Henry Hud Super Soph Zoe Staats Is a Difference Maker at the Net
Class B Hen Hud’s three-game sweep of Class A Yorktown was the Sailors’ way of reminding the Huskers and the rest of Section 1 that there may be no single program over the last 20-plus years that is in Hen Hud’s class.
The Sailors dropped the two-time Class A section finalists 25-22, 25-18, 25-23 to open the volleyball season in fancy fashion last Thursday. Hen Hud, the perennial favorites in Class B and former 13-time Section 1 champions under soon-to-be Westchester County Hall of Fame inductee Coach Diane Swertfager, saw senior outside hitter Gillian Stieglitz slam a match-high 14 kills to go with 12 digs on D. Sailor sophomore “Say Hello to Zoe” Staats burst onto the varsity scene with ferocity, introducing her superb skill sets with one swat after another. At 6-foot strong and growing, Staats will fill the stat sheet on a regular basis this season (13 kills, 3 blocks vs. ’Town); apparently, the rookie varsity player is the second coming.
“She hits as hard as Lindsay Hock and the Nethersole girls (Kami and Sareeta),” Coach Swerty said of Staats, putting her in what we call rarified air. “She’s still learning the finesse of the game. Her hang time is comparable to Sareeta Nethersole or Caitlyn Welch for sure, and Caitlyn will be entering the Hen Hud Hall of Fame this fall.”
We don’t want to put the cart before the horse or anything, but A.D. Tommy Baker might need a new wing for the Hall of Fame he’s built from the ground up, what with all the incredible volleyball players Swertfager has produced while winning over 500 games, 13 Section 1 titles and three state jewels since hopping aboard the Hen Hud ship some 27 years ago.
The Sailors also posted an impressive showing in their own tournament, going 8-0 before falling to eventual champion Hunterdon Central (NJ) in the semifinals of the platinum bracket. The Sailors also raised money for Breast Cancer Awareness and the Wounded Warriors Project. Sailor Emily Barthelmes was named to the all-tournament team against a field of competition the coach likened to the state tournament or better.
Ray has 33 years experience covering and photographing local sports in Westchester and Putnam counties, including everything from Little League/Travel Baseball to varsity high school prep sports and collegiate coverage. He has been a sports editor at Examiner Media since its inception in 2007.
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