That is “Dots,” VolleyballMag.com’s weekly take a look at 10 issues in highschool volleyball, previous or current, that curiosity me and hopefully will curiosity you. Search for Dots each Tuesday till the final highschool state championship in November:
• In most states, parochial, Christian and different personal faculties normally have the leg up on public faculty volleyball competitors for myriad causes, together with earlier begins and the flexibility to attract from a wider space.
That has not been the case traditionally in Texas, the place the general public faculty league, UIL, has been constantly stronger than the personal faculty leagues, led by TAPPS.
Which may be altering.
Over the previous few years, the privates have lured away profitable public faculty coaches Ryan Mitchell (Lovejoy and others) and Mike Carter (Reagan of San Antonio) and so they have remodeled Prestonwood Christian Academy and Cornerstone Christian, respectively, into elite nationwide packages with expertise to compete on the very highest ranges.
That is making a backlash among the many public faculties in Texas which have loved superiority for the just about 25 years I’ve been protecting the game.
Simply final week, the McKinney Faculty District close to Dallas canceled Boyd Excessive Faculty’s scheduled match versus Prestonwood. These groups performed earlier within the 12 months and Boyd (17-1) shocked the Plano faculty (14-3) in 5 units. However the extremely anticipated rematch was nixed earlier than first serve.
“We needed to schedule groups which might be in UIL and observe UIL rules,” Boyd coach JJ Castillo informed the Dallas Morning Information. “I believe it’s as a result of the foundations are so completely different for personal faculties and public faculties.”
• Within the 32 years that Ron Kordes has been teaching Louisville Assumption, the Rockets have received Kentucky’s single-class state event a ridiculous 22 instances; ridiculous, due to the presence of different extremely aggressive packages, like Mercy Academy, Sacred Coronary heart, Notre Dame and St. Henry, to call just a few. Certainly, throughout that span, Assumption has branded itself as maybe the nation’s most profitable program, with a number of legendary nationwide titles to its credit score.
However after profitable eight titles between 2010 and 2019, one thing unusual has occurred in Kentucky the previous three seasons: Assumption has not received a state title. Notre Dame received in 2020 and final season, with St. Henry taking the crown in 2021.
• On Saturday, Assumption took a step in direction of reclaiming its place atop Kentucky volleyball when it received the Louisville Invitational Volleyball Match, a prestigious 24-team occasion that featured powerhouse packages from Illinois, Ohio, Missouri, Tennessee and Florida, in addition to the most effective of the Bluegrass State.
The Rockets completed the two-day occasion 5-0 and at the moment are 16-1 on the 12 months, however the profitable wasn’t simple. After sweeping Henry Clay to open its Friday pool, Kordes’ group was pushed to the total three units in its ultimate 4 matches however managed to prevail in all of them. Assumption downed St, Ursula of Cincinnati within the quarterfinals, outlasted Chicago’s Mom McAuley within the semifinals and handed Notre Dame its first lack of the 12 months within the championship match, 25-14, 21-25, 25-16.
“We lastly performed this previous weekend in line with the imaginative and prescient I had for us this season,” Kordes stated. “By way of the start of our season, I’m not certain what was lacking. Perhaps too tight, however we struggled with consistency of play.”
Assumption’s lone loss on the season got here in 5 units late in August to Sacred Coronary heart, which misplaced to Notre Dame in an LIVT semifinal.
“The Sacred Coronary heart match we misplaced after profitable the primary two units was so disappointing as a result of we did not combat again after the momentum modified,” Kordes stated. “This previous weekend jogged my memory of a few of our Assumption groups of outdated. Though 4 of our 5 matches went three, we didn’t get down and continued to combat our approach again into the match.”
• The Dave Mohs Orange County Championships this previous weekend featured lots of the finest groups from Southern California. Fierce competitors eradicated many groups ranked within the CIF State prime 25, however left No. 2 Mater Dei of Orange County and No. 3 Cathedral Catholic to battle for the championship. The 2 groups had met as soon as earlier than, with Mater Dei profitable, 28-26, 25-23, within the semifinals at Volleypalooza in Texas in August.
The rematch was as aggressive, with Cathedral Catholic, final 12 months’s undefeated state and nationwide champions, profitable, 15-10 within the third, after the groups cut up 25-18 selections. Michigan-bound center Jenna Hanes was named event MVP.
