Shore Sports Network 2023 Girls Volleyball Preview: B-Central

2023 Class B Central Girls Volleyball Preview: Trinity’s Halls Looking for Four Straight Divisional Titles

Within the Shore Conference, the B-Central division tends to not garner the recognition because of the name of the division. At the end of the day, all teams are within the Shore Conference and all teams end up with the opportunity to play against each other. With only five teams in a loaded division that will be making headways left and right, Trinity Hall comes back as the opening favorite for 2023. While the last two years have been divisional titles for the program, the titles have been shared with Point Pleasant Beach. St. Rose is also looking to make noise in the division early and often, as they took down Trinity Hall in the first round of the Shore Conference Tournament last season. Could Keyport sneak in as a contender as well after a hot start in 2022 and a strong finish in states?

(TEAMS LISTED IN PROJECTED ORDER OF FINISH)

Trinity Hall

2022 Season: 10-5 overall; 7-1 B Central; B Central Co-Divisional Champions; Shore Conference Tournament 1st Round

Head Coach: Dirk Walker

Key Returners: Rachel Gardner, Sr. (19 Kills, 31 Blocks); Caroline Jacobi, Jr. (2 Kills, 37 Digs, 12 Aces); Anne Langan, Jr. (19 Digs, 11 Aces); Clarissa Paine, Sr. (29 Kills, 2 Digs, 21 Aces); Sophia Ramos, Sr. (10 Digs, 128 Assists, 4 Aces); Hannah Blauvett, Sr.; Anne Marie Brunetti, Sr.; Savannah Torres, Jr.; Madeline Walker, Sr.; Haley Zupko, Sr.

Key Graduates: Katie Evans (19 Kills, 2 Blocks, 34 Digs, 2 Assists, 13 Aces); Lucy Goddard (16 Kills, 8 Blocks); Reece Jones (73 Kills, 5 Blocks, 17 Digs, 30 Aces); Brooke Rodricks (13 Digs, 12 Assists, 3 Aces)

Quick Overview: Trinity Hall comes into 2023 as the favorite for the B-Central title. Coach Dirk Walker returns 10 key contributors, with seven being seniors. The losses of Katie Evans and Reece Jones will pave the way for players like Rachel Gardner and Sophia Ramos, the latter in which led the team in assists last year. After a roaring start to the 2022 campaign, St. Rose gave Trinity Hall problems in the first round of the Shore Conference Tournament. While the last two seasons have brought divisional banners to the program, the division was shared with Point Pleasant Beach. Trinity Hall is looking to get not only their fourth consecutive title, but first outright title in two years.

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Point Pleasant Beach

2022 Season: 12-14 overall; 7-1 B Central; B Central Co-Divisional Champions; South Jersey Group I Finalists

Head Coach: Andrew Hanniffy

Key Returners: Erin Frauenheim, Jr. (62 Kills, 26 Blocks, 3 Digs, 1 Assist); Celia Frizzell, Jr. (1 Kills, 4 Digs, 7 Assists, 9 Service Points, 1 Ace); Molly Huvane, Sr. (6 Kills, 1 Block, 9 Digs, 26 Assists, 38 Service Points, 9 Aces); Alexa Perillo, Sr. (20 Kills, 54 Digs, 4 Assists, 22 Service Points, 8 Aces); Lucia Robinson, Jr. (27 Kills, 8 Blocks, 6 Digs, 1 Assist, 48 Service Points, 13 Aces)

Key Graduates: Sophia Colasanto (1 Kill, 29 Digs, 4 Assists, 21 Service Points, 6 Aces); Sophia Cupolo (1 Kill, 25 Digs, 16 Service Points, 1 Ace); Sydney McShane (54 Kills, 5 Blocks, 62 Digs, 8 Assists, 116 Service Points, 39 Aces); Carly Napolitano (18 Kills, 177 Digs, 29 Assists, 102 Service Points, 42 Aces); Logan Nase (124 Kills, 1 Block, 92 Digs, 9 Assists, 63 Service Points, 14 Aces); Nicole Nase (28 Kills, 4 Blocks, 80 Digs, 277 Assists, 126 Service Points, 41 Aces); Rylie Niethe (61 Kills. 1 Block, 45 Digs, 5 Assists, 81 Service Points, 20 Aces)

Quick Overview: The second half of 2022 was a Cinderella Story for the Garnet Gulls of Point Pleasant Beach. After starting off the season 4-8 through their first 12 games of the season, Coach Hanniffy and the roster turned on the jets and went 8-6 the rest of the way. The heroics of the Nase sisters and Carly Napolitano helped lead Point Beach to the South Jersey Group I finals in which they were defeated by Delaware Valley in three sets. A strong senior presence in Molly Huvane and Alexa Perillo will help the Garnet Gulls get back into their late season form. With Erin Frauenheim, Celia Frizzell and Lucia Robinson all seeing significant time in their sophomore seasons, the sky's the limit in how far this program can go after last year’s magical run.

