The latest edition of our State Spotlights features Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina and Wisconsin. Below we run through highlighting the respective champs from each of the six states.
MISSOURI
Lafayette (32-6) finished its season on a 21-match winning streak after defeating Kickapoo in four sets, 25-19, 24-26, 25-10, 25-17, to capture the Class 5 state championship. The Lancers had one of the more interesting seasons for a state champion so far.
We had Lafayette – currently sitting at No. 17 – ranked in the Top 20 heading into the Nike TOC Southeast tournament in Tampa Bay. It started off well as the under-seeded Lancers upset top seed Ponte Vedra FL in the first match. Tampa Prep FL was the only school to defeat Lafayette that weekend.
The following weekend is when the rough patch started as Lafayette lost four consecutive matches and five of eight during one stretch and fell out of the Top 50. The four straight came to tough schools in St. Teresa’s Academy, Skutt Catholic NE, Aquinas KS and Eureka. Aquinas eventually claimed the Kansas 5A state title and Skutt the Nebraska Class B crown. The choppy waters finally calmed after a loss to Nixa. That came in straight sets on Sept. 23. The Lancers didn’t lose again. It included avenging a loss to Eureka, as well as defeating Liberty and Liberty North (twice).
In terms of what’s back next season for the Lancers, it’s a mixed bag. Kill leader and sophomore outside Maya Witherspoon is among those returning. She had 339 kills and averaged 3.2 per set. Junior outside Allison Risley (2.6 kills per set) joins her, as does junior setter Alyssa Nelson. The Lancers will miss the production of senior outside Caitlyn Little. The trio of Witherspoon, Risley and Little combined for 43 kills in the final’s victory against Kickapoo.
Class 4: Westerminster Christian d Incarnate Word Academy 25-21, 17-25, 25-19, 25-23
Class 3: Blair Oaks d Pleasant Hill 25-15, 25-8, 25-23
Class 2: Jefferson d Hermann 16-25, 25-23, 25-22, 25-19
Class 1: Advance d Miller 11-25, 25-15, 21-25, 25-9, 15-12
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NEBRASKA
Papillion-LaVista South went 4-0 against Omaha Westside this season. The latest was the most important, as it came in the Class A state championship. The Titans (34-5) swept, 25-23, 20-25, 25-15, 25-17. Omaha Westside upset then-No. 20 Lincoln Southwest in the semifinals. That kept a third meeting between Papillion-LaVista South and Lincoln Southwest from taking place. Papillion-LaVista South was 0-2 against Lincoln Southwest this fall. Top-ranked Cathedral Catholic CA and St. James Academy KS also picked up victories over the Titans this fall, as did Millard West, which Papillion-LaVista South went 2-1 against.
The 1-2 punch of junior Lauren Medeck and senior Stella Adeyemi on the outside carried the offense. The duo combined for over 750 kills. They hooked up for 46 in the state final. Senior libero Kenzie Dyrstad averaged 4.4 digs per set. While she’ll be gone next season, joining Medeck in returning is sophomore setter Charlee Solomon and junior setter Kyla Dyrstad. The setting duo had nearly 1,100 assists combined this fall.
Omaha Westside went 1-2 against Lincoln Southwest in the regular season. However, the Warriors couldn’t break through against Papillion-LaVista South in the final despite Destiny Ndam-Simpson and Samantha Laird teaming up for 45 kills. The Warriors say goodbye to the senior teammates who combined for over 950 kills this fall.
At some point Skutt Catholic’s reign in Class B will end but it’ll last at least another year after fending off Elkhorn North in five sets, 25-20, 23-25, 14-25, 25-16, 15-11, in the championship match for the program’s eighth consecutive state title. Skutt (32-10) and Elkhorn North (32-5) did not play during the regular season. Seniors Morgan Burke and Ivy Leuck were difference makers in the final as they teamed up for 32 kills. It helped offset 28 from senior Grace Heaney for Elkhorn North.
Skutt had one of the more impressive schedules around the nation. In addition to the tough home state action, the Skyhawks traveled to the Nike Southeast TOC in Tampa Bay. There, they picked up a victory over eventual Georgia 7A state champ Buford. Skutt also owns a victory over Missouri Class 4 state champ Lafayette, as well as Wisconsin Division 1 state champ Division Savior Holy Angels. Skutt lost twice to Kansas 5A state champ Aquinas and another time to Mother McAuley, which is still alive in the Illinois state playoffs.
Class C1: Grand Island Central Catholic d Gothenburg 25-12, 23-25, 25-17, 25-17
Class C2: Lincoln Lutheran d Archbishop Bergan 25-18, 25-22, 25-15
Class D1: Cedar Catholic d Norfolk Catholic 26-24, 20-25, 25-17, 18-25, 15-8
Class D2: Howells-Dodge d Overton 25-16, 24-26, 22-25, 25-23, 15-12
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NORTH CAROLINA
Millbrook (29-1) did not get an opportunity to avenge its only loss of the season, but nevertheless the Wildcats rolled to the 4A state championship with a straight-set victory over Sun Valley, 25-21, 25-14, 25-12. Middle Creek spoiled Millbrook’s shot at an undefeated season with its victory against the Wildcats on Sept. 19.
