Chris

This edition of our State Spotlights features Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Georgia and Kentucky. Below we run through highlighting the respective champs from each state. ARKANSAS Catching up from the state playoffs from two weekends ago, Fayetteville (36-2) had already made a huge splash this fall by finishing third at the Durango Fall Classic in September, picking up victories over schools like Torrey Pines CA, Redondo Union CA and Hawaii Division 1 state champion ‘Iolani. The Bulldogs’ run ended in the semifinals to Marymount CA, which like Torrey Pines is still alive in the CA Open Division state playoffs entering Tuesday. The only team outside of Marymount to get the better of Fayetteville this season was Liberty North MO, which reached the semifinals of the 4A Missouri state playoffs before falling to eventual champ Lafayette MO. Fayetteville’s performance in Las Vegas was bolstered by its recent Arkansas 6A state championship, which it brought home after topping Southside, 25-19, 25-21, 25-18, two weekends in the final. Currently, Fayetteville is No. 23 in our national rankings. We’ll have to wait a couple more weeks to see where they settle but it’ll be in that range. The Bulldogs feature Under Armour All-American and Florida State recruit Kennedy Phelan. The 5-star setter averaged 9.5 assists per set and led the way with 80 aces. She was helped out big-time by Stanford beach recruit and senior outside Brooke Rockwell. Rockwell finished with 512 kills, averaging 5.2 per set and hitting .314 on the season. Southside (31-8) upset Conway (31-4) in the semifinals. Southside figures to be strong against next fall as it returns its top three kill leaders from this season in sophomore middle Lydia Pitts, junior middle Sophia Neighouse and sophomore outside Gabriela Dupree returning. Benton (34-1) ended a nearly perfect season by sweeping Valley View (29-5) in the 5A championship. Benton’s only setback came in its final outing of the regular season when it fell to eventual 6A semifinalist Conway in four sets. Benton defeated Conway early in the season, as well as picking up a victory over 6A runner up Southside. Senior outside Abigail Lagemann was instrumental to the success this season. She led the team in both kills (324) and digs (266) while hitting .332. She was also third in blocks. Micah McMillan, a senior setter and hitter, was a key piece of the puzzle for the Blazers. She ended with 352 kills and 322 assists. Class 4A: Brookland d Shiloh Christian 25-20, 25-19, 25-16 Class 3A: Baptist Prep d Hackett 25-16, 25-22, 25-22 Class 2A: Mansfield d Lavaca 25-16, 25-15, 25-16 *** GEORGIA In the biggest class, 7A, it was Buford (38-5) earning a nail-biting thriller over Lambert (36-8) in five, 22-25, 25-18, 25-15, 23-25, 19-17, on Saturday! The schools met way back in August in tournament play, with Buford sweeping that one. The latest Wolves’ victory made it three 7A titles in a row and it took fighting off two match points in Game 5 to make it happen. If Buford is to run it back for a fourth time next fall the Wolves will do so without their top two kill leaders from this year in Ashley Sturzoiu and Sydney Austin, plus setter Polly Cummings. Coming back though is freshman outside Clara Briley, who was third in kills, and junior middle Payton Danley. Earlier this season Buford traveled to the Nike TOC Southeast event in Tampa Bay, arriving in our Top 50 Rankings. However, losses to Venice FL, Lake Brantley FL and Skutt Catholic NE bumped the Wolves from the Top 50. Buford had been the only school to defeat North Gwinnett during the regular season. North Gwinnett had worked its way into the Top 50 but fell out when it went down to Buford again in the state semifinals. Lambert reached the showdown with Buford on a 19-match winning streak, including downing Walton in the semifinals. The Longhorns’ last lost before the state final came against Jasper on Sept. 3. Lambert goes into the offseason knowing three key pieces return. One is kill leader and junior Molly Kate Patten. The 6-6, 4-star Georgia commit finished with 314 kills and hit .453 on the year to go with 82 blocks. Also back is sophomore libero Francesca Popescu and freshman S/RS Kalyssa Taggart. Popescu averaged 4.6 digs per set. Taggart was solid all-around, recording 245 digs, hitting .322 with 497 assists and averaging 1.6 digs per set. The 6A final also went the distance as Pope (45-5) flipped the script and rallied past Sequoyah, 21-25, 20-25, 25-20, 25-16, 15-12. Both were 6A powerhouses this fall, with a prior meeting going to Pope in four sets back in late August. Sophie-Kate Harvey was clutch for Pope in the rematch. The 6-1 junior outside hurt Sequoyah with 25 kills and helped offset a combined 35 winners from seniors Sara Siefert and Sydney Huyck for Sequoyah. Pope is likely to be the team to beat once more in 6A next fall. The Greyhounds return Harvey plus sophomore middle Ellis Crawford, junior setter Cooper Abney and junior libero Dayla Ortiz. The 4A championship match ended with Pace Academy (42-1) sweeping Lovett, 25-11, 25-23, 25-20, for its sixth consecutive state title. Juniors Grace Agolli and Ellie Siskin teamed up for 32 kills to lead the Knights to victory. Freshman Olivia Siskin had 21 assists while Agolli added 14. Freshman Gabby Emch had a match-high 16 digs. Junior Emma Duffield led Lovett with 15 kills. Pope, the 7A champion, was the only school to defeat Pace this fall. Class 5A: Greater Atlanta Christian d Chattahoochee 21-25, 26-24, 26-24, 25-19 Class 3A: Morgan County d Oconee County 25-23, 19-25, 20-25, 25-16, 15-12 Class 2A: Mount Paran Christian d Landmark Christian 25-13, 25-18, 25-19 Class 1A: Tallulah Falls d Mt. Bethel Christian 25-20, 25-27, 25-14, 25-20 *** INDIANA The Class 4A state playoffs in Indiana was one of the better races to follow along this postseason. At one point this season the state was in serious play