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St. Rose

2022 Season: 10-11 overall; 4-4 B Central; Shore Conference Tournament Second Round; New Jersey Non-Public Group B Second Round

Head Coach: Dan Williams

Key Returners: Melanie Englehardt, Jr. (129 Kills, 1 Block, 89 Digs, 2 Assists, 31 Service Points, 32 Aces); Emily Fudge, Sr. (22 Kills, 10 Blocks, 1 Dig, 1 Assist, 2 Service Points, 2 Aces); Megan McClean, Jr. (1 Kill, 76 Digs, 5 Assists, 14 Service Points, 14 Aces); Celia Scardino, So. (1 Kill, 42 Digs, 7 Assists, 13 Service Points, 13 Aces)

Key Graduates: Kristen Boehmcke (110 Kills, 11 Blocks, 92 Digs, 18 Assists, 42 Service Points, 42 Aces); Grace Conlin (62 Kills, 3 Blocks, 36 Digs, 29 Service Points, 29 Aces); Sabrina Roberts (8 Kills, 2 Blocks, 11 Digs, 1 Assist, 15 Service Points, 15 Aces); Grace Toscano (28 Kills, 8 Blocks, 40 Digs, 284 Assists, 76 Service Points, 76 Aces); Hannah Wilton (9 Kills, 3 Blocks, 12 Digs, 3 Assists, 24 Service Points, 24 Aces)

Quick Overview: Coach Dan Williams and the Purple Roses of St. Rose come into the fall with the mentality of taking over the B-Central and acquiring their first divisional title in three years. While Kristen Boehmcke and Grace Toscano helped upset divisional rival Trinity Hall in the Shore Conference Tournament last season, they will not be around to help St. Rose this go-around. Players like Melanie Englehardt, who led the team in kills last year, are going to be the ultimate factors in a chance at a divisional title or aspirations for the Shore Conference Tournament and states. With Englehardt having two full seasons left and a roster full of juniors and seniors that contributed full-time, the future of B-Central may just be purple.

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Keyport

2022 Season: 7-12 overall; 2-6 B Central; South Jersey Group I Quarterfinalists

Head Coach: Phil Recco

Key Returners: Allison Ahmed, Sr. (64 Kills, 11 Blocks, 60 Digs, 2 Assists, 46 Service Points, 14 Aces); Kayla Aumack, Sr. (33 Kills, 109 Digs, 1 Assist, 75 Service Points, 32 Aces); Danica Borza, Sr. (51 Kills, 64 Digs, 47 Service Points, 20 Aces); Isabella Nani, Jr. (8 Kills, 1 Block, 75 Digs, 60 Assists, 64 Service Points, 25 Aces); Abigail Reiber, Sr. (9 Kills, 111 Digs, 3 Assists, 89 Service Points, 35 Aces); Taylor Shearer, Sr. (35 Kills, 6 Blocks, 8 Digs, 6 Service Points, 3 Aces); Shannon Kenny, Sr.;

Key Graduates: Olivia Trujillo (11 Kills, 55 Digs, 89 Assists, 43 Service Points, 12 Aces)

Quick Overview: Keyport started off on a hot note, beginning 5-2 last season before the groove dropped off. Keyport struggled throughout the remainder of the season before showing what their first seven games looked like in the first round of states. After defeating Burlington City in two sets in the first round, Coach Recco’s squad showed what they’re made of. Returning all but one starter from last year, Keyport has the experience to be competitive all season long. Keyport returns senior Allison Ahmed, who led the team in both kills and blocks last season. Kayla Aumack, who led the team in digs, also looks to be one of Keyport’s stars for 2023. There’s a lot of talent and a lot of promise building up for this season, but it’s a matter of getting off on the right foot and not slowing down all season long for Keyport.

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Asbury Park

2022 Season: 1-14 overall; 0-8 B Central

Head Coach: Mauie McMillan

Key Returners: Bethsy Lima, Sr. (10 Kills, 5 Blocks, 3 Assists, 21 Service Points, 2 Aces); Sarai Martinez, Sr. (3 Kills, 4 Digs, 1 Assist, 12 Service Points, 4 Aces); Isabelle Nava, Jr. (1 Kill, 1 Dig, 15 Assists, 5 Service Points, 2 Aces); Braelle Paul, Sr. (46 Kills, 1 Block, 3 Digs, 4 Assists, 50 Service Points, 28 Aces); Xiaomara Cattuse, Sr.

Key Graduates: Sanai Covin (6 Kills, 11 Digs, 4 Assists, 16 Service Points, 4 Aces); Kaitlyn Duarte (6 Kills, 3 Digs, 1 Assist, 19 Service Points, 4 Aces); Sandra Merino (39 Kills, 2 Blocks, 6 Digs, 4 Assists, 27 Service Points, 14 Aces); Stephanie Riano-Cruz (7 Kills, 5 Digs, 84 Assists, 42 Service Points, 4 Aces)

Quick Overview: Asbury Park has won five games since their instatement into the Shore Conference back in 2020. Senior outside hitter Braelle Paul returns for Asbury Park as their leader in kills and senior Bethsy Lima returns as the team leader in blocks. After a strong junior campaign for Sarai Martinez, she returns to help both Lima and Paul in Asbury Park’s quest for strong contention throughout the fall. Sandra Merino and Stephanie Riano-Cruz were both massive leaders for Asbury Park last season, with players like Braelle Paul following in their footsteps. If Asbury Park can get off to a strong start under Coach McMillan, the B-Central can prove to be a tight race all season long top-down.