball, Olivia is starting at shooting guard and Abby plays forward.

“Olivia has done everything we’ve asked her to do,” said W-H girls’ basketball head coach Mike Costa. “She’s getting to the line and she’s shooting the ball when she’s open. Hopefully, we can give her a memorable senior year.

“I’ve been really happy with Abby. I like her versatility — her aggressiveness, she is very long. Defensively, she has been pretty vocal and she’s starting to have a voice on the team. She’s fearless, she’s not afraid of anybody. We like the toughness she brings to our group.”

Sophomore Lily Welch has taken the court with the Martin sisters in both volleyball and basketball season this year.

“I would describe their mentality as working hard in each sport, but still having as much fun with it as they can,” Welch said. “I think they both play a huge role in bringing each team to tourney.”

The Martins credit a large part of their success to each other and their competitive nature at home.

“Ever since we were little, we always competed outside — no matter what it was — soccer, softball, anything we did, we just wanted to be better than each other,” Abby said.

Replied Olivia laughing: “Oh, yeah.”

“Even though she beat me every time, it just brought me to think that you always have to compete for what you want and if you want it, you have to go get it on your own,” Abby said.

And with her older sister set to graduate in a few months, that message will resonate even more with Abby.

“It’s going to be wicked hard when she leaves me,” Abby said. “But I’m here to carry on what she left behind.”