The results from last week show how quickly a season can change and with it our national rankings. While the race for the national championship remains the same – top-ranked Cathedral Catholic defeated Torrey Pines in the sectional final Friday night and begins the CA state playoffs Tuesday – there was some eye-popping movement behind the Dons. Oconomowoc – which was ranked No. 7 – fell to Divine Savior Holy Angels in the Wisconsin Division 1 state final. Oconomowoc finishes the year 39-2, with both losses to DSHA. Oconomowoc went 2-2 against DSHA this season and despite its high ranking and tremendous season dropped outside the Top 50. Rankings are subjective and there is a hard, fast line that we use when it comes to the postseason and playoffs. In regards to Oconomowoc and DSHA, Oconomowoc cannot be ranked higher than DSHA since DSHA eliminated Oconomowoc from winning a state title. And given DSHA’s overall record of 43-6 and some of the schools it lost to, DSHA doesn’t have a strong Top 50 argument. Thus, it also keeps Oconomowoc. That’s true for all state playoff races. Take what happened in the Nebraska Class A state playoffs, where then No. 20 Lincoln Southwest (31-4) went down to unranked Omaha Westside in the semifinals. Omaha Westside finished 30-9. The overall results aren’t quite strong enough to get in the Top 50 and therefore Lincoln Southwest falls out of the rankings. Another example was with then No. 26 Dike-New Hartford, which also dropped out of the Top 50 with a loss to Western Christian in the 2A state final. It can go the other way, like Notre Dame Academy winning the Kentucky state final and propelling itself to No. 34 in this week’s Top 50 rankings. NDA beat Assumption for the third time this season on its way to winning state and that will help NDA finish in the Top 50. It’s can be different when it comes to sectional playoffs, like what’s currently happening in California. On Saturday, then No. 14 Sierra Canyon swept then No. 6 Mira Costa in their respective sectional final. The two traded spots in this week’s rankings but Mira Costa could still finish higher than Sierra Canyon since both teams qualified for the state playoffs and could meet again. The winner of the potential match would then be ranked higher in the final rankings. Another highly-ranked team to tumble out of the Top 50 was Cypress Ranch (43-3). The Mustangs fell to The Woodlands in the Texas 6A area playoffs. In similar fashion, since The Woodlands eliminated Cypress Ranch’s hopes of reaching and winning state, Cypress Ranch has to be ranked below The Woodlands and The Woodlands doesn’t have a case for the Top 50 either. vballrecruiter.com TOP 50 1. Cathedral Catholic CA (1 – last week’s ranking) 2. Westminster Christian FL (2) 3. Cornerstone Christian TX (3) 4. Hamilton Southeastern IN (4) 5. Prestonwood Christian TX (5) 6. Highland Park TX (8) 7. Washburn Rural KS (9) 8. Sierra Canyon CA (14) 9. Marian MI (10) 10. Mira Costa CA (6) *** 11. Barrington IL (15) 12. Yorktown IN (12) 13. Aquinas KS (13) 14. McCutcheon IN (16) 15. St. Francis/Mountain View CA (19) 16. Marymount CA (22) 17. Lafayette MO (22) 18. Mother McAuley IL (24) 19. Santa Fe FL (21) 20. St. James Academy (27) *** 21. Papillion-LaVista NE (25) 22. Liberty North MO (30) 23. Fayetteville AR (17) 24. ‘Iolani HI (18) 25. Ursuline Academy OH (28) 26. Valor Christian CO (29) 27. Magnificat OH (31) 28. Brebeuf Jesuit IN (32) 29. Liberty MO (33) 30. Mater Dei CA (34) *** 31. Plano West TX (35) 32. Millbrook NC (36) 33. Corona del Sol AZ (37) 34. Notre Dame Academy KY (n/r) 35. North Raleigh Christian Academy NC (43) 36. Eureka MO (39) 37. Millennium AZ (40) 38. Assumption KY (38) 39. Flint Hill VA (42) 40. Lakewood CA (49) *** 41. Timpview UT (n/r) 42. Torrey Pines CA (41) 43. Cleveland TN (50) 44. Marist IL (n/r) 45. Palos Verdes CA (n/r) 46. Mountain View UT (46) 47. Archbishop Mitty CA (45) 48. St. Ursula Academy OH (47) 49. Bountiful UT (48) 50. Benet Academy IL (n/r) Out: Oconomowoc WI; Cypress Ranch TX; Lincoln Southwest NE; Dike-New Hartford IO; Jesuit OR In: Notre Dame Academy KY; Timpview UT; Marist IL; Palos Verdes CA; Benet Academy IL *** HONORABLE MENTION Benton AR Divine Savior Holy Angels WI Oconomowoc WI Cypress Ranch TX Omaha Westside NE Lincoln Southwest NE Western Christian IO Dike-New Hartford IO Jesuit OR Sheldon OR Middle Creek NC Punahou HI Reagan NC North Gwinnett GA Redondo Union CA Newport Harbor CA Horizon AZ Liberty AZ Huntley IL Mercy McAuley OH Rock Bridge MO Hamilton AZ Mount Notre Dame OH Mercy MI Skyline MI Iowa City Liberty IO Xavier IO Ankeny IO Lyons IL Mercy KY Wayzata MN Lakeville North MN Northfield MN Marshall MN Skutt Catholic NE Pickens SC Dorman SC Cardinal Newman SC Nolensville TN Knoxville Catholic TN Pope GA Buford GA Alpharetta GA Sequoyah GA Lake Catholic OH Rock Canyon CO Heritage CO Legend CO Chaparral CO Trinity Catholic FL Olathe Northwest KS Lincoln-Way East IL Vista Murrieta CA Harvard-Westlake CA Huntington Beach CA Alemany CA Calvary Christian FL Tampa Prep FL Tompkins TX Bryon Nelson TX Bishop Watterson OH Ardrey Kell NC Kamehameha HI Moanalua HI Jackson Academy MS Ponte Vedra FL Venice FL O’Connor AZ Appleton North WI Burlington WI Hamilton WI

