Unfinished Business at Poth

By Scott White
Editor

Sept. 26 – Losing the state championship is never a happy experience. But as her Pirates walked off the court after being swept by Wallis Brazos in last year’s 2A finals, Poth head coach Patti Zenner realized that not all was lost. After all, she was losing only two seniors from a team that finished 35-10 and came within one match of a state title.

“We were very young, so we had high hopes for this year,” Zenner said.

Talk of those high hopes began well before the season started.

“The thing we talked about was how we wanted to go back to state and take care of business,” said Zenner. “So we’ve made our theme for the year, ‘Unfinished Business.’”

And through the first 27 matches of the season, Poth has taken care of business quite well. The Class 2A Pirates are ranked #1 in the coaches poll with a 23-4 record that includes a non-district schedule filled with 3A, 4A and 5A teams.

“I always like to play a tough non-district schedule because I want to get in as many quality matches as possible before district,” says Zenner, who is in her 11th season and has taken the team to five state tournaments, winning three state titles from 1995-1997.

Zenner says matter-of-factly, “ we have beaten some good 4A and 5A teams.”

The team is led by 6’0” sophomore middle/setter Aimee Huffman, who was all-state as a freshman and had 20 kills and 26 assists at last year’s state tournament.

“She’s really become a leader this season,” says Zenner. “Even last year she was doing everything for us, but it’s hard to take a leadership role when you are a freshman. This year she’s doing that.”

Then there is 5’8” senior OH Jamie Scheffler. “She not big or flashy,” says Zenner, “but she is a very solid all-around player who is one of the smartest offensive players I’ve ever coached.”

The offense is run by 5’8” junior setter and defensive star Tara Grier, who had 38 assists and 42 digs at last year’s state tournament.

“She’s a sparkplug, especially defensively” says Zenner. “There hasn’t been a match this season where she didn’t make at least one play that just amazed me and made me wonder how she got the ball up.”

Regulars back from last year also include junior Tiffany Jansky, who contributed 11 kills in San Marcos, seniors Melissa Pruski, Stephanie Faschingbauer, Tara Raabe, Amanda Matheaus and sophomores Whitney Wehmeyer and Desiree Dziuk.

And Zenner admits that everyone on the team enjoys taking a full swing at the ball.

“We are aggressive,” says Zenner. “We will attack. We’ll come at you and make you play defense. That’s what the girls like. For me personally, I like the way we play defense. We don't let a lot of balls drop.”

So does Zenner think this team will take care of business come November?

“Things are looking good right now,” she says. “We need to get a little more consistent, but we’ve played really well against some really good competition.”

The coach admits she is starting to think about the playoffs.

“We’re at the point now where we are looking at the potential match-ups and who we need to be scouting,” she said.

And that scouting will include Wallis Brazos. As a result of UIL redistricting, Poth and Wallis Brazos fall into the same region and a potential rematch of last year’s state finals could take place early in the playoffs.

“The girls are looking forward to it,” says Zenner, sounding very much like a coach who - like her players - is also looking forward to taking care of some unfinished business.