Seasoned veterans, impactful freshmen keeping Fraser in fight for MAC White

FRASER — On the Fraser High School Volleyball Facebook page, you can locate a video from the team’s district championship win over St. Clair Shores Lakeview on Nov. 3, 2023.

There’s the bulk of the shot that focuses on the team rallying back and forth as Fraser looks to close out the fifth set for a victory, but what few may see is the Ramblers on the sidelines reacting to each shot.

They’re inching closer when they think the final point is about to go their way, and the final scream from the bench is so loud you’d think you can hear it from the video even if it’s muted.

Now, there are a few things you could take away from this win, aside from it being Fraser’s first district championship since 2020. But what the Ramblers showed in its 3-2 comeback win against Lakeview was resiliency, and what the players on the sidelines showed was a passion for their teammates.

That’s what Fraser volleyball has embodied — a family-like atmosphere where a senior like Gabrielle Gajewski, who is committed to the University of Olivet for softball, comes out for volleyball her final year of high school to be around her friends and the environment the team has established.

“We’re all very connected with each other,” senior Breanna Szydlowski said. “We all just care for each other very deeply.”

The chemistry runs deep throughout the summer with Fraser’s varsity players teaming up to coach young volleyball players, or even most recently when the team took a trip to Whimsy and Wine in Fraser to paint volleyballs together.

So when you take a look at Fraser’s record so far — 18-5 and currently still in the fight for the Macomb Area Conference White league title — and watch them work as a unit on the court, it’s no surprise the type of bond the team possesses, especially with the exciting mix of veterans and varsity newcomers taking the court together.

It all starts with the seniors, who patiently waited their turn behind a district-winning senior class this year and have morphed into their respective leadership roles.

It all starts with senior Marissa Gutow who, when she’s not racking up assists and keeping the hitters in a rhythm, is huddling the team up and keeping her teammates in a positive mindset.

Fraser head coach Kim Argiri-Slone describes her as someone who “takes the team like a quarterback and resets them,” but Gutow said she’s just doing what she thinks is best for the team.

“It’s all about attitude and keeping a good, positive attitude on the court because as soon as the positive energy goes away, that’s kind of when it all falls apart,” Gutow said. “Just making sure everyone is having a good time out there, brushing off the mistakes, and picking it up out there is mainly my goal.”

Then there’s the seniors like Addison Hill, Lauren Sergent, and Szydlowski who are leading, also on a vocal level, but more so with their efficiency on the court.

Sergent can rack up the kills as an outside hitter, but she’s also been a vital piece of the Ramblers backline alongside junior Samantha Smith, who converted from a defensive specialist to a libero this season.

Being a senior, Sergent said she’s become more aggressive as a hitter, but also said she’s trying to be more of a vocal leader as well.

“This year, I kind of embodied the role of a senior captain and know that I have to set a good example for the others,” Sergent said. “I’ve been out there swinging more, and my passing has been better.”

Gutow and Sergent are exactly the type of veterans you want leading the way as the duo are doubles partners for the Fraser varsity tennis team and were regional runners-up in 2023.

But as a cohesive senior group, they were the perfect players for the job of introducing the three freshman newcomers of Irelyn Bednarchik, Payton Hill (Addison’s younger sister), and Brooke Dawson-Smith to the varsity volleyball scene.

“It’s hard to adjust because it’s so intense when you’re coming from middle school where it’s just a different level,” Argiri-Slone said. “They’ve had their lumps, but they bounced back a little this last match. They were kind of timid against Marysville, so they’re learning that the game is a game of mistakes, and you can’t dwell on the mistakes.”

Dwelling on mistakes can be easily fixed by Gutow and her upbeat personality, so it shouldn’t be long now until the freshmen are mentally in sync with the rest of the team.

“We definitely had to pick them up to speed pretty fast, but they did a great job, and I have to give it to them,” Gutow said. “Everything is working super well.”

Payton Hill has been Fraser’s primary kill leader on the outside, posting a sensational freshman season so far.

Add in impressive seasons from Smith and juniors Brynn Norbeck, a versatile middle who can play just about anywhere due to her athleticism, and Meghan Tapp, and the Ramblers’ depth holds the key to a potential district championship repeat.

Smith and Norbeck both carry versatility as a feather in their cap as varsity basketball players, using their quick feet and athletic ability to make an impact just about anywhere.

It’s a trait that not just dual-sport athletes on the team possess, but something Argiri-Slone prioritizes with her squad.

“I want them to be volleyball players,” Argiri-Slone said. “I don’t want them to be front row or back row players. We train a lot. In the middle, if they’re serving, they have to be able to play defense for as long as they serve. Everybody does every skill every day. There’s a lot of balls that go out of system, and you’re only in system 20-30% of the time, so you have to learn how to set up the second ball for an attack.”

It doesn’t matter how tall you are, or what grade you’re in.

“If you’re 5 foot, you’re hitting,” Gutow said. “If you’re 6 foot, you’re down in the back trying to serve-receive. It doesn’t matter.”

Fraser, currently in third in the MAC White at 4-2, already suffered minor setbacks with losses to Utica Ford II and Marysville, which is unbeaten in the league. But the Ramblers are still in the running with a home game against each team remaining. Marysville still has to face Ford again. If Ford can sneak out a win and Fraser can win out against its league opponents, the Ramblers would be entering districts with some serious momentum.

Gajewski said they have the talent and belief to get the job done.

“Now that we’re halfway through, it’s becoming real,” Gajewski said. “We all want to win and get districts two years in a row.”