There is no more high school volleyball this fall for Alabama, Hawaii and Kansas as they conducted their state finals last week or over the weekend. Three highly-ranked schools in No. 9 Washburn Rural KS, No. 13 Aquinas KS and No. 18 ‘Iolani HI all finished on top of their respective divisions while another school extended its record streak. Below, we present a rundown of each state.   ALABAMA Senior outside Anna Grace Sparks and sophomore outside Paris McQuirter combined for 28 kills as McGill-Toolen took down Bob Jones in four sets, 25-18, 25-13, 20-25, 25-18, in the AHSAA Class 7A state final last Thursday. Junior setters Laura Boykin and Mamie Fromdahl teamed up for 39 assists as the Yellowjackets (51-8) earned the program’s first championship since back-to-back titles in 2017-18. It was McGill-Toolen’s 22nd overall. Sophomore outside Kennedy Vaughn put up a team-high 13 kills for Bob Jones. In the Class 6A state championship match, Bayside Academy pulled through in a five-set thriller over Spanish Fort, 20-25, 25-22, 22-25, 25-11, 15-12. Bayside Academy has now won 21 consecutive state championships, a national record the Admirals could quite likely extend once again next season. It was the 31st overall for the program. The top four kill leaders from the state final all return next season in freshman Haley Robinson, sophomore Misty Smith, junior Maysie Douglas and junior Georgia McInnis. Also back are junior setter Blakeley Robbins and freshman libero Mary Katherine Whitehurst. Class 5A: Westminster Christian d Arab 25-23, 26-24, 25-13 Class 4A: Montgomery Catholic d Trinity Presbyterian 10-25, 25-15, 25-23, 25-16 Class 3A: Prattville Christian d Plainview 25-13, 16-25, 25-22, 25-22 Class 2A: Donoho d Pleasant Valley 25-18, 25-22, 24-26, 25-16 Class 1A: Addison d Covenant Christian 25-9, 25-19, 25-18 *** KANSAS Washburn Rural – ranked No. 9 nationally – finished its season on a 44-match winning streak, culminating with a victory over Blue Valley, 25-21, 26-24, in the Kansas Class 6A state championship match Saturday. The Blues (45-1) began the season with a victory over Aquinas – which claimed the Class 5A state championship Saturday – then lost their next outing to St. James Academy – Saturday’s 5A runner up. That was it, the only loss of the season for the Blues, who picked up the program’s first state title since 2012 and eighth overall. As a freshman, now senior standout and Kentucky commit Brooklyn DeLeye and teammates fell to Blue Valley in the championship match. Last year, DeLeye and company entered the Day 2 semifinals undefeated but dropped both matches and wound up in fourth. This season there was no pressure of an undefeated season in the balance though Washburn Rural came close to having a perfect season. Besides the setback to St. James, Washburn Rural lost just two sets in its 45 victories. DeLeye and senior middle Chloe Carlgren are among the big graduations, but the Blues do return junior middle Jada Ingram and junior setter Zoe Canfield to run it back next season. Blue Valley (31-11) will take on a much different look next fall. The Tigers graduate eight key senior contributors. Junior 4-star libero Ryan McAleer is back to build around though. As for national No. 13 Aquinas, it was also the eighth overall state championship for the Saints (40-3). The latest came after a hard-fought victory over St. James, 25-22, 22-25, 25-23, in the final. Aquinas was 2-0 against St. James (37-4) in the regular season, both sweeps. Two of the three losses for the Saints came against 6A state champ Washburn Rural. The third was against Liberty North MO, which is still alive in the Missouri state playoffs. Aquinas also owns a victory over Liberty North, as well as Lafayette MO, which faces Liberty North in Thursday’s Class 5 state semifinals. Looking ahead to next season, it’s a mixed bag for Aquinas. The Saints lose this season’s kill leader in Betsy Goodenow, as well as senior middle Ashlyn Reeves. However, they do bring back sophomore outside Alea Goolsby and both setters in junior Kelsey Schenck and freshman Alayna Vaeth. St. James – ranked No. 27 nationally – began its schedule 13-0 before falling to Aquinas for the first of what would be three times. The only other loss for the Thunder came to Lafayette in tournament play in early October. And the Thunder, who are set up nicely for next season, do get the distinction of being the only team to defeat 6A state champ Washburn Rural. Sophomore standout setter Reese Messer returns next fall, along with junior libero Mya Bolton. Joining them is three of the top four kill leaders in juniors Julia Headley, Ava Spachek and Ella Goodwin. Class 4A: Bishop Miege d Andale 25-22, 32-20 Class 3A: Olathe-Heritage Christian d Seneca-Nemaha Central 25-16, 25-13 Class 2A: Hillsboro d Smith Center 25-12, 25-13 Class 1A: Little River d Rosalia-Flinthills 25-11, 18-25, 25-9 *** HAWAII ‘Iolani – ranked No. 18 nationally – earned its fourth HHSAA Division 1 state championship by sweeping Kamehameha/Hawaii, 25-18, 25-17, 25-22, in Saturday’s final. The Raiders also claimed titles in 2011, 2016 and 2018. The Warriors were aiming to mark just the third time a non-Ohau school claimed the state title, and first time since 1974, but the Raiders rolled behind 16 kills from senior outside Brooke Naniseni. Senior outside Senna Roberts-Navarro ended with 10 kills and 13 digs, while senior setter Maya Imoto-Eakin racked up 40 assists and 14 digs. Senior libero Tess Onaga, who had 34 digs, was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. ‘Iolani (25-5) opened its season with a loss to Palos Verdes CA at the Ann Kang Invitational before falling in the semifinals to eventual champ Mira Costa CA. The only local team to beat ‘Iolani all season was Punahou, which lost to Kamehameha in the quarterfinals. ‘Iolani also traveled to the Durango Fall Classic in Las Vegas, finishing fourth after losing to top-ranked Cathedral Catholic CA in the semifinals and Fayetteville AR in the third-place match. Among ‘Iolani’s victories

