September 22, 2023

There were two minor upsets that prevented all of the Top 16 seeds from advancing to the championship qualifying rounds Saturday morning at Durango High. Nevertheless, this year’s edition of the Durango Fall Classic has everyone dripping with anticipation to how it is all going to play out. On paper, the biggest upset was No. 20 seed Lone Peak UT downing Marymount CA – the No. 13 seed – in three sets, 25-23, 23-25, 25-11. Lone Peak arrived to Las Vegas early to play Coronado NV on Thursday ahead of the tournament and ended up dropping that one in five sets. That didn’t necessarily bode well for the Knights when it came to this weekend’s competition, but they showed they were ready when it counted. While it was the biggest upset on paper, it wasn’t really a major shocker based on vballrecruiter.com’s Top 50 National HS Rankings. Marymount started the week ranked No. 39, with Lone Peak right behind at No. 40. It just so happened the two got paired in the same pool Friday to open the two-day event. The other result to go against seeding was Bishop Alemany CA knocking off Kamehameha/Kapalama HI in straight sets. Kamehameha was seeded No. 16. Alemany was placed at No. 17 to start, so that was as small as an upset that could’ve taken place based on the seedings for Day 1. However, Kamehameha was No. 45 in our Top 50, with Alemany coming into the week unranked. Other than Marymount and Kamehameha, the other 14 teams which were No. 1 in their respective pools all advanced. Not all breezed through however. Mater Dei CA – the No. 3 overall seed and No. 6 in our Top 50 – went three sets with Palo Verde NV in the 1 v 4 match to close out that pool. With Palo Verde surprising and winning its first two contests, the winner of that one was set to advance to the top 16. It was the same scenario for St. Francis/Mountain View CA. The Lancers went three with South/Torrance CA in a must-win 1 v 4 showdown in order to make the top 16. Assumption, the No. 6 overall seed and ranked No. 5 in our Top 50, opened the day with a three-set victory over The Hockaday School TX. Archbishop Mitty CA – the No. 7 seed and ranked No. 4 in our Top 50 – did the same. The Monarchs needed three in their opener before fending off Mercy KY and eventually advancing. Of course we will have plenty more once Day 2 action is complete. But looking ahead, here is how the top 16 measures up to start Saturday’s competition: *** DAY 1 SHOW STOPPERS Alauna Hooiman JR OH Silverado NV – Hooiman was providing an offensive lift and showed great range in her attacking. She also puts up a solid block on the defensive side. Megan Fitch JR OH Cornerstone Christian TX – A 5-star Texas AM commit, Fitch has showed up big all season long and was once more an offensive menace with her dynamic attacking. She’s relentless and just keeps coming at the defense. Maria Avendano SR L Cornerstone Christian TX – Avendano was solid out of serve receive. She was also doing a great job keeping rallies alive. Grace Carroll SR RS Cornerstone Christian TX – Carroll carries a big, powerful arm and when she has it going finishes points as well as anyone in the field. The 4-star Baylor commit showed her terminal attacking in a big way on Day 1. Avery Jackson SR OH Hockaday TX – A 5-star recruit who committed to Stanford beach, Jackson is a springy hitter with a lively arm. As a six-rotation outside, she’s not only a key offensive weapon but a steadying presence as well. Olivia Wayne JR OH Hockaday TX – Wayne – a 3-star Duke commit – plays in the middle or on the right side in club but has moved to the left side for high school. She has a strong arm and makes herself felt at the net on both sides of the ball. Ai-vy Ho SO S Hockaday TX – Ho did well guiding the attack. She dished with consistent location and does a nice job connecting with all her hitters. Vivian Hickman SO S Xavier Prep AZ – Hickman – a 3-star recruit – is so smooth setting and running the offense. She gets all her hitters involved and plays strong defense as well. Elle McCreery JR MB Xavier Prep AZ – McCreery showed up well in the middle for the Gators. She was a scoring presence and was putting away balls on the regular when called upon. Tessa Larkin FR OH Xavier Prep AZ – A 4-star recruit, Larkin has made a big impact so far this season as a rookie and showed how much trouble she’s going to be for the next four seasons. She’s a smart, physical attacker who torments defenses with her various shots. *** Finley Krystkowiak SO OH Torrey Pines CA – Krystkowiak – a 5-star recruit – is the featured part of the attack. She’s long and extends very well. She has a strong arm too and can power balls down at tough angles to defend. Kiara Edwards SR RS Torrey Pines CA – Edwards was among the top right sides we saw. She plays all the way around and has to be tracked when she’s across the front row. The Falcons like to get her the ball because she can deliver. Taly Cloyd SR RS Faith Lutheran NV – Cloyd put down a few big-time kills. Watch out when she connects, because she’s very capable of sending the ball down in impressive fashion. Bianca Richardson SR OH Faith Lutheran NV – Richardson was part of solid pin play by Faith Lutheran. She’s a six-rotation outside who brings consistency to the lineup. Ella Swinn SR OH Faith Lutheran NV – Swinn is another six-rotation outside who is