After losing five starters from the 1999 Division II state runner-up team, it appeared Roger Bacon's volleyball program was years away from making another run.

Division I: (Front) Krista Mestanick, Liz Engel, Cassie Garland. (Back) Kim Rahn, Tammi Toney, Kim Stern. Kristen Rust, Donna Mechley. | ZOOM |

Division II-IV: (Front) Amanda Woods, Emily Withers. (Back) Cara Pearce, Tori Meyer, Maria Pongonis, Caryl Schawe. (Jeff Swinger photos) | ZOOM |

        Someone forgot to tell Spartans sophomore Emily Withers, the only returning starter, and coach Caryl Schawe, that inexperienced teams are usually eliminated early in the postseason tournament.

        Second place finishers in the Girls Greater Cincinnati League Gray Division, Roger Bacon played like champions in the tournament, winning sectional, district and regional championships.

        A determined and focused Withers was the difference. She rallied the Spartans to victory in the state semifinals. But, for the second consecutive season, Roger Bacon fell short in the finale.

        The leadership of Withers throughout the season earned the 16-year-old the Enquirer's Division II-III-IV Player of the Year, while Schawe won Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season.

        Mount Notre Dame's two-time defending Division I state champion team was another program decimated by graduation, returning only one starter. A three-peat appeared unlikely.

        Although the Cougars got off to a slow start (3-3), coach Donna Mechley found the right combination and it resulted in a third consecutive Division I state title.

        For the third consecutive season, Mechley is the Enquirer's Division I Coach of the Year.

        When it comes to dominating players, there was none better than Kristen Rust, McAuley's powerful hitter/blocker.

        A first-team selection in the Girls Greater Cincinnati League Scarlet Division, Rust controlled at the net and led the Mohwaks to the outright league title.

        “Kristen is a great all around kid, who's not only a hard worker on the court but also in the classroom,” coach Lynn Morris said. “She's a neat kid with a great personality and good sense of humor.”

        Described as “the total package” by Morris, Rust is the Enquirer's Division I Player of the Year.

        DIVISION I
       • Player of the Year
        Kristen Rust, McAuley, Senior
        • Coach of the Year
        Donna Mechley, Mount Notre Dame, State Champions
        • First Team
        Krista Mestancik, Mount Notre Dame, Senior
        Liz Engel, Mount Notre Dame, Senior
        Kim Rahn, Ursuline, Senior
        Tammi Toney, Harrison, Senior
        Kim Stern, Mercy, Senior
        Cassie Garland, Lakota East, Senior
        Honorable Mention: Michelle Ensminger, Oak Hills; Molly Middendorf, McAuley; Jessica Leonard, Seton; Amber Wilkins, Milford; Kristen Daily, Harrison; Tory Neyer, St. Ursula; Jessica Schoenfeld, Mercy; Laura Tyburski, Lakota West; Heidi Riesenberg, Loveland; Lisa Kampschmidt, McAuley; Lisa Feldman, Ursuline.
        DIVISIONS II-III-IV
        • Player of the Year
        Emily Withers, Roger Bacon, Sophomore, Setter
        • Coach of the Year
        Caryl Schawe, Roger Bacon, Division II state runner-up
        • First Team
        Amanda Woods, McNicholas, Senior
        Maria Pongonis, McNicholas, Junior
        Cara Peace, Reading, Junior
        Tori Meyer, Turpin, Junior
        Doreen Baumgartner, Purcell Marian, Senior
        Jen Bracken, Indian Hill, Senior
        Honorable Mention: Lynn Alfers, Badin; Mary Brunner, Roger Bacon; Katie Nickol, Turpin; Jesse Combs, Clermont Northeastern; Kate Fisk, Purcelkl Marian; Rachael Klein, Finneytown.
        Michelle Miller, North College Hill; Cassie Hall, Felicity; Lindsey Barnhart, Madeira; Becky Schneider, Williamsburg; Daniele Davis, Reading; Maria McCarthy, Wyoming; Amber Flynn, North College Hill; Barbie Neuner, Reading; Azure Stapleton, Landmark Christian; Staci Turkelson, Williamsburg; Ashley Persohn, Georgetown.

Sports Stories

Miami will have hands full at George Mason UK has a lot riding on Indiana game Promoters sue NCAA over basketball games Cincinnati volleyball all-star team Cincinnati boys cross country all-star team Cincinnati girls cross country all-star team Cincinnati's top wrestlers vie in coaches classic Duo boosts Boone County Mason names new football coach Boys basketball coverage Girls basketball coverage Withrow's Jackson gets 300th win Cincinnati boys basketball games Cincinnati girls basketball games N.Ky. boys basketball games N.Ky. girls basketball games Boys basketball schedule Girls basketball schedule Our Fearless Predictions for Cincinnati games Our Fearless Predictions for N.Ky. games Indiana boys basketball scores Indiana girls basketball scores Kentucky boys basketball scores Kentucky girls basketball scores Ohio boys basketball scores Ohio girls basketball scores Cincinnati high school results N.Ky. high school results

McNabb says let Smith play
Undrafted Spearman year's pleasant surprise
Eagles vulnerable to run
UC 88, Clemson 80
UC first test for 9-0 Alabama
LB Evans a big hit for UC
Muskies set to give Balcomb 100th XU win