2018 MHSAA Season Preview: Breaking down the O-K Conference

<p>The O-K Conference is certainly among the larger conferences you will see in the state of Michigan with seven divisions included. The conference features a number of talented teams on the west side of the state and should have some competitive championship races in 2018.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>O-K Gold Breakdown</strong></p> <p>Grand Rapids Christian is coming into 2018 looking to be one of the best teams in the state. The Eagles are stacked with talent and led by junior setter <strong>Jordyn Gates</strong> and sophomore outside <strong>Addie VanderWeide</strong>. Gates is our fifth-ranked player in the 2020 class while VanderWeide is a top contender in the 2021 class. If those two weren't enough, Christian also has senior outside <strong>Maria Bos</strong>, junior middle <strong>Ayva Koostra</strong> and sophomore outside <strong>Lauren Peal</strong>.</p> <p>East Grand Rapids is shaping up to be a strong team as well and may have enough to compete with Christian this year. The Pioneers will have great senior leadership from libero <strong>Andrea Salasky</strong> and junior defensive specialist <strong>Grace Gorsline</strong> while junior outside <strong>Olivia Bergsma </strong>and sophomore outside <strong>Stephanie Stewart </strong>provide the attack.</p> <p>This looks to be a 2-team race in 2018, but Forest Hills Eastern provides some promising young talent in sophomore outside <strong>Sophie Stoll </strong>and sophomore libero <strong>Riley Hoffman</strong>.</p> <p><strong>O-K Gold Prediction: </strong>Grand Rapids Christian</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>O-K Red Breakdown</strong></p> <p>Rockford comes in as the team to beat and one of the best in the state as well. Senior outside <strong>Lindsay Taylor</strong> is paired up with middle <strong>Emmy Webb</strong> and setter <strong>Emilee Karelse</strong> to make for a tremendous attack.</p> <p>Hudsonville could pose a challenge, but will rely on juniors this year. Senior <strong>Jaelianna Primus</strong> is a returning middle, but junior outsides <strong>Braely Herrema </strong>and <strong>Mallory Keller</strong> join junior setter <strong>Kaylee Maat</strong> as a strong 2020 trio.</p> <p>Grand Haven has dynamic 6-2 middle <strong>Avolyn Lepo </strong>back for her senior year and sophomore outside <strong>Mackenzie Gross </strong>shows a lot of promise. Caledonia has a strong sophomore setter in <strong>Lydia Harper</strong>, but it will need some new faces to step up in order to contend with the top teams in the Red.</p> <p><strong>O-K Red Prediction: </strong>Rockford</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>O-K White Breakdown</strong></p> <p>Forest Hills Northern definitely enters 2018 with the most talent on paper, but the White will have some great up-and-coming players this year. The Huskies are led by senior setter <strong>Parker Kwiatkowski</strong>, who ranks fifth in our 2019 player rankings. The Huskies also have solid junior outside <strong>Riley Homer</strong>, senior outside <strong>Jamie Rozell </strong>and junior libero <strong>Bella Hommes</strong>.</p> <p>Lowell hopes to play spoiler to Northern behind junior middle <strong>Meghan Meyer</strong>. The Red Arrows also have a great sophomore class behind outsides <strong>Emma Hall </strong>and <strong>Jenna Reitsma</strong> along with setter <strong>Sophia Powell</strong>. Forest Hills Central also has a promising trio of sophomores to turn to this year in setter <strong>Hannah Bergman</strong>, outside <strong>Julia Bouma</strong> and middle <strong>Tatum Otolski</strong>. </p> <p><strong>O-K White Prediction: </strong>Forest Hills Northern</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>O-K Black Breakdown</strong></p> <p>Fruitport brings back a pair of senior All-State honorees in Class B from 2017 in middle <strong>Kylie Oberlin </strong>and outside <strong>Rachel Paulsen</strong>. That makes the Trojans the team to beat in the Black this season.</p> <p>The other top contenders in the division lost their top players to graduation and will be turning to fresh faces to make them a challenger. Jenison has sophomore middle <strong>Ella Uganski</strong> that could make a splash while Reeths-Puffer has sophomore libero <strong>Lara Sebastian</strong> that could make them a contender. Mona Shores has been successful in the past, but will have a big challenge in replacing libero Sasha Poland.</p> <p><strong>O-K Black Prediction: </strong>Fruitport</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>O-K Blue Breakdown</strong></p> <p>Grand Rapids Catholic Central will look to take the conference this year behind outside/middle <strong>Morgan Smith</strong>, who ranks 10^th in our 2019 player rankings. CC should also have solid defense behind sophomore libero <strong>Katie Stotts</strong>.</p> <p>Grand Rapids West Catholic and Coopersville may be the top pursuers of Catholic Central. Both teams fell short against CC in the 2017 postseason, but West Catholic was able to take the match to five sets. Coopersville may be the sleeper behind senior outside <strong>Aubrey Bates </strong>and sophomore middle <strong>Abby Olin</strong>. Spring Lake returns an All-Region setter in <strong>Madeline Zenus</strong>, but the Lakers have a tough uphill climb in the conference.</p> <p><strong>O-K Blue Prediction: </strong>Grand Rapids Catholic Central</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>O-K Green Breakdown</strong></p> <p>The O-K Green lost a lot of talent to graduation, which should leave this race wide open. Byron Center will have to rely on its youth, mainly sophomore middle <strong>Anna Butler </strong>and sophomore libero <strong>Abby Boyle</strong>. Zeeland East is in a similar spot, as it lost a pair of All-Region seniors from a year ago and need new players to rise to the occasion.</p> <p>Zeeland West hopes it cane make a move up the Green behind junior libero <strong>Kaylee Baker</strong>, but West will need some hitters to step up. Unity Christian will have one of the top returning players in senior outside <strong>Autumn Carden</strong>. Hamilton brings in a talented sophomore middle in <strong>AJ Ediger</strong> that could make the Hawkeyes a contender.</p> <p><strong>O-K Green Prediction: </strong>Byron Center</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>O-K Silver Breakdown</strong></p> <p>NorthPointe Christian and Calvin Christian were evenly matched last season. Calvin Christian was able to get the last laugh in 2017 with a 5-set district win over NorthPointe, but the Squires lost a pair of Class C All-State honorees from last year and will be scrambling to replace them.</p> <p>The Mustangs return the top player in the conference in senior outside <strong>Annie Holesinger</strong>. Here experience and talent should make NorthPointe Christian the team to beat in the Silver. Hopkins could be in the mix as well, as it should come into the season with a chip on its shoulder to get past NorthPointe and Calvin Christian.</p> <p><strong>O-K Silver Prediction: </strong>NorthPointe Christian</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Other 2018 Season Preview Content:</p> <p><a href="http://bit.ly/2NrpdQS">2018's top conference battles</a></p> <p><a href="http://bit.ly/2uZF3Ld">2018's Division 1 storylines</a></p> <p><a href="http://bit.ly/2A6Docx">2018's Division 2 storylines</a></p> <p><a href="http://bit.ly/2LtNCJc">2018's Division 3 storylines</a></p> <p><a href="http://bit.ly/2OtCFFu">2018's Division 4 storylines</a></p> <p><a href="https://prepdig.com/2018/08/2018-mhsaa-season-preview-breaking-down-the-oaa/">OAA Conference Breakdown</a></p>