This is the first of three more Top 50 updates before releasing our final HS National Rankings on Nov. 21. How much will change and be different by then? If the last few weeks are any indication, we aren’t going to see much movement. However, state playoffs are taking center stage these final weeks and any unforeseen results there can really shake up the rankings in a hurry. Of course, that would mean upsets taking place that we really haven’t seen yet. Again, it’s early but the favorites held court in a couple of state championships this past weekend. Washburn Rural – ranked No. 9 – finished out its season with the Kansas 6A championship. Aquinas – a few spots below at No. 13 – wrapped up its year by winning the Kansas 5A crown. Meanwhile, No. 18 ‘Iolani captured the Hawaii Division 1 state title. Those results kept the movement minimal in the Top 25. The biggest change came with Marymount CA falling from No. 12 to No. 22 after losing to then-No. 15 Sierra Canyon CA and unranked Newport Harbor CA last week. Top-ranked Cathedral Catholic CA defeated Del Norte CA in the start of its sectional playoffs. You can read more about the road to the national championship here. There was more movement in the backend of the Top 50 this week, with five schools joining. St. Ursula Academy OH and Cleveland TN make their return to the Top 50 while Lakewood CA, Bountiful UT and North Raleigh Christian Academy NC make their debuts. vballrecruiter.com TOP 50 1. Cathedral Catholic CA (1 – last week’s ranking) 2. Westminster Christian FL (2) 3. Cornerstone Christian TX (3) 4. Hamilton Southeastern IN (4) 5. Prestonwood Christian TX (5) 6. Mira Costa CA (6) 7. Oconomowoc WI (7) 8. Highland Park TX (8) 9. Washburn Rural (9) 10. Marian MI (10) *** 11. Cypress Ranch TX (11) 12. Yorktown IN (13) 13. Aquinas KS (14) 14. Sierra Canyon CA (15) 15. Barrington IL (16) 16. McCutcheon IN (17) 17. Fayetteville AR (18) 18. ‘Iolani HI (19) 19. St. Francis/Mountain View CA (20) 20. Lincoln Southwest NE (21) *** 21. Santa Fe FL (22) 22. Marymount CA (12) 23. Lafayette MO (23) 24. Mother McAuley IL (24) 25. Papillion-LaVista South NE (27) 26. Dike-New Hartford IO (29) 27. St. James Academy KS (25) 28. Ursuline Academy OH (31) 29. Valor Christian CO (33) 30. Liberty North MO (44) *** 31. Magnificat OH (37) 32. Brebeuf Jesuit IN (32) 33. Liberty MO (28) 34. Mater Dei CA (35) 35. Plano West TX (30) 36. Millbrook NC (50) 37. Corona del Sol AZ (40) 38. Assumption KY (42) 39. Eureka MO (36) 40. Millennium AZ (43) *** 41. Torrey Pines CA (45) 42. Flint Hill VA (45) 43. North Raleigh Christian Academy NC (n/r) 44. Jesuit OR (47) 45. Archbishop Mitty CA (48) 46. Mountain View UT (46) 47. St. Ursula Academy OH (n/r) 48. Bountiful UT (n/r) 49. Lakewood CA (n/r) 50. Cleveland TN (n/r) Out: North Gwinnett GA; Reagan NC; Redondo Union CA; Palos Verdes CA; Punahou HI In: North Raleigh Christian Academy NC; St. Ursula Academy OH; Bountiful UT; Lakewood CA; Cleveland TN *** HONORABLE MENTION Middle Creek NC Punahou HI Palos Verdes CA Reagan NC North Gwinnett GA Redondo Union CA Newport Harbor CA Benet Academy IL Horizon AZ Liberty AZ Huntley IL Mercy McAuley OH Rock Bridge MO Hamilton AZ Mount Notre Dame OH Mercy MI Skyline MI Xavier IO Ankeny IO Lyons IL Notre Dame Academy KY Mercy KY Wayzata MN Lakeville North MN Northfield MN Marshall MN Skutt Catholic NE Pickens SC Dorman SC Cardinal Newman SC Nolensville TN Knoxville Catholic TN Pope GA Buford GA Alpharetta GA Sequoyah GA Lake Catholic OH Rock Canyon CO Heritage CO Legend CO Chaparral CO Trinity Catholic FL Olathe Northwest KS Lincoln-Way East IL Vista Murrieta CA Harvard-Westlake CA Huntington Beach CA Alemany CA Calvary Christian FL Tampa Prep FL Tompkins TX Bryon Nelson TX Bishop Watterson OH Ardrey Kell NC Kamehameha HI Moanalua HI Jackson Academy MS Ponte Vedra FL Venice FL O’Connor AZ Divine Savior Holy Angels WI Appleton North WI Burlington WI Hamilton WI Timpview UT

Let’s whip around and tour parts of the country to see where matters stand on both national and state stages. We begin at the very top of our Top 50 HS National Rankings, where undefeated Cathedral Catholic CA (35-0) remains No. 1. The Dons have the inside track to the national championship, a feat they can accomplish by winning out. To get to the finish line unscathed, Cathedral Catholic needs to win three matches in the San Diego sectional playoffs then another four in the CA Open Division state playoffs. Speaking of the CA state playoffs, there’s an interesting scenario developing in the Open Division in regards to the national championship. As mentioned above, the national championship is Cathedral Catholic’s if it finishes the season undefeated. But what if the Dons don’t? Westminster Christian FL is sitting at No. 2 and would have a strong argument. The Warriors (24-0) are also looking to finish the year unbeaten and are in the midst of the Florida 3A state playoffs. Westminster faces Riviera Prep in second-round action Friday. After that one, the Warriors would need three more victories to win the state championship. That achievement combined with Westminster’s victory over No. 3 Cornerstone Christian TX in the finals of the Nike TOC Southwest tournament in September makes for a strong case for the Warriors to finish on top should Cathedral Catholic stumble. Should somehow Cathedral Catholic and Westminster Christian both lose, that would open the door for Cornerstone Christian to finish No. 1. The Warriors have played arguably the strongest schedule in the nation and went 55-2. One defeat was to Westminster as stated. The other was to The Woodlands, a squad Cornerstone has also defeated. Since Cornerstone’s season is over, there is only one more scenario where a school outside the Top 3 can make a convincing enough case to finish No. 1. That brings us back to the CA state playoffs. St. Francis/Mountain View CA (28-0) is ranked No. 20 nationally and remains undefeated after narrowly clipping No. 48 Archbishop Mitty in five sets, 21-25, 26-24, 25-20, 19-25, 20-18, Monday. The Lancers don’t have the strongest strength of schedule or they would be ranked higher. However, that could all change. It’s possible St. Francis could make it to the Open Division state final and face off with top-ranked Cathedral Catholic. That match would take place Nov. 19 and have huge national title implications. Because what if St. Francis upset Cathedral Catholic and finished undefeated? The Lancers would be the only school to defeat the Dons and that could very well be enough to lift the Lancers to the No. 1 spot should it