“Cathedral had a wonderful ultimate and we couldn’t sluggish Jenna down regardless of how arduous we tried,” Mater Dei coach Dan O’Dell stated.
The Monarchs have been hampered by the lack of junior setter Ayva Ostovar, who was injured the day earlier than the event began. That left Mater Dei with having Julia Kakkis
setting a 5-1 relatively than with the ability to additionally assault from the appropriate in three rotations.
“Our offense turned too predictable ultimately as our middles have been unable to assist offensively,” O’Dell stated.
For Cathedral Catholic, libero Maya Evens, pins Tiana Owens and Ayva Moi and setter Amanda Saeger additionally have been catalysts.
Coach Juliana Conn stated that getting the revenge win was candy for her group.
“I’m simply glad that we have been in a position to play them once more so rapidly and are available out on prime,” she stated. “We have been simply extra consisting than the final time we performed them and we have been in a position to shut down their massive hitters. Amanda made Jenna and Tiana shine on the web, whereas Maya and Ayva have been anchors on serve obtain.
I’m proud that we adopted the sport plan to a T and confirmed actually good teamwork.”
• Wayzata has received three straight Minnesota large-class state championships and could also be on its technique to one other in 2023.The Trojans at present sit 9-0 to start out the season, thanks largely to a 5-0 weekend in capturing the Southwest Minnesota Problem in Marshall. Scott Jackson’s group dropped only one set, within the championship match to Champlin Park. Champlin Park is the final in-state group to defeat Wayzata, carrying out the feat on Sept. 28, 2002.
Stated Jackson: “We had a lot of gamers play properly over the course of the week however one particularly shined: Olivia Swenson. Olivia carries an enormous load for our group. She is keyed on by our opponents usually as they arrange their protection, and he or she is requested to serve robust, deal with a ton of opponent serves, and performs an enormous function in our protection. She’s an infinite a part of our success.”
For the week, which additionally included a 3-1 win over Lakeville South (one other group that defeated it in September, 2022) the senior exterior hitter had 49 kills whereas hitting 0.324, handed a 2.22 on 50 receptions, served at 93%, and tallied 30 digs, 6 blocks, and 6 assists.
• Millard West of Omaha, the fourth-ranked Class A group within the state, received the 9hh Annual Kearney Invite over the weekend by defeating previously-unbeaten and Class B No. 2 Bennington within the finals.
Senior Kaelin Pribyl led the cost with 21 kills with only one error, hitting a blistering .488. Junior libero Sierra Pokharel led the defensive cost with 17 digs.
The Wildcats are 12-4 on the season.
• Papillion-La Vista South is the top-ranked Class A group in Nebraska. The defending state champion Titans are 12-0 to start out the 12 months, together with a 2-1 win on Sept. 4 versus St. James Academy of Kansas.
Papio South is led by OH Lauren Medeck, S/RS Charlee Solomon, S Kyra Dyrstad and libero Kami Dyrstad.
St. James is 11-2 on the season and ranked second in Kansas’ 5A classification.
The Thunder leaders are S Reese Messer, libero Mya Bolton and MB Julia Headley.
• Papillion–La Vista South and St. James met for the primary time ever within the fall of 2011 at St. James. It was such an enormous deal that the match was televised within the Kansas Metropolis space and all through the state of Nebraska. Certainly, the Nebraska’s two main highschool reporter on the time, Ron Powell and Mike Patterson, made the three-hour drive from Nebraska to personally cowl the match, which featured future Cornhusker stars Kelly Hunter, Kadie Rolfzen and Amber Rolfzen.
I additionally was there for the wonderful occasion. Right here’s what I wrote in regards to the contest, edited for brevity (at the least as a lot brevity as I can muster):
Nebraska energy Papillion-La Vista South, the No. 2 group within the nation, remained unbeaten Wednesday night time after twice rallying from a set right down to defeat homestanding St. James Academy, the Kansas energy ranked No. 3 nationally, in 5 units earlier than a raucous Thunder crowd in Lenexa, Kansas.
The distinction within the marathon match, in the end, was blocking. The taller Titans had 15 solo blocks and several other extra tandem rally snuffers. St. James had simply 5.
