Sedona volleyball team reloads for new season1 min read

By
Jeff Bear
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It may be a cliché, but in the case of the Sedona volleyball  team it’s true — they don’t rebuild, they reload.

And while last season’s state championship team will be a tough act to follow, coach John Parks is confident that the line of varsity newcomers he has this season will meet the challenge.

“We approach every year like we’re going for a state championship,” Parks said. “Every year we get good players coming into the program, and we always feel like we’ve got a shot.

“So we’re going to approach this year the same way — we’re going to go for it again.”

Parks and assistant coach Julie Mai have three girls returning from last year’s team: setter Mallory Lamparter, outside hitter Megan Wzientek and middle blocker Morgan Hawes.

One other player, transfer DeVonne Ryter, played on the Flagstaff High School varsity last season.
“She looks really good,” Parks said of Ryter. “She’s an asset for us, that’s for sure.”

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Lamparter is the likely successor to Brenna Barker at the setter position, although Parks said he considers every position on the team to be an open competition.

“Mallory … will step into the role as the starting setter it looks like, outside of that everything’s still up for grabs, and even the setting spot is up for grabs,” Parks said. “I’ll be leaning on her a lot to be in charge. I had a great setter last year — [Barker] — who’s off playing college ball, and she did a good job of taking responsibility for the team, and I know Mallory will too.

For the full story, please see the Friday, Aug. 16 issue of the Sedona Red Rock News.

Jeff Bear

Jeff Bear began his journalism career in 2003 as a graphic designer and sports reporter at the Weekly Register Call in Central City, Colorado. In 2007 he began working at the Canyon Courier in Evergreen, Colorado, as a graphic designer, but soon transferred into the editorial department where he worked as a copy editor and sport reporter under Editor Doug Bell. After a stint as a graphic designer at American Classifieds in 2009-10, Bear began working in 2011 as a copy editor at the Arizona Daily Sun, in Flagstaff. While at the Daily Sun, Bear was tapped by the late Randy Wilson to report on local sports including Northern Arizona University and Olympic medalists training in Flagstaff for the 2012 Olympics. In 2013 Bear began working at the Red Rock News in Sedona, Arizona, where he was an assistant editor and sports editor. Bear has two daughters, Angela and Jessica, with his wife Nina. He is a singer and guitarist, an avid cyclist and hiker, and enjoys camping with family and friends.

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Jeff Bear
Jeff Bear began his journalism career in 2003 as a graphic designer and sports reporter at the Weekly Register Call in Central City, Colorado. In 2007 he began working at the Canyon Courier in Evergreen, Colorado, as a graphic designer, but soon transferred into the editorial department where he worked as a copy editor and sport reporter under Editor Doug Bell. After a stint as a graphic designer at American Classifieds in 2009-10, Bear began working in 2011 as a copy editor at the Arizona Daily Sun, in Flagstaff. While at the Daily Sun, Bear was tapped by the late Randy Wilson to report on local sports including Northern Arizona University and Olympic medalists training in Flagstaff for the 2012 Olympics. In 2013 Bear began working at the Red Rock News in Sedona, Arizona, where he was an assistant editor and sports editor. Bear has two daughters, Angela and Jessica, with his wife Nina. He is a singer and guitarist, an avid cyclist and hiker, and enjoys camping with family and friends.