happen. St. Francis could face Archbishop Mitty twice more before getting that far. Once in the Central Coast sectional playoffs and again in the state playoffs. Stay tuned. *** One state already wrapped up its playoffs – Tennessee. Cleveland (49-5) captured the Division 1 Class 3A state championship, defeating Collierville (37-10) in the final, 25-21, 25-14, 25-20. Knoxville Catholic and Nolensville were the two culprits for Cleveland, which went 2-5 combined against the two schools. Nolensville was upset by Ravenwood in the regional playoffs, while Knoxville Catholic lost to Baylor in the semifinals of the Division 2 Class 2A state playoffs. It was the 1-2 punch of sophomore outside Lauren Hurst and senior outside Addison Hurst who proved to be the biggest detriment to opponents. The pair combined for 1,250 kills and 730 digs. Lauren Hurst led the team with 61 blocks. We wrote about setter Kinslee McGowan in our 25 Junior Show Stoppers released this week. She dished out 1,256 assists and led the team in aces with 131. At one point, the Blue Raiders were 27-1 after losing their second outing of the season to Knoxville Catholic. But then they lost three times in six matches before finishing out the season 19-1. Among their victories this season included beating Briarcrest Christian, which claimed the Division 2 Class 2A state championship. Briarcrest (37-6) swept Baylor, 25-19, 25-22, 25-14, in the final. The Saints had lost to Knoxville Catholic during the season but beat the Fighting Irish in the opening round of the state playoffs. Senior outside Kendall Barnes led the team in kills with 396, averaging 3.8 per set and hitting .333. Senior setter Ashley Pruitt, who averaged 10.3 assists per set, also relied on senior outside Emma Haddix (2.6 kills per set) and senior middle Kynedi Jennings (2.2). *** By the end of the week we’ll know the Kansas state champions. The two-day event takes place Oct. 28-29. National No. 9 Washburn Rural is the top seed in Class 6A. National No. 14 St. Thomas Aquinas is the No. 1 overall seed in Class 5A, which also features national No. 25 St. James Academy as the No. 2 seed. Washburn Rural has faced both top seeds in 5A this season, going 2-0 against Aquinas and 0-1 against St. James. Aquinas is 1-0 against St. James. It’ll be interesting to see how the final two days plays out and how to break down which school was the best in the state this fall. *** The Indiana state playoffs are nearing their conclusion as well. The Class 4A semifinals are set for Saturday and feature national No. 4 Hamilton Southeastern against Lake Central in one half and national No. 13 Yorktown facing Floyd Central in the other. The final is Nov. 5. The quarterfinals featured one of the biggest clashes of the season when Hamilton Southeastern eliminated then-No. 3 McCutcheon, 16-25, 25-21, 25-18, 25-19. Senior outside Avery Hobson, junior outside Lauren Harden and junior middle Breonna Goss combined for 35 kills for the Royals in that victory. McCutcheon is the only team to defeat HSE (32-1) so far. The recent victory propelled HSE to No. 4 nationally while dropping McCutcheon to No. 17. A rematch in the final between HSE and Yorktown would be something. HSE defeated Yorktown in five sets, 25-19, 25-17, 14-25, 23-25, 15-10,

Even though the season is winding down and we’ll soon have our postseason awards and accolades, there’s still enough time left to tour the country and check in on players having or who have had amazing seasons. For this edition, we focused on 25 Show Stoppers from the Class of 2024. Nora Wurtz MB Douglas County West NE – The Falcon (28-3) are looking to surprise in the Class C1 playoffs. Anything they do starts with the 6-4 Wurtz. The 3-star Creighton commit is having an incredible year. She leads her team with 393 kills. Wurtz is averaging 4.9 kills per set and hitting a mind-boggling .540 in the process. She also has a team-high 76 blocks and put up a season-high 22 kills in a win over Platteview on Sept. 22. Mackenzie Parsons MB Poway CA – The Titans continue the CIF-SDS Division 1 playoffs Friday when they face El Capitan. The 6-2 Parsons is putting up eye-popping stats. She’s hitting .532 and leads the way with 407 kills, averaging 4.2 per set. She’s also sent down a team-high 82 blocks. Four times she’s recorded 22 kills in a match and set a season high with 23 in win over Del Norte in early October. Alice Volpe L Bridgeland TX – The Bears (37-8) wrapped up their regular season schedule Tuesday and turn their attention to the postseason where Volpe and her teammates will look to pull off a few upsets. The junior has been a wall in the backrow. She’s tallied 593 digs and is averaging 4.9 per set. She also leads the team in aces with 44. Her season-high mark is 27 digs, which she made in a four-set victory against Lake Creek in late August. Jordan Smart S Reagan NC – The Raiders (36-0) put their undefeated record on the line when they continue the 4A state playoffs. They face South Iredell in Round 3 with a spot in the quarterfinals on the line. Smart has directed the offense well this fall. She’s delivered 821 dimes, averaging 10.5 per set. It features a season-best 37 assists in a recent sweep over West Forsyth. Reagan Sharp OH Keller TX – Can the Indians (28-11) be the surprise of the 6A playoffs? They’ll give it their best shot behind Sharp. The 3-star recruit has been at the center of it this fall. She’s carried the offense, registering 454 kills and averaging 3.9 per set. Sharp blasted a season-high 34 kills in a four-set victory against Southlake Carroll in early October. Alec Rothe MB Dublin Scioto OH – The Irish (20-4) are looking to fight their way into the Division 1 state playoffs. Rothe has caused plenty of opponent headaches this fall with her performance. She has a team-high 308 kills. She’s averaging 4.2 per set and is hitting .356. She registered a season-high 24 kills in a five-set victory over Big Walnut in early