Millbrook and Middle Creek could’ve met in the state semifinals but Cardinal Gibbons took out Middle Creek in five sets to prevent that from happening. Instead, Millbrook went five with Cardinal Gibbons before reaching the final.
Opponents aren’t going to like the fact that the Wildcats return their top five kill leaders to take another shot at it next fall. They are junior Kiarrah Horne, sophomore BreAnna McMillan, sophomore Harper Nelson, junior Avery Grantham and sophomore Micah McKenzie. McMillan also shared setting duties with senior Hannah Morrow.
Sun Valley (29-3) had only sustained losses to Marvin Ridge and Chapel Hill during the regular season. Chapel Hill was the top seed for the state playoffs but was upset by Cardinal Gibbons in Round 3. Sun Valley relied heavily on senior attackers Aaliyah Mitchell and Hailey Pearce, as well as senior setter Amaya Hall. Junior middle Kyra Joy Arnold and freshman right side Riley Parker do return though for the Spartans.
3A: North Iredell d JH Rose 25-20, 16-25, 25-20, 23-25, 15-9
2A: McMichael d Camden County 23-25, 25-20, 25-16, 25-19
1A: Union Academy d Perquimans 25-23, 25-18, 25-23
In the private schools state tournament, it was North Raleigh Christian Academy (27-0) downing Cannon School, 25-17, 24-26, 25-21, 25-22, for the NCISAA 4A championship. It was the eighth consecutive state title for the Knights, who own a victory over Chapel Hill.
Throughout the year the Knights were lifted by the play of senior outside Grace Mitchener. She averaged 5.5 kills per set and hit .374 for the season. While she graduates, the Knights have three sophomores to build around in outside Zoe Richardson, middle Tyra Listenbee and setter Ella Bennett.
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OREGON
Sheldon spoiled Jesuit’s perfect season in the Class 6A state championship match Saturday. Jesuit was looking to close out the year undefeated but Sheldon delivered a four-set victory, 23-25, 25-20, 25-20, 25-15, to win the program’s first state title. Jesuit was 3-0 against Sheldon prior to their latest encounter.
Senior Gwen Fife recorded 17 kills for Sheldon, which also received 11 kills from senior Beaux Bruegman and junior Jordan McKibben.
Class 5A: Crescent Valley d Bend 3-0
Class 4A: Marshfield d Cascade 3-0
Class 3A: Valley Catholic d Burns 3-0
Class 2A: Salem Academy d Monroe 3-2
Class 1A: Damascus Christian d North Douglas 3-2
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SOUTH CAROLINA
Mauldin (32-7) swept Lexington, 25-22, 25-22, 25-18, in the Class 5A state championship Saturday. Senior and 5-star LSU commit Jurnee Robinson finished the match with 25 kills and hit .435. For the season she averaged 5.3 kills per set.
In the 4A final, Aiken (40-2) completed a tremendous season by topping North Myrtle Beach in five, 25-22, 25-22, 23-25, 27-29, 15-11. The Green Hornets relied on the production of its senior class. Outside Bri Mahoney, outside Natalie Bland and middle Ellie Runnels were 1-2-3 in kills this fall with senior setter Rosie Tucker at the helm.
Class 3A: Wren d Philip Simmons 25-12, 25-11, 25-12
Class 2A: Oceanside Collegiate d Liberty 25-16, 25-23, 25-23
Class 1A: St. Joseph’s d Branchville 25-18, 25-18, 25-11
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WISCONSIN
The Division 1 state final not only went down to the wire it shook up the national rankings as well when unranked Divine Savior Holy Angels upset then-No. 7 Oconomowoc in five sets, 25-16, 25-16, 25-18, 25-18, 15-13, in Saturday’s championship match. Oconomowoc (39-2) will finish outside the Top 50 as a result, with its only two losses this season coming against DSHA, which Oconomowoc went 2-2 against.
Sophomore Madison Quest came through in large way, registering a match-high 25 kills. Junior outside Sophie Wendick added 18 kills while sophomore setter Jordan Czajkowski dished out 49 assists. Junior Anna Bjork, senior Cordelia Kearns and freshman Marlee Sivak combined for 49 kills for Oconomowoc.
Division 2: Xavier d Sauk Prairie 25-21, 25-23, 15-25, 25-16
Division 3: Howards Grove d St. Croix Falls 25-19, 25-20, 25-14
Division 4: McDonell Central d Monticello 22-25, 25-22, 25-15, 25-16