“Once you block a ball, it’s an instantaneous level,” famous Papio South coach Gwen Egbert. “We had a couple of ball that was simply spiked. That’s an enormous thrill for our aspect and it’s like ‘oh crap!’ for his or her aspect. I believe that flipped the momentum and gave us confidence.”
“They’re a significantly better blocking group than we’re and that harm undoubtedly,” agreed Thunder coach Nancy Dorsey.
The match featured a distinction in kinds, as Papio South performs an influence sport behind three future Nebraska Cornhuskers, 6-3 twins Amber Rolfzen and Kadie Rolfzen, who play on the surface; and 5-11 Kelly Hunter, who units and hits; whereas St. James is defensive minded, with a improbable libero, Sheridan Zarda, who can be Nebraska sure, and two others, OH Annie Reilly and setter Paige Brown, who’re among the many finest nationally on protection of their respective positions.
The match additionally was for bragging rights. Each groups completed the 2010 season ranked No. 1 within the nation, Papillion South by each ESPNRise and MaxPreps, St. James by PrepVolleyball.com.
Papio South made the journey from Omaha the proprietor of a 22-0 mark and coming off of a Saturday sweep of Lincoln Pius X, the second finest group in Nebraska. St. James entered the competition at 29-0 and on Saturday swept Bishop Miege, defeating the group thought-about second finest in Kansas for the third time this season. In different phrases, this was a match up clearly worthy of a packed home, estimated at 1,200, within the Thunder Zone, in addition to a stay tv viewers each in Kansas Metropolis and all through the state of Nebraska.
The primary set was a blueprint for a way the whole match can be performed. A constantly spectacular protection, aggressive, error-free serving and opportunistic offense helped St. James race to an 18-9 lead.
Down massive, Papio South rallied behind its block.
Having given up a nine-point lead, St. James wanted to make a play to keep away from a collapse that just about assuredly would impression the remainder of the match. The Thunder bought it when Reilly, who was a DS final 12 months, hit excessive arms off the Papillion block for a kill. She adopted with a killer prime spin ace that had the frenzied scholar part bellowing “level St. James Ah!” even louder than regular. MB Katie Dulek, St. James’ tallest participant at 6-0 “on a very good day,” added a kill to increase the Thunder result in three. Not even one other Titan block, this one from Kadie Rolfzen, might change the top outcome, a 25-22 St. James win, achieved when 5-6 sophomore OH Arianna Particular person’s swing hit the online, caromed over the Titan double block and down.
The fifth set began with a questionable again row block referred to as on Brown and continued with 4 extra Titan factors.
Down by 5 factors, St. James mounted a rally behind 4 Reilly kills and Zarda’s stellar protection, attending to inside two at 9-7.
“After it was 5-0, I noticed willpower on our faces that we weren’t going to exit like this; that if we lose, we have been happening swinging and taking part in our sport,” Reilly stated.
After an alternate of factors gave the Titans six pictures to win the match, the Thunder saved 4 of them on Reilly’s serve to get inside 14-12 as the gang went wild.
However coming all the way in which again was not within the playing cards for St. James. The Papillion South block, so massive the whole night time, rose up when it wanted to most and intimidated a Thunder attacker into making an attempt a shot she couldn’t execute. When the ball discovered the online, Papillion-La Vista South had received the match of the 12 months.
“It was actually, actually enjoyable to play them,” Dulek stated. “That was some good volleyball. I really like taking part in at such a excessive stage. That group is nice. They pound the ball. Fortunately we’ve got a very good protection.”
“I really like taking part in groups that may problem you mentally and bodily,” Reilly added. “Credit score to them. They performed out of their minds and deserved to win.”
“We have now not had a match like that each one season,” stated Hunter. “That match was intense each level and a lot enjoyable.”
“After we have been down 4-0 and 10-1 [in Game 2], I used to be questioning whether or not we have been going to compete,” Egbert stated. “After which we began to make some performs. We had loads of blocks. We needed to do one thing as a result of we weren’t going to match up with them defensively. I imply we have been digging some balls, however not like they have been.
“We haven’t performed a group like this all 12 months. It was an amazing match to be part of.”