September. Amanda Mack OH Maryville TN – The Red Rebels (33-15) had their season ended by Hillsboro in the second round of the Division 1 Class 3A state playoffs. It ended a big year for Mack, a 6-2, 4-star Bradley commit. She finished with 447 kills, averaging 3.8 per set. She was also second in both digs and aces. Mack had her best match of the year when she put down a season-high 21 kills and hit .571 in a sweep over Morristown-Hamblen West in mid-October. Lilly Wagner S Oconomowoc WI – Wagner, a 6-0, 4-star Maryland recruit, and her Raccoons (35-1) are seeking to cap their season with a Division 1 state title. It’s been a remarkable year, with Wagner running the show. She’s racked up 887 assists to date, averaging 10.3 per frame. She’s recorded double-digit assists in every match, including a season-high 38 in a victory against Kettle Moraine in late September. Lola Davila L Brandies TX – The Broncos’ (28-15) regular season ended with a five-set loss to Reagan on Tuesday. Davila’s been a backrow standout this fall, putting up 882 digs. She averaged an incredible 6.7 per set. She had a season-high 44 digs in a five-set loss to New Braunfels on Sept. 16. Evan Hendrix OH Notre Dame Prep AZ – The Saints (24-14) look to play spoilers in the 5A playoffs that begin next week. Hendrix – a 4-star TCU commit – is the engine that makes the offense go. She’s notched a team-leading 488 kills entering Thursday’s regular-season finale. She’s averaging 4.9 per set and nailed down a season-high 40 kills in a five-set victory against Verrado in early September. *** Fallon Stewart OH Winter Park FL – The 7A state playoffs started Wednesday for the Wildcats (20-7). Stewart is an integral part of the lineup as the 6-3, 4-star Cincinnati commit entered the week with a team-high 437 kills. She’s averaging 5.2 per set and is hitting .303. Nine times she’s topped 20 or more kills, including a season-high 32 against Lake Brantley in mid-September. Briana Lauersdorf L Waterloo WI – The Pirates (23-10) have a Division 3 sectional semifinal meeting with Randolph on Friday. No doubt the Pirates will be counting on Lauersdorf to deliver like she has all season long. She’s made 536 saves to date and is averaging an outstanding 6.2 digs per set. She’s twice had 30 or more, including a season-best 36 against New Glarus in early September. Paisley Douglas L Skutt Catholic NE – Douglas and her Skyhawks teammates face Duchesne in a subdistrict match Wednesday evening for a spot in the Class B state playoffs. Douglas has turned in a monster season. The recent USC commit has put up 508 digs. She’s averaging 4.9 per set. She made a season-high 33 saves in a four-set victory against St. Teresa’s Academy in September. Kinslee McGowan S Cleveland TN – McGowan played an instrumental role in the Blue Raiders (49-5) capturing the Division 1 Class 3A state championship. She totaled 1256 assists on the year, averaging 8.5 per set.

A couple weeks back we checked in on 30 freshmen making impacts for their respective high school teams. We’re back with Round 2. Below, we highlight another 30 ninth-graders who have played key roles and been instrumental to their team’s success this fall. Charlotte Nowak OH JSerra CA – The Lions’ season came to a conclusion Saturday with a loss to Harvard-Westlake in the second round of the CIF-SS Division 2 playoffs. Nowak had a strong run in her first year with JSerra. She finished second in kills with 223, averaging 2.1 per set. She was also second in aces at 34. She delivered a season-high 15 kills and hit .414 in a four-set victory over Orange Lutheran in mid-October. Erin Clark L Corona del Sol AZ – The Aztecs’ regular season ends this week as they gear up for a run at the 6A state title. Clark has filled a valuable role with her production at libero. She started the week with 324 digs, averaging 3.9 per set. It includes a season-best 30 saves in a five-set triumph against Xavier Prep in mid-October. She also had 23 digs against Queen Creek and 21 against Highland in late September. Kennedy Crayton OH Allen TX – Crayton has starred during her rookie campaign for the Eagles. She’s second in kills with 379, averaging 3.1 per set. Crayton is also second in aces with 38. She recorded a season-high 19 kills in a victory over Richardson in early September. It was one of 19 times Crayton reached double digits in kills. Nadiya Shelby OH Friendswood Christian TX – The Mustangs close out district play Tuesday. Shelby’s turned in a tremendous regular season. She entered the week second in kills at 262, averaging 2.4 per set. The 6-0 freshman registered a season-best 20 kills in a five-set loss to Manvel in late September. She had another big match against Angleton in mid-September when Shelby sent down 16 kills and hit .462. Gabby DiVita OH Grosse Point South MI – The 6-1, 5-star freshman is leading the way for the Blue Devils.  She led off the week with a team-high 182 kills and 27 aces, which also leads the team. Brooke Harwood RS Eastmark AZ – The Firebirds are trying to work their way into the 4A state playoffs. Regardless of what happens, it’s been a fabulous rookie season for Harwood, a 6-3 right side. She began the week leading the offense with 290 kills. She’s averaging 4.0 kills per set and is also second in blocks with 51. Four times Harwood has hit 20 kills or more, including a season-high 27 in a sweep of American Leadership last week. Macy McAmis L Jupiter FL – McAmis and her Warriors teammates begin the 7A state playoffs Wednesday. The freshman has been key defensively this fall. She leads the team with 313 digs, averaging 4.5 per set. She’s had a few big outings, including a season-best 31 save in a four-game loss to Benjamin on Oct. 13. McAmis also had 28 digs against Suncoast in August and 25 against Central last week. Haley Burgdorf OH St. Charles North IL – Burgdorf – a 6-0 outside – has added punch to the North Stars’ (27-8) attack. She’s second in kills with 