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How far the Estero High volleyball progresses this season just might revolve around how far the Class of 2009 will take them.

Coach Barry Harris has a solid core of five seniors, including a veteran trio that will be counted on to produce for a team that is coming off a 15-11 campaign.

“Jessica (Moorhead), Rachel (Mielke) and Carla (Wheeler) have been with the team a long time. I’m expecting them to pick up the competitiveness and the commitment. That’s what I need,” said Harris, who is in his sixth season as head coach.

Moorhead, Mielke and fellow senior Cristine Davis and are the team’s potent outside hitting threats while junior Nicole Davis moves up from the JV to handle right-side duties.

Harris will have the luxury of a reliable setter with the return of Wheeler. Sophomore Cicely Sanders — who played on the JV last season — likely will see action in the setting department, too.

In the middle, Estero will turn to juniors Amanda Josie and Lauren Moorhead and senior Cathleen Alleyne, who played JV her first two years but didn’t play volleyball last season.

Josie has been with the varsity since her freshman season and has become more of a presence at the net with each passing year.

“She’s sped up a lot. She’s stepped up and improved,” said Harris.

The defense will be led by sophomore Stacey Mielke, who had an impressive rookie season in 2007, JV graduate Jaime Ciaffone and junior Morgan Bode.

The Mielke sisters were the team’s most consistent servers last season.

Overall, consistency is something Harris would like to see more often, especially from his seniors. He said he was disappointed in the effort last year’s seniors put forth.

“I think the seniors let them down. I think they could have worked harder,” said Harris.

When Estero opens its season Sept. 2 against visiting East Lee, Harris believes there will be a better product on the court.

“I think we’ll do better this year,” he said. “We have more depth. I have more talent on my bench.”

Wildcat Notes:

 For the first time in his six years as head coach, Harris will miss a match this season in order to attend his daughter’s wedding in Charleston, S.C.

 Harris figured Jordan Coalter would have made an immediate impact as a freshman with the Wildcats this season.

“She would have been a starter,” he said. Harris said Coalter was originally slated to attend Estero, but she has since enrolled at Gulf Coast in Naples.