New Hampshire scoops up Clarkston defensive star Lightfoot

BY RAYMOND ROLAK

STUDENT CORRESPONDENT

CLARKSTON — Maddie Lightfoot is hoping for a legacy championship.

Now that the Clarkston 5-foot-4 senior libero has aided her team to a district and regional title in the Class A girls volleyball tournament, she hopes to follow in her mom’s footsteps and have the same experience as Kristie Lightfoot did nearly 30 years ago.

Back in the day, Kristie Lightfoot played on the Flint Kearsley’s Class A state championship team. That was 1984, when the Hornets

“That was a great bonding time and most of the team kept on playing,” recalled Kristie.

That Kearsley team coached by Jo Lake, had a lot of depth with Jeanine Dickinson-Stark, Maureen Shaheen-Fitzgerald, Karen Histed and Dee Fisher-Weaver. Debbie Miele and Heather Lake also went on to some college volleyball pedigree.

Now it is time for the 2011 Clarkston edition. They bested Midland, 25-21, 25-16, 25-13 for the regional championship trophy Thursday at Lapeer West and the youngest Lightfoot was in the mix, including serving up 13 straight good serves with a pair of aces in a 13-0 run in Game 2.

The third-ranked Wolves are 54-5-0 heading into Tuesday’s Class A state quarterfinals at Fenton against fifth-ranked Plymouth Canton, which upset top-ranked Farmington Hills Mercy Thursday at the Brighton regional.

Ninth-year Clarkston High School coach Kelly Averall had a regional winner in 2010. Clarkston won its fifth straight Oakland Activities Association Red Division league title this season with a perfect 8-0 record, tripping up rival Lake Orion in the league finale.

A state crown is the current goal front and center and Lightfoot is one of the three seniors on this year’s bunch and the Wolves’ top back row player.

Lightfoot kept Fenton at bay with 25 digs in the district finals match. In the regional finals against Midland, Lightfoot had 28 digs.

Afterwards, Averall was quick to praise the defensive sparkplug play

“Madison has been excellent job for us,” she said. “She really anchored the back row, and I think that was why we looked so good. Our defense plays so well behind our hitters. The power of Stephanie Marani and (Kaley) Konjarevich has kept the other teams back on their heels.

“Canton will be a challenge as they match us well but we will be ready.”

Whatever the outcome, volleyball will continue for most. Lightfoot with a 3.7 GPA has already chosen to continue at New Hampshire. “I fell in love with the campus during my sight visit,” said the team co-captain. “It will be up to Stephanie Marani and I to lend some leadership.”

New Hampshire coach Jill Hirschinger has reached into Michigan before, recruiting junior Jansan Falcusan from Plymouth Salem and sophomore Destiny Tolliver of Pontiac and Notre Dame Prep. Lightfoot was showcased mostly from travel league play with Rochester Legacy during the summer.

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