230, averaging 3.0 per set. She sent down a season-high 15 kills in a loss to Naperville North in late September. Four times she’s notched 12 kills. Peyton Carlson OH Waupaca WI – The Comets were bumped from the postseason with a loss last week to Shawano Community in the regional playoffs. It capped a terrific season for Carlson, a 5-11 outside. She put up 363 kills. She averaged 4.8 per set and hit .400. She was also second in digs and aces. Twice Carlson recorded 30 or more kills. She set a season-best with 34 winners against Freedom in early October. She also had 31 kills in a five-set victory against Oconto Falls in mid-October. Alaina Pollard MB Lincoln-Way East IL – The Griffins (29-6) have been a Top 10 team in 4A. While Pollard hasn’t been a big piece of the offense averaging 0.8 kills per set, she’s been instrumental at the net on defense. She’s leading the team in blocks with 54, averaging 0.8 per set. Twice she’s recorded five blocks to match her season high. *** Morgan Sears MB Blue Valley Northwest KS – The Huskies were knocked from the postseason with a loss to Olathe North on Saturday. Sears, a 5-10 middle, was a key part of the lineup. She finished third in kills with 225, averaging 2.5 per set and hitting .303. Eight times she reached double-digit kills, including a season-high 17 in a five-set victory against Lansing on Oct. 11. Morgan Heater OH Ryle KY – Ryle is getting ready for the district playoffs. The 6-0 Heater has played her role well this fall. Her 282 kills are second on the roster. Heater is averaging 2.7 per set. She had a season-high 18 kills in a five-set win against Cooper back on Sept.  13. Madison Brown S Noblesville IN – The Millers were upset by Fishers in the sectional semifinals two weeks ago to conclude their season. It was a strong rookie campaign from Brown. She finished with 815 assists, averaging 8.5 per set. She tied her season-best 46 assists against Fishers in that playoff loss. She also had 46 dimes in a victory over Westfield in early September. Karen Dutro MB Columbus North IN – It was a tough season for the Bull Dogs (11-17) but the play of Dutro, a 6-1 middle, stood out. She led the roster in kills with 218. She averaged 2.9 per set. She also averaged an impressive 2.5 blocks per set, leading the team with 185. Kalyssa Taggart S/RS Lambert GA – The Longhorns (34-7) face Brookwood in the 7A state quarterfinals Tuesday. Taggart, a 5-11 S/RS, has played a vital role and contributed mightily during her ninth-grade season. She’s

A few states are wrapping up their respective regular seasons this week before the postseason begins. Many others are well into their state championships, including Indiana. There was a big-time result from one of the early round 4A state matches as Hamilton Southeastern topped McCutcheon last week. It ended McCutcheon’s season. The Mavericks had previously defeated HSE and its lone loss prior to last week came against Yorktown in tournament play. Downing McCutcheon allowed HSE to avenge its only loss of the season and as a result the Royals climbed to a season-high No. 4. Meanwhile, McCutcheon fell to No. 17, behind No. 13 Yorktown. Yorktown also avenged an earlier loss this season by eliminating Brebeuf Jesuit in the first round of state. Outside of those developments, there was little movement elsewhere. Top-ranked Cathedral Catholic CA closed out its regular season last week and starts its sectional playoffs this week. The Dons still haven’t dropped a set this season. Westminster Christian FL, ranked No. 2, has started its 3A state playoffs as it looks to finish out the year undefeated as well. Cornerstone Christian TX has completed its schedule. The Dons control their fate, meaning if they win out they’ll remain No. 1 and win the HS national championship. Westminster Christian is next in line should Cathedral Catholic stumble. If both Cathedral and Westminster tumble, then Cornerstone is in line for the national championship. We’ll know all these things for sure in a few more weeks. vballrecruiter.com TOP 50 1. Cathedral Catholic CA (1 – last week’s ranking) 2. Westminster Christian FL (2) 3. Cornerstone Christian TX (4) 4. Hamilton Southeastern IN (9) 5. Prestonwood Christian TX (5) 6. Mira Costa CA (6) 7. Oconomowoc WI (7) 8. Highland Park TX (8) 9. Washburn Rural (10) 10. Marian MI (11) *** 11. Cypress Ranch TX (12) 12. Marymount CA (13) 13. Yorktown IN (20) 14. Aquinas KS (14) 15. Sierra Canyon CA (15) 16. Barrington IL (16) 17. McCutcheon IN (3) 18. Fayetteville AR (18) 19. ‘Iolani HI (19) 20. St. Francis/Mountain View CA (21) *** 21. Lincoln Southwest NE (22) 22. Santa Fe FL (23) 23. Lafayette MO (24) 24. Mother McAuley IL (25) 25. St. James Academy KS (26) 26. North Gwinnett GA (27) 27. Papillion-LaVista South NE (28) 28. Liberty MO (29) 29. Dike-New Hartford IO (30) 30. Plano West TX (31) *** 31. Ursuline Academy OH (32) 32. Brebeuf Jesuit IN (17) 33. Valor Christian CO (33) 34. Reagan NC (34) 35. Mater Dei CA (41) 36. Eureka MO (36) 37. Magnificat OH (37) 38. Palos Verdes CA (35) 39. Punahou HI (38) 40. Corona del Sol AZ (39) *** 41. Redondo Union CA (40) 42. Assumption KY (42) 43. Millennium AZ (43) 44. Liberty North MO (45) 45. Torrey Pines CA (44) 46. Flint Hill VA (46) 47. Jesuit OR (47) 48. Archbishop Mitty CA (48) 49. Mountain View UT (49) 50. Millbrook NC (n/r) Out: St. Ursula Academy OH In: Millbrook NC *** HONORABLE MENTION Middle Creek NC St. Ursula Academy OH Benet Academy IL Horizon AZ Liberty AZ Huntley IL Mercy McAuley OH Rock Bridge MO Hamilton AZ Mount Notre Dame OH Mercy MI Skyline MI Xavier IO Ankeny IO Lyons IL Notre Dame Academy KY Mercy KY Wayzata MN Lakeville North MN Northfield MN Marshall MN Skutt Catholic NE Pickens SC Dorman SC Cardinal Newman SC Nolensville TN Knoxville Catholic TN Cleveland TN Pope GA Buford GA Alpharetta GA Sequoyah GA Lake Catholic OH Rock Canyon CO Heritage CO Legend CO Chaparral CO Trinity Catholic FL Olathe Northwest KS Lincoln-Way East IL Vista Murrieta CA Harvard-Westlake CA Alemany CA Calvary Christian FL Tampa Prep FL Tompkins TX Bryon Nelson TX Bishop Watterson OH Ardrey Kell NC Kamehameha HI Moanalua HI Jackson Academy MS Ponte Vedra FL Venice FL O’Connor AZ Divine Savior Holy Angels WI Appleton North WI Burlington WI Hamilton WI Timpview UT

