What can Brown do for Centennial in 2009?

By Andrew Conrad
Posted: November 14, 2008

Before Wednesday night’s state semifinal win over Northern, Centennial sophomore right side hitter Liz Brown, who is listed as 5-foot-11, warmed up as a setter. During the match, in a set up coach Larry Schofield called “the Z option,” Brown played at times as setter, giving the Eagles a bigger block to combat Northern’s renowned offense. Brown converted on eight assists as Centennial outblocked Northern, 5-1.

The system worked. Centennial swept Northern, considered one of the best team’s in the state, 3-0. Schofield said that he did not use the Z option against Fallston in the regional championship, because Northern was there scouting, and he did not want them to be able to prepare for what he had in store.

So what does this have to do with 2009? Centennial setters Jackie Hawkins and Karen Hillsley graduate after this season. Junior Katherine Barry has seen action at the position this season, and the Eagles could always promote from the JV or freshman team. Heck, their could even be an incredible eighth grader out there waiting to take over.

But having a tall setter allows a team to run their offense without sacrificing the block when the setter rotates to the front row. Reservoir used a tall setter, 6-foot-4 Tiffany Jacobson, to go undefeated and win a state championship in 2007. Their opponent that year was Huntingtown, which made it to the state championship match three years in a row with 6-foot setter Lauren Jeschelnik.

When discussing the “Z option” after the win Wednesday, Centennial’s current setter, Hawkins, joked that Brown “was born to be a setter, but she’s just too tall.”

To which Schofield replied, “tell that to Alisha Glass,” referring to Penn State’s 6-foot tall junior setter. Glass, who holds the national high school record for career kills, converted to setter collegiately, and so far this season has 964 assists and 76 blocks.

While Schofield may have other plans for ‘09, Brown at setter  is at least an intriguing option.

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