The latest edition of our State Spotlights features Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Minnesota, Nevada and Ohio. Below we run through highlighting the respective champs from each of the seven states.
ARIZONA
Despite losing standout USC commit Jordan Middleton to graduation, Hamilton found its way back in the Arizona 6A state final and looking to spoil the time of top seed Corona del Sol. However, there’s a new champion in the conference as CdS fought past Hamilton in five sets, 19-25, 25-15, 22-25, 25-16, 15-6, on Saturday. Seniors Kierstyn Barton and Neomi Beach traded blows for their respective teams, as Barton posted 25 kills for CdS and Beach a match-high 26 for Hamilton. Sophomore Alyssa Aguayo and senior Ella Lomigora combined for 25 more kills for CdS (39-5), which defeated Hamilton at the Nike TOC Southwest tournament in their only prior meeting. Freshman libero Erin Clark made 35 saves and junior setter Julia Owens dished out 57 assists in the final for CdS, which is ranked No. 27 nationally in this week’s Top 50. As for Hamilton, freshman Mikayla Haner recorded 14 kills, senior setter Melia Barlow had 44 assists and senior libero Lauren Mullings tallied 30 digs.
In 5A, Horizon and Millennium were 2-2 against each other before meeting for the state title to break the tie. Bragging rights go to Horizon, which pulled out the four-set victory, 23-23, 22-25, 28-26, 25-18. All three of Horizon’s victories over Millennium came with sophomore sensation Teraya Sigler in the lineup. Sigler – who sat out of the first half of the season after transferring – sent down 26 kills in the state final. Senior outside Kendal Murphy added 13 and senior middle GG Greenlee 10. Murphy also had 15 digs. Junior Ryder Blackburn and sophomore Avery Ashcraft teamed for 48 assists.
Millennium beat 6A runner-up Hamilton this season and returns plenty to take another shot at the 5A title next fall. While senior outside Eryn Jones graduates, juniors Anne Brauckmiller, Talea Mitchell and Allison Wilson return, as does sophomore Gabbi Kucinski.
4A: Estrella Foothills d Arcadia 25-20, 25-18, 22-25, 25-22
3A: Snowflake d Northwest Christian 25-18, 25-23, 31-29
2A: Phoenix Country Day d St. Johns 17-25, 25-17, 25-17, 25-18
1A: Rock Point d Williams 25-16, 24-26, 22-25, 25-15, 15-11
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COLORADO
There was no denying Valor Christian, which completed an undefeated season by downing Rock Canyon in straight sets, 25-12, 25-19, 25-23, in the Colorado Class 5A state championship match Saturday. Valor Christian (29-0) dropped just four sets all season, including one against Rampart in the Eagles’ state semifinal victory. Valor Christian – which captured state last in 2018 – earned its most recent banner behind 32 combined kills in the final from seniors Erin McNair, Sasha Cohen and Skyla Morgan and junior Grace Langer. Junior libero Delaney Russell recorded 17 digs while sophomore setter Chloe Elarton finished with 29 assists. The Eagles are currently No. 23 in our latest Top 50 National Rankings.
The biggest threat to Valor Christian’s perfect mark came against Fossil Ridge on Sept. 8. The Eagles needed five sets to prevail, the only time they went the distance. Valor Christian swept Fossil Ridge in the second round of the 5A state winner’s bracket. The only other opponent to garner a set from Valor Christian was Palmer Ridge.
Rock Canyon (24-5) was boosted this season by the play of sophomore outside Alivia Eikenberg. She led the team in kills and was second in digs. She’ll be back next along with junior libero Ava Blanco and junior setter Addie Waller.
