Plainfield N. looks to mighty mite

Plainfield North's Jessica Guerrieri.

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PLAINFIELD -- Plainfield North coach Kerri McCastland always will hold a special place in her heart for right-side hitter Jessica Guerrieri.

And, just to be clear, McCastland's feelings have nothing to do with the fact Guerrieri registered five blocks in a high school volleyball match last season against Naperville North All-American outside hitter Colleen Ward. The matchup was one of Tigers vs. Huskies, David vs. Goliath.

And, just to be clear, McCastland's feelings have nothing to do with the fact Guerrieri registered five blocks in a high school volleyball match last season against Naperville North All-American outside hitter Colleen Ward. The matchup was one of Tigers vs. Huskies, David vs. Goliath.

Guerrieri, a 5-foot-9 senior, gave away at least five inches at the net to Ward, who later signed with Florida. The Gators ruled the recruiting roost in Illinois, also nabbing Gatorade National Player of the Year Kelly Murphy from Joliet Catholic.

"I just remember being so excited," Guerrieri said. "Our whole team had put up a good fight. We went three games with them, and they were ranked No. 1 or No. 2 in the state at the time. We were really pumped up after we beat them one game. We worked hard toward getting another, but it just didn't happen.

"Blocking her was fun. I think I blocked her four or five times. I'm not sure how. I jump pretty well. I guess blocking comes naturally for me. You have to read the hitter and pay attention to where the setter is putting the ball.

"You read their shoulder and where their hips are facing and that way you can line up with them."

For Guerrieri, stuffing Ward was special, but no more so than what she's been through at Plainfield North.

She walked through the door when the school first opened four years ago and teamed with fellow senior Alex Porter to help build the Tigers into what they are today, two-time reigning champions in the Southwest Prairie Conference and a burgeoning 4A powerhouse. The two had a hand in helping North roll to a 29-6 record last season and return to the fold with hopes of setting a new standard for the next generation of Tigers.

"Jessica (Guerrieri) is a solid leader," McCastland said. "She's four years on the varsity program here. She started and opened the school with me, always has played the right side, and for a smaller girl right now she touches 9-9 1/2. I'll never forget last year when she took Colleen Ward to the nail when we played Naperville North in the championship match of our tournament and blocked her five times.

"So, credit to her for a 5-9 right side that she is using all of her height, and she can jump. Three games we went and lost by six points. It was great for our team and great for Jessica. It was one of those moments. Jessica and Alex (Porter) have been with me from the get-go. Four years. Solid. That will be a very sad day at the end of the season when I have to say goodbye.

"Their leadership and their know-how and their ability to know what's expected of them will teach a lot of the young kids coming. I'm grateful for that."

McCastland has much to be grateful for these days. She's putting together her own Dream Team, the Tigers set to roar out of the gates on Sept. 2 at home vs. West Aurora. Six regulars return, including junior all-conference and all-area selection Kylee Baker, and the reality is North might be a year away from reaching its full potential.

Baker is one of three underclassmen already drawing interest from coaches in the Division I ranks. She is being courted by the likes of Georgia, Wisconsin, Michigan State and Georgetown. Six-foot junior middle hitter Sarah Scott and 6-1 sophomore setter Hannah Crippen also have been in contact with folks at top college programs.

Kayla Evans returns to handle duites of libero and defensive specialist. At least three others will work into the mix -- 6-2 sophomore middle hitter Kaisley Fisher, 5-10 junior outside hitter Jordan Flock and 5-10 freshman setter Alex Marzelek.

All of them are coming off successful club seasons.

"I'm excited," McCastland said. "There's a lot of young talent that will be interesting to watch develop and come along. It's the tallest team I've ever coached here at North. So, if we learn how to execute that both on offense and defense, that could be very exciting."

Baker played on a national championship club team over the summer months. She will be called on to help fill the void created by the departure of Amber DeWeerdt, North's first Division I recruit. She is playing now at Toledo.

"I think everybody has to step up and lead this year," Baker said. "We have a new team and a great team. We've really bonded together. We're going to miss Amber (DeWeerdt) and all of the girls who left last year. But I think we're going to do really well. And each of us has a role to bring to the table."

McCastland knows she can count on Baker and Scott to get the ball rolling for the Tigers.

"Kylee is an excellent leader," McCastland said. "She has amazing range and power on the hit. This will be her third year on the varsity. She was District 202 Player of the Year as a freshman. She's been an MVP both years here for North. She's just a very exciting player. You can see that she's learned how to manipulate and see the court so much better than last year.

"Sarah Scott is just fast. She's lateral fast. She touches 10-3 right now on the swing approach. Just to watch here, sometimes she's way over a blocker. She's fast enough where she can beat the blocker before they ever get there. We're teaching her how to use all of the net to hit and run because she is so quick."

The two girls will be fixtures on an intimidating front line.

"It doesn't matter so much about the size," Scott said. "It matters how everyone clicks together and gets our offense down."

The question of whether this could be McCastland's best team is one that comes with a qualified answer.

"I think so," she said. "Someone else had asked me that. I think last year was a pretty good unit, solid. But I think the depth to be good -- maybe it's not even this year. Maybe it's next year when all these kids are seniors and Hannah Crippen's a junior. I don't know. But we have the same expectations.

"The expectation is to go after conference and try to win it for the third time. The expectation is to take fewer losses and maybe get some bigger wins, maybe a Naperville Central, maybe come out the Wheaton Classic with some wins over DVC teams and earn some respect. But we're going to take it one game at a time."