And a new Northwest Conference.

Charlotte Stowe, Maggie Walters, Fran Belanger and Anna Pryor are the team captains
for the Suttons Bay varsity volleyball this fall. The Norsemen start the season Saturday at the Pellston Invitational playing against Charlevoix and Harbor Springs-Harbor Light Christian in their first two matches of the day.

The Northwest Conference just ain’t what it used to be.

With Leland, Buckley and Benzie Central high schools joining the Northwest, the conference race for girls’ volleyball is now more than a two or three team affair.

The new schools bring quality programs and players for volleyball.

Leland has won two Class D state titles over the last five years, and advanced at least to the semifinals twice. The exception was in 2006, when Leland still captured its District.

Buckley and Benzie both advanced far in the state playoffs last season as well.

So how are county old-guard Northwest teams preparing for the newbies?

At Suttons Bay, coach Mike Kelly has his players copying a high school football tradition: two-a-days.

“We’re practicing from 8-10:30 a.m. in the gym and 5-7:30 p.m. at the beach,” Kelly said.

The Norsemen amassed a 52-13-2 record, won the conference title outright, and advanced to the Class C quarterfinals last year, losing to Iron Mountain. It was the first time the Norse failed to advance to the Class C semifinals in three years.

Senior Charlotte Stowe is looking forward to Suttons Bay’s first matches at the Pellston Invitational on Aug. 25. As to the two-a-days?

“They’re tiring. At the gym, then at the beach later on, it really wears you out,” she said.

But Stowe said the team is already seeing the benefits. “On the plus side, we are all in pretty good shape,” she said.

Some 25 girls are out for varsity and junior varsity teams.

There are seven returning players for the 12-person varsity roster: seniors Stowe, Anna Pryor, Fran Belanger, and Arianna Guillen; and juniors Maggie Walters, Crystal Dittrich, and Jessie Pavelek.

Over the summer the team attended Leland and Ferris State team camps, individual camp at the University of Michigan, and played in several summer tournaments.

“On top of that the girls played beach volleyball all summer, at Suttons Bay and Traverse City, so they have really focused on improving their game and skills,” Kelly said.

The results are noticeable, according to Stowe. “I think we’re two to three weeks ahead of where we were last season as far as ability and playing as a team,” she said.

The change in sports seasons mandated by a high-profile court case has been advantageous for volleyball, the senior believes.

“It’s really hot in the gym, but we’re also in sync overall,” Stowe said.

The Leland volleyball program saw its storied coach Laurie Glass retire. Glass coached the Comets to state titles for the first time since the early 1980s during her tenure, and won the Cherryland Conference title 15 years in a row.

Former Northport coach Angie Shinos worked with the Leland program as a volunteer last year, and was rewarded by being offered the varsity job.

“It’s a big challenge stepping into this job. It’s a little daunting knowing what the expectations are here for maintaining a quality program,” Shinos said. On top of that, Leland is leaving the relatively comfortable environs of the Cherryland Conference to battle more and larger schools in the Northwest.

“My early concern in moving to the Northwest is that we remain competitive. There are some very big programs here, with Suttons Bay, Kingsley. Leland has won conference titles for so many years in a row, now that streak is up for grabs,” she said.

The Comets have 21 athletes out for the program, with 11 placed on the varsity.

Seniors Erica Breen and Julianna Lisuk return from last year’s 49-16-1 squad, as do Haley Versnyder and Rhiannon Hildenbrandt. Shinos said the team also participated in Leland and Ferris team camps.

She is not so much a fan of the season change as other coaches.

“With volleyball in winter, most of the girls played basketball in the fall, so they came in shape, ready to go. With summer still going on, some of the girls aren’t in playing shape as yet. But, we’ll get there,” Shinos said.

With Breen and Lisuk playing in their established positions at outside and middle hitter, Shinos is looking for a setter to solidify and run the Comet offense.

Leland opens the season at the Traverse City Central Tournament on Aug. 25.

Glen Lake coach Sue Flowers is looking for a few more good student athletes to bolster her varsity and JV rosters. The Lakers have 15 students out for volleyball; eight on the varsity, seven on the JV.

“We had a small freshman class this year and it’s carrying over,” she said.

Returning on varsity from last seasons’ 10-34-2 season are seniors Leah Carey, Heather Flowers, Rachelle Brzezinski. Rounding out the roster are Danielle Frost, Katie Drzewiecki, Mandy Brown, Krissy Bush, and Gabrielle Sitts.

Coach Flowers said the transition to a fall sport has been great.

“The kids are fresh, not worn out from basketball; the stuff they learned in summer camps is still right there in their heads. Everyone is on the same page and all the girls are fired up and energetic,” she said.

Kingsley, Suttons Bay, and Leland appear early frontrunners for the Northwest title, with Glen Lake a dark horse candidate.

“You can’t count out Leland. They lost Laurie, who I think is as big a loss to that program as when Alisha (Glass) left. But all those girls came up through Laurie’s system and all are really good ball players. Kingsley has a lot of their talent back. It really is a toss up,” Coach Kelly said.

Said Shinos: “Kingsley and Suttons Bay have to be the favorites, they’ve dominated the Northwest for the last three years.”

Flowers also named the Stags and Norsemen, while giving nods to Leland and another new comer, Benzie. “The Northwest is always tough,” she added.

Glen Lake opens at the T-C Central Tournament as well on Aug. 25.