Class 4A: Thompson Valley d Windsor 25-23, 25-20, 25-21
Class 3A: Platte Valley d Lamar 28-30, 25-20, 25-21, 19-25, 16-14
Class 2A: Sedgwick County d Fowler 25-23, 24-26, 25-17, 25-21
Class 1A: Merino d Fleming 25-17, 25-21, 25-19
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FLORIDA
Venice (22-4) was too much for Hagerty in the Florida Class 7A state championship match on Saturday. Venice prevailed in four games, 21-25, 25-18, 25-20, 25-16, and earned its sixth state title overall. Venice was denied in last year’s semifinals by Plant, which was up 2-1 in this season’s state quarterfinals over Venice before Venice rallied to win in five. Senior setter Ashley Reynolds amassed 44 assists and sophomore outside Summer Kohler posted 19 kills in the state final victory. Hilary Hupp and Leah Bartlett combined for 23 more kills. Hagerty was led by senior outside Brooke Stephens, who had a match-high 20 kills. Junior Abby Mas and freshman Jenness Orcutt teamed for 23 kills behind Stephens.
It was a challenging season for Venice off the court, as the Indians had to cancel six matches due to Hurricane Ian. The team didn’t play from Sept. 22 until Oct. 11, when Venice suffered a three-game loss to Cardinal Mooney. The Indians didn’t lose again, winning their final 10 matches.
The 6A state final went down to the wire, with New Smyrna Beach (25-2) avoiding a surprising loss by fending off Viera in five sets, 23-25, 25-15, 25-18, 19-25, 16-14. New Smyrna Beach was 2-0 against Viera previously this season and had only lost to Plant and Westminster Christian, which we’ll have more on from the 3A state final.
Senior Madelyn Peterson had a huge outing, dropping 25 kills and hitting .449 to lead the Barracudas. Senior outsides Jalynn Brown (17 kills) and Eden Anderson (12) also reached double-digit kills. Junior senior Alyssa Kornegay racked up 58 assists and junior libero Ivy Westfall made 29 digs. Senior Mak Carter and junior Sophia Jones combined for 26 kills for Viera.
Santa Fe (30-2) defeated Academy of Holy Names in four, 25-13, 21-25, 25-12, 25-14, to finish on top of the 4A state playoff brackets. Senior S/RS Jalyn Stout went off for Santa Fe, producing 29 kills (.551), 17 digs and 13 assists in the victory. Senior libero Miya Thomas put up 23 digs. Eighth-grader Sophia Puleo was the only player in double-digit kills for Holy Names with 10.
As we touched on in our Top 50 HS National Rankings intro, there was a big upset in 3A as Clearwater Central Catholic kept Westminster Christian from an undefeated season with a sweep, 25-22, 25-23, 27-25, in Saturday’s final. Westminster Christian was ranked No. 2 nationally, propelled way up the rankings with its victory over Cornerstone Christian TX in the finals of the Nike TOC Southeast tournament in September. Westminster tumbled out of the Top 50 with the loss as senior Aliyah Waldon led the way with 15 kills for CCC, which also got 11 kills from senior Brooke Green.
Class 5A: Jensen Beach d Barron Collier 25-17, 25-15, 25-22
Class 2A: Seacrest Country Day d Boca Raton Christian 25-22, 25-13, 25-23
Class 1A: Liberty County d Baker 26-24, 25-22, 25-20
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ILLINOIS
In a perfect world, Mother McAuley (39-3) would’ve had the chance to avenge one of its three losses in claiming the Illinois Class 4A state championship. Instead, Mother McAuley became state champs by downing Benet Academy (37-5), 25-22, 17-25, 25-14. The two sides hadn’t met this season and it was Benet’s victory over Barrington in the semifinals that prevented a finals rematch between Barrington and Mother McAuley.
Barrington, Marist and Assumption KY are the only schools to beat the Macs this fall. Mother McAuley also owns a victory over Marist and Assumption but didn’t get the opportunity to play Barrington once more and avenge that one. Regardless, the Macs received 20 kills from junior outside Ellie White to get past Benet Academy. Junior middle Ellery Rees had 9 kills and 2 blocks while senior libero Gigi Navarrete recorded 20 digs.
