For several years, students at Upper Perkiomen have clamored for the opportunity to play varsity volleyball, according to Michael Tirjan. A confluence of events finally made their wish a reality.

            This week, the newly created girls volleyball team held its first official practices. The team will compete in its first scrimmage next week against Christopher

Head Coach Michael Tirgan leads the Upper Perk- iomen girls volleyball team on a drill that promotes ball control, earlier this week.

Dock.  "We have a lot to teach the girls in a short period of time," said Tirjan, their head coach.

            The Indians are slated to open their Pioneer Athletic Conference schedule against Pottstown, which is also debuting the sport, on Aug. 30. Three days later, they will make their home debut against Perkiomen Valley at the middle school, located on Montgomery Avenue.

            "I'm trying not to have any expectations," Tirjan said. "I have no idea what the competition will be like. My goal is to make sure the girls have fun, get better and see where things fall."

            At least 32 girls registered to play the new sport, according to Tirjan, a physics teacher at the high school. He said he hoped to start the season with between 26 and 28 players, enough to field varsity and junior varsity teams.

            "There's going to be some growing pains," said Tirjan, who will be assisted by Taylor Gregory, a professional employee at the 4th & 5th Grade Center in East Greenville. "We're behind a lot of other teams. But we definitely have a young group of committed girls."

            A recent settlement of two Title IX complaints between the district and the U.S. Department of Education led administrators to start a new varsity team, the first at the school since the girls soccer program debuted in the fall 1998. Additionally, the middle school, which opened three years ago, was ...

            Upper Perkiomen's coed golf team starts the current season with its deepest roster in years, according to head coach John Brittain. He said that for the first time in quite a while, its top eight players could post fairly similar scores.

            Returning all but one key player, the Indians could have the depth to compete

Ethan Smith watches as Blake Gehman makes a  putt during the first day of team practice at Macoby Run Golf Course on Monday.

against most teams in the Pioneer Athletic Conference. Two seniors and three juniors make up the top five players. However, Brittain said Tuesday he was not prepared to identify the team's top player.

            "I'm not sure if we have a No. 1 player," he said.

            Seniors Zack Silver and Blake Gehman will get the first opportunity to grab that mantle. Both will play in the top group during Thursday's season-opening match against Quakertown at Butter Valley Golf Course in Upper Hanover.

            Silver, a regular contributor the past two seasons after cracking the starting lineup as a ninth grader, has made significant strides hitting his driver over the summer, according to Brittain.

            "During the first two days of practice, Zack has hit some really good drives," the coach said of Silver, who played several rounds over the summer. "He can make it a valuable weapon. In the past, he has been able to maneuver around the golf course by just hitting irons off the tee."

Gehman, who played most of last season as the Indians No. 2 golfer, relies on a powerful driver. The coach said he expects the senior's game to improve as the season goes on.

            "If Blake hits the driver where he wants to, he's going to score," Brittain said.

            The strength of Branden Rozanski's game is his consistency, according to the coach. Brittain said he expects the junior to ...