KFDM COOP Posted November 1, 2008 Report Posted November 1, 2008 Gauthier, Humble spark Lady Bears Van Wade The Orange Leader LITTLE CYPRESS — It’s been a banner season for the Little Cypress-Mauriceville Lady Bear volleyball season. A season in which they can hang a District 20-4A championship banner at the Bear Cave. The Lady Bears (26-8), who will take on the Dayton Lady Broncos Tuesday night at 7 p.m. at Port Neches-Groves High School in the Class 4A Region III bidistrict round of the playoffs, have won matches in various ways this season. They possess heavy hitters that can give opponents a crushing blow. The Lady Bears have put up mind-boggling offensive numbers. Of course, offense can win you games and matches but defense and setting up the offense can win district championships. That has never been more evident with the play of seniors Carly Gauthier and Alexa Humble. Every movie and play have excellent directors and Coach Castino has two of them for sure. Both have set up the show quite nicely. Both have been key cogs with their defense and setting up their “killer†attackers. Gauthier is more in the defensive mold. She has piled up 261 digs as she shares the defensive backline with fellow senior standouts Shayna Sheppard and Brittany Wiegand. Gauthier has also been an amazing server making good on 390-of-402 serves and has 33 aces. “Carly has always been so steady for us,†said Castino. “She plays excellent defense. She never does anything real flashy, she just goes about her business and is so darn consistent.†Humble contributed well to an LC-M team that made it to the area round of the postseason last year as a junior. As a senior, she’s really upped the ante. Junior Christine Sicktich has a stunning 510 kills this season with a lot of those shots being set up by Miss Humble. Humble has posted a whopping 525 assists, 136 more the other closest Lady Bear. She has also converted 334-of-344 serves and has 35 aces. “Alexa has been a dream for us all year,†said Castino. “She really wanted and worked hard for that setter spot. She has been unbelievable making our offense go. Her serving has been tremendous. I couldn’t be happier to have a couple seniors like those two.†For both players, they knew that the Lady Bears had the “mettle†to capture the district title. “We knew when the season started that we had the right kind of team to win district,†said Gauthier. “We knew we had the talent, it was about learning to gel together and we did that right off the bat.†Cohesiveness has been vital for the success all year. “We’re not just a team, we’re best friends,†said Humble. “There haven’t been many weekends when we’re not all getting together and hanging out. After we lost that first match to Ozen in early district we were determined that it wasn’t going to happen again. Nobody has played better than us since then. We reached our first big goal and that’s winning district. We want more now since the playoffs are starting.†Both players enjoy their roles. They don’t mind doing the so-called dirty work, diving around for digs and ripping off aces and sets. “Nothing makes me feel better than when I get that perfect set and someone kills it,†said Humble. “Coach C (Castino) really believes in good sets and great defense and Carly and I love doing all that kind of stuff. We don’t mind hitting the floor either. We’ve got a good team that isn’t afraid to hustle and those types of things can lead to wins or losses and we’ve got a lot of wins this year.†“Everyone on this team know what their responsibilities are,†said Gauthier. “Coach Castino makes sure of that and is a great coach. I know that my defense and serving is key for us to win. Alexa, nobody, I mean nobody sets up her teammates better than her in the whole area. When we’re playing to our top level, like we did later in district and against Ozen, we’re tough to beat.†Gauthier and Humble have had their moments at the net, combining for 43 kills. “We have had our moments with a few kills,†said Humble. “Our teammates pick at us, all in fun when that happens. The same thing happens when some of them try to set or dig. We can do that and not get mad. This team is always having a blast.†Next up for the “Lady Bear Expressâ€, a date with Dayton Tuesday. “We haven’t played Dayton this year but we do know a little about them,†said Gauthier. “We played them the last two years when we were in the same district. They have some talent and we’re going to have to play well and not take them lightly at all to get past them.â€
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