After beating Assumption in the final of the Louisville Invitational Volleyball Tournament in September, the Macs climbed all the way to No. 2 in our national rankings behind Cathedral Catholic CA. However, the Macs suffered their first loss of the year to Marist soon after. The Macs dropped a meeting with Assumption the night before the Asics Challenge began, a two-day event won by the Macs.
Mother McAuley is currently ranked No. 8 in the country.
Class 3A: St. Francis d Nazareth Academy 2-0
Class 2A: Genoa-Kingston d IC Catholic Prep 2-0
Class 1A: Aquin Catholic d Lutheran 25-20, 25-15
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MINNESOTA
Wayzata (29-4) took a couple tough losses this season but everything ended well after sweeping Lakeville North, 26-24, 25-12, 25-23, in Minnesota’s Class 4A state championship match on Saturday. Junior setter Stella Swenson had 35 assists, including 14 kills from junior outside Olivia Swenson. Junior outside Avery Jesewitz had 10 kills and senior Kaitlyn Vogt 10.
Emily Ramsay recorded 10 kills in the loss for Lakeville North (29-4), which also received 26 assists from senior setter Ava Blascziek and 9 kills and 4 blocks from sophomore Rayna Christianson.
Class 3A: Marshall d Benilde-St. Margaret’s 25-18, 25-11, 25-18
Class 2A: Cannon Falls d Pequot Lakes 25-17, 25-18, 25-21
Class 1A: Minneota d Mayer 25-23, 25-23, 20-25, 19-25, 18-16
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NEVADA
Coronado (29-5)swept Reno, 25-9, 25-17, 25-19, to earn the Nevada 5A state title Saturday. Junior Abigail Paulson put down 16 kills while senior Nanea Merryman added 14 more to help Coronado to its fourth state title in program history and first since winning three straight from 2013-15.
Reno – which was seeking its first state championship – clipped Bishop Gorman in five, 19-25, 18-25, 25-23, 25-20, 15-13, in the semifinals. Coronado lost to Bishop Gorman in five games back in early September but swept the Gaels in a rematch in the 5A South finals the Saturday prior to winning state.
Coronado will take on a much different look next year as it loses key contributors to graduation. Paulson and junior setter Hannah Pemberton – who ran a 6-2 with senior Camdyn Carpenter – are the only two starters back.
It’s a mixed bag for Reno. Senior middle Amber Keen – who had 18 kills in the semifinal victory over Bishop Gorman – is gone but junior outsides Lara Pacheco and Hannah Moleta are back.
4A: Arbor View d Sierra Vista 28-26, 25-21, 25-19
3A: Boulder City d Moapa Valley 26-24, 18-25, 25-18, 25-12
2A: The Meadows School d Lake Mead Academy 25-22, 20-25, 25-19, 17-25, 15-12
1A: GV Christian d Smith Valley 25-21, 25-7, 25-13
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OHIO
Magnificat (26-3) was aiming to go back-to-back in the Ohio Division 1 state championship but was bested by Ursuline Academy (25-3) in four sets, 21-25, 25-22, 25-22, 25-21, in Saturday’s final. It was the second time this Ursuline – which earned its first state title since 2018 and eighth overall – defeated Magnificat.
Senior Lindsey Green finished with 48 assists as she got all involved in the attack. Sophomore Katie Gielas and freshman Ella Grimes both had 14 kills while senior Brooke Bultema had 13. Sophomore Lindy Radaszewski ended with 11 kills and senior Maddie Pitzer 6. Senior libero Sydney Breissinger registered 26 digs.
Senior setter Lauren Yacobucci had 45 assists for Magnificat, which also received 14 kills from Mary Flanagan and 12 by Julia Sprecher, who also had 16 digs. Both Flanagan and Sprecher return next season, as they are juniors. They’ll be joined by freshman Kailey Snow, who led the Blue Streaks in digs this season, and freshman outside Sydney Borowy.
Division 2: Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin d Gilmour Academy 25-19, 19-25, 14-25, 25-14, 15-12
Division 3: Lake Catholic d Coldwater 25-12, 25-13, 25-20
Division 4: New Bremen d Monroeville 3-0