Amber Rolfzen and Kadie Rolfzen mixed for 42 kills and Kadie had 30 digs to steer Papillion South, however after the match all agreed that the Titans’ well-distributed block was the distinction within the match.
“A block is sort of a kill in that it will get you a degree however it additionally does one thing to the hitter on the opposite aspect,” stated Dulek. “A block can mess with individuals’s head. Earlier than the match I turned to a different hitter and stated we’re all going to get blocked however it’ll be okay. We’re going to maintain going.”
“I used to be pleased with our hitters, as a result of once they bought blocked they bought blocked,” Dorsey stated. “There was no protecting that. However they stored swinging.”
Reilly led the way in which offensively for St. James with 25 kills. Particular person added 19, however had solely three within the ultimate two units. Defensively, 4 Thunder gamers amassed greater than 20 digs, with 32 from Brown and 25 from Zarda main the way in which.
After the match, Dorsey, who’s 5 months’ pregnant with a child woman, was requested whether or not St. James received or misplaced that match.
“I might say each,” she responded. “Most thought they have been going to roll over us with three Nebraska recruits. I truly had reporters from Nebraska calling and asking if my line up was correct, like, ‘Is your left aspect actually 5-6?’ I believed it was humorous as a result of the scale distinction is de facto astronomical. We talked to our group how that doesn’t matter and on the finish of the day I don’t suppose it did.
“We’re a bunch of teeny tiny little issues who’ve been underestimated and missed their entire lives. This was their alternative to point out people who they’re legit and that the nationwide championship banner hanging of their fitness center is legit. I believe they did that.”
• Missouri Class 5 defending champion Lafayette is 10-0 to start out 2023. The Lancers on Saturday received the Rockwood Traditional, that includes a few of the finest groups in Missouri — Cor Jesu, Eureka, Jackson, Kickapoo, Liberty North, Marquette, Nixa, St. Teresa’s Academy – in addition to St. James.
Lafayette’s run included wins over Kickapoo, Liberty North and St. James, the Thunder’s second loss on the season.
Senior Libero and UIndy commit Mia Moser for the victors, averaging over three digs per set and passing over a 2.2 on serve obtain.
• This ultimate Dot is an odds-and-ends one…
We wrote final week in regards to the Missouri showdown between Kickapoo and Nixa earlier than final Wednesday’s showdown between the 2 then-undefeated groups. Which group received? Nixa in revenge, 15-13 within the fifth!
Amelia White had 12 kills, 18 digs and three aces to steer Nixa. Paige Pearcy and Taylor Wooden added 24 digs apiece.
Bella Faria had 16 kills, 19 digs and 4 aces for Kickapoo. Kya Johnson added 22 digs and 4 aces.
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Coach Betty Wroubel, a beautiful ambassador for the sport, lately collected profession win 1,700 (not a misprint) for Notre Dame Prep of Pontiac, Michigan. Wroubel has been teaching on the varsity stage for 35 years…
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Senior MB Julia Hunt of Covington Holy Cross (KY) surpassed two enormous profession milestones this week.
On Saturday, the Washington recruit bought her 500th block. She adopted that up three days later with profession kills No. 2,000, a part of a 40-kill night time in a reverse-sweep win …
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Junior libero Aniya Warren bought profession dig No. 1,000 this week for Benet Academy within the Chicago space …
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Louisiana’s Archbishop Hannan took third within the McGill-Toolen Catholic Cup in Alabama however was in a position to defeat the host faculty and defending 7A champion Soiled Dozen in the course of the event. Hannan has two with outrageous profession marks: senior setter Sarah Kirsch, with properly over 3,000 assists and Senior OH Sophia Bonnaffee, with greater than 1,300 profession kills …
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Lucy Beckham, a college in Mount Nice, South Carolina, is simply 4 years outdated, however it’s nonetheless making volleyball highlights.
This previous week, 6-1 senior OH and group captain Maggie Elliott exceeded 1,000 profession kills. She’s been on the group since her freshman 12 months in 2020, when the season was reduce brief resulting from Covid. Beckham is a Florida State seashore volleyball recruit …
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Madison Quest, a 6-3 junior OH dedicated to Wisconsin, lately celebrated her 1,000th profession kill for Milwaukee’s Divine Savior Holy Angels.
Till subsequent time …