In this edition of our team spotlights we take a look at 15 schools who are either top contenders or possible sleepers when it comes to their respective state playoffs. We selected programs from around the country to see where they stand and who is shining for them. North Raleigh Christian Academy NC – The Knights are 24-0 and heavy favorites for the NCISAA 4A state title. Grace Mitchener, a 5-11 senior outside, is having a strong year. Her 361 kills leads the team as she’s averaging 5.5 per set while hitting .383. Senior libero Megan Murray is averaging 7.3 digs per set. Calvary Christian FL – The Warriors (22-3) are part of a competitive 3A division that includes national No. 2 Westminster Christian. All three of Calvary’s losses this season have come against nationally-ranked teams in Santa Fe FL, Lafayette MO and Flint Hill VA. Senior outside Deanna Dollar has been key, putting up a team-high 214 kills. She’s averaging 3.8 per set and is hitting .303. Junior setter Taylor Parks – a 4-star Florida commit – is averaging 11.4 assists and 2.2 digs per set. Junior libero Ava Bonin has a team-high 247 digs, averaging 4.3 per set. Bob Jones AL – One of the top teams in 7A, the Patriots are led by sophomores Kennedy Vaughn and Riley Lovell. Lovell is averaging 10.0 assists per set while Vaughn is putting down 4.4 kills per set. Together, they have helped the Patriots go 46-6 so far. Liberty AZ – The Lions (22-6) can’t be overlooked in the 6A playoffs. They have recent wins over favorite Corona del Sol and 5A favorite Horizon and are capable of creating upsets. The 1-2 punch of junior outside Ellie Trimble and sophomore outside Tristen Raymond have been the main targets of junior setter Alyssa Forelli, who is averaging 7.7 assists per set. Trimble has a team-leading 237 kills to date, while Raymond follows with 217. Benton AR – The Panthers (27-0) are chasing an undefeated mark and would need to finish on top of the 5A playoffs to make it happen. The Panthers do own a victory over one of the top 6A contenders in Conway. Making it happen is senior Abigail Lagemann. The 5-11 outside is pacing the offense with 227 kills, averaging 3.2 per set and hitting .324. *** Palmer Ridge CO – The Bears (17-1) are riding a 17-match winning streak and are seeking to finish with a 4A state championship. The lone loss came to undefeated and nationally-ranked Valor Christian, a 5A top contender, in the opening match of the season. Junior Corrie Anderson, a 6-1 outside committed to Dayton, has been terrific. She’s averaging 4.8 kills per set and his hitting .385. Senior setter Kyra Kisting is averaging 9.8 assists per set and has also found success with junior outside Eva Larochelle and sophomore outside Amelia Hansen. Pace Academy GA – The Knights (38-1) are the team to beat in 4A, with their only loss coming to 6A Pope. Among those contributing have been junior Grace Agolli. The 6-1 S/IG has recorded 292 kills to date and is averaging 3.8 per set while hitting .319. She’s also part of the setting duo and is averaging 5.0 assists per set. The other half includes freshman setter Olivia Siskin, who is putting up 4.9 assists per set. Junior outside Ellie Siskin is averaging 2.7 kills per set. Akeny IO – The Hawks are 33-4 and one of the top contenders for the state title in 5A. Ankeny fell to the top-ranked team in 2A in Dike-New Harford and is 2-1 against 5A Liberty and 2-2 5A Dowling Catholic. Senior setter Jesa Wallace – who is averaging 9.5 assists per set – has found junior outside Aowyn Schrader often. Schrader is leading the attack with 295 kills, averaging 3.1 per set. Junior middle Ava Wille leads the team with 87 blocks while senior liber Sydney Otto is averaging 3.9 digs per set. La Cueva NM – The Bears (18-0) are main contender in 5A as they look to put together a perfect season. Sophomore setter Karyna Werley has directed the offense, averaging 10.2 assists per set. Senior outside Ella Sanders, junior Victoria Marthaler and junior outside Tea Kaladjzic have been steady providers to the attack. Elkhorn North NE – Elkhorn North and Skutt Catholic are the favorites in Class B. The sides didn’t play during the regular season as all four of Elkhorn North’s losses came against Class A schools. Senior right side Grace Heaney – a 6-2, 5-star Purdue commit – is putting together a huge season. She’s recorded 358 kills, averaging 4.5 per set. Sophomore Shay Heaney – a 6-2, 3-star outside – is second in kills with 187 followed by junior middle Ava Spies with 176. Junior setter Reese Booth is averaging 10.3 assists per set. *** Millbrook NC – The Wildcats (23-1) are on the hunt for a 4A title and have had a remarkable year to date. Junior Kiarrah Horne – a 5-11, 4-star outside – is powering the offense. She’s has a team-high 350 kills and is averaging 5.4 per set while hitting .481. Sophomore and 3-star recruit Brianna McMillan has contributed in key ways as well. She’s second in both kills (1.4 per set) and assists (4.0 per set). Jenks OK – The Trojans (28-4) are on their quest for a 6A state championship. Junior Maren Johnson, a 6-0 outside, has brought juice to the attack. She has 341 kills, averaging 3.6 per set and hitting .338. Senior setter Brynn Roberts is averaging 8.6 assists per set and junior libero Caroline Wood is recording 3.6 digs per set. River Bluff SC – There’s no doubt the Gators (37-5) are among the top contenders in Class 5A. They are a combined 7-2 against Mauldin, Dorman and Wando. Senior outsides Ava Reeves (3.4 kills per set) and Sarah Lawrence (3.0) have been a strong duo with freshman setter Alexis Jodie averaging 8.3 assists per