Can Crowder, Eureka Advance in Missouri Class 4 Districts for Chance at Title Repeat?

We wrap up our preview of Missouri District tournaments with Class 4. There are some districts that will certainly raise some eyebrows this coming week. Let’s dive in! Districts in Class 4 begin this evening. Class 4, District 1 – Cape Girardeau, MO (4) Hillsboro (17-12-1) vs. (5) Poplar Bluff (20-13-1) (3) Central (Cape Girardeau) (19-11-2) vs. (6) Sikeston (10-23) (2) Farmington (11-16-3) vs. Central/Sikeston Winner (1) Jackson (26-8-3) vs. Hillsboro/Poplar Bluff Winner Who will advance: Jackson Dark Horse: Central Farmington emerged from this district in 2018 but there will not be a repeat in 2019. Both Jackson and Central of Cape Girardeau are both very strong teams. The Fighting Indians have defeated both Central and Farmington this season and have a balanced offensive attack. [caption id="attachment_41867" align="alignright" width="225"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2019/04/Jordan-Iliff-e1554841066273.jpg"></a> Iliff[/caption] Class 4, District 2 – Cedar Hill, MO (4) Lindbergh (24-6) vs. (5) Mehlville (8-17-6) (2) Rockwood Summit (24-7-1) vs. (7) Fox (7-11) (3) Northwest (Cedar Hill) (27-7-1) vs. (6) Seckman (15-8-3) (1) Oakville (26-2-3) vs. Lindbergh/Mehlville Winner Who will advance: Rockwood Summit Dark Horse: Lindbergh This is the toughest district in the state, bar none. It’s full of talented players: Jordan Iliff (Mehlville), Sophia Carlson (Lindbergh), Taylor Beaven (Seckman), Amber Schade (Summit). If Summit can get past Northwest, it can survive Oakville. It will be a great tournament nonetheless. Class 4, District 3– Eureka, MO (4) Parkway West (10-16-3) vs. (5) Washington (18-13-4) (2) Lafayette (Wildwood) (24-8) vs. (7) Union (5-19-2) (3) Marquette (23-8-2) vs. (6) Parkway South (16-12-4) (1) Eureka (18-9) vs. Parkway West/Washington Who will advance: Eureka Dark Horse: Marquette Another excellent district that could go to either way with traditional powers in Eureka or Lafayette. You have to give the green light to the Class 4 defending champs in Eureka behind senior setter Avery Crowder. Class 4, District 4– St. Louis, MO (4) Kirkwood (7-18-4) vs. (5) Webster Groves (5-7-3) (2) St. Joseph’s Academy (13-13-1) vs. (7) Ursuline Academy (2-28-1) (3) Nerinx Hall (13-17-2) vs. (6) Ladue Horton Watkins (11-14-1) (1) Cor Jesu Academy (20-5) vs. Kirkwood/Webster Groves Who will advance: Cor Jesu Academy Dark Horse: St. Joseph’s Academy Class 4, District 5– St. Louis, MO (4) Hazelwood West (7-19-1) vs. (5) Hazelwood East (14-15-1) (2) Ritenour (22-9-1) vs. (7) McCluer (7-17-3) (3) McCluer North (11-11-3) vs. (6) Riverview Gardens (8-10) (1) Hazelwood Central (9-9-1) vs. Hazelwood West/Hazelwood East Winner Who will advance: Ritenour Dark Horse: Hazelwood East Class 4, District 6– Chesterfield, MO (4) Westminster Christian (12-13-4) vs. (5) Francis Howell North (13-15) (2) Parkway Central (15-13-1) vs. (7) Ft. Zumwalt East (0-21-2) (3) Pattonville (19-8-2) vs. (6) Parkway North (5-16-2) (1) Francis Howell Central (14-5-2) vs. Westminster Christian/Francis Howell North Winner Who will advance: Pattonville Dark Horse: Parkway Central Class 4, District 7– St. Peters, MO (4) Liberty Christian (Wentzville) (16-6-2) vs. (5) Holt (14-15) (2) Timberland (19-8-3) vs. (7) Ft. Zumwalt West (11-17-2) (3) Ft. Zumwalt North (17-10-1) vs. (6) Ft. Zumwalt South (7-15-2) (1) Francis Howell (18-12-2) vs. Liberty Christian/Holt Winner Who will advance: Timberland Dark Horse: Ft. Zumwalt North Class 4, District 8 – Warrenton, MO (4) Warrenton (15-14-2) vs. (5) Troy Buchanan (13-10-4) (3) Rock Bridge (23-10-1) vs. (6) Battle (11-16-2) (2) Hickman (19-14-1) vs. Rock Bridge/Battle Winner (1) Hannibal (18-10-2) vs. Warrenton/Troy Buchanan Winner Who will advance: Rock Bridge Dark Horse: Warrenton This is another interesting district. Hannibal has to get through a tough Rock Bridge team to get back to sectionals. But even before then it has to handle the winner of Warrenton or Troy Buchanan. Those are not easy teams. Warrenton has a nice outside in Morgan Frye. The senior is averaging 4.67 kills per set. Rock Bridge has a great outside of its own in sophomore Emma Lea Benney. She has 173 kills and 175 digs. [caption id="attachment_50929" align="alignleft" width="225"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2019/04/PaytonVanVeen.jpg"></a> VanVeen - courtesy Ozark Sports Zone[/caption] Class 4, District 9– Rolla, MO (4) Rolla (20-12-1) vs. (5) Waynesville (11-17-2) (2) Camdenton (21-10-3) vs. (7) Hillcrest (3-24-3) (3) Lebanon (16-14-2) vs. (6) Central (Springfield) (2-24) (1) Willard (28-4) vs. Rolla/Waynesville Winner   Who will advance: Willard Dark Horse: Camdenton This district is Willard’s to lose and the Tigers are definitely in the conversation to take the title in Cape. They have one of the most balanced offenses in any class behind Missouri State commits Maddy Bushnell and Payton VanVeen. Class 4, District 10– Ozark, MO (4) Ozark (17-13) vs. (5) Parkview (12-11-3) (2) Kickapoo (24-5) vs. (7) West Plains (7-20-1) (3) Branson (28-5) vs. (6) Glendale (7-20-1) (1) Nixa (30-4) vs. Ozark/Parkview Winner Who will advance: Nixa Dark Horse: Branson It is unfortunate such talented teams are bunched together in this district, as there are three are sectional-quality teams. Nixa will emerge and are contenders to take it all in Cape. Class 4, District 11– Neosho, MO (4) Joplin (13-13-2) vs. (5) Republic (11-14-3) (2) Carthage (22-10-1) vs. (7) McDonald County (6-21) (3) Carl Junction (16-15) vs. (6) Neosho (8-22-3) (1) Webb City (26-6) vs. Joplin/Republic Winner Who will advance: Webb City Dark Horse: Carl Junction Class 4, District 12– Warresnburg, MO (4) Smith-Cotton (14-12-2) vs. (5) Warrensburg (14-13-3) (3) Raymore-Peculiar (14-14-2) vs. (6) Belton (13-11-4) (2) Helias Catholic (18-11) vs. Raymore-Peculiar/Belton Winner (1) Jefferson City (29-4-3) vs. Smith-Cotton/Warrensburg Winner Who will advance: Jefferson City Dark Horse: Helias Catholic This season, Jefferson City defeated Helias for the first time since 2013. The Jays will carry that momentum into districts behind the stellar play of senior Annabelle Maassen. The outside is averaging 5.6 kills per set for Jefferson City, who has victories against Willard and Hermann this season. Class 4, District 13– Lee’s Summit, MO (4) Raytown (6-16-3) vs. (5) Raytown South (8-19-1) (2) Lee’s Summit (19-13) vs. (7) Ruskin (2-19-2) (3) Lee’s Summit North (12-19) vs. (6) Grandview (2-24-1) (1) Lee’s Summit West (24-4) vs. Raytown/Raytown South Winner Who will advance: Lee’s Summit West Dark Horse: Lee’s Summit Class 4, District 14– Independence, MO (4) Grain Valley (16-13-1) vs. (5) Truman (5-23-2) (2) Blue Springs South (12-18) vs. (7) Van Horn (15-13-1) (3) Fort Osage (19-9-2) vs. (6) William Chrisman (10-14) (1) Blue Springs (20-10) vs. Grain Valley/Truman Who will advance: Blue Springs Dark Horse: Fort Osage [caption id="attachment_41868" align="alignleft" width="225"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2019/04/Kristen-Birmingham.jpg"></a> Birmingham[/caption] Class 4, District 15– North Kansas City, MO (4) North Kansas City (21-6-4) vs. (5) Winnetonka (12-16-4) (2) Park Hill South (20-7) vs. (7) East (Kansas City) (8-8-1) (3) Park Hill (20-10-2) vs. (6) Oak Park (8-20) (1) St. Teresa’s Academy (22-5) vs. North Kansas City/Winnetonka Winner Who will advance: St. Teresa’s Academy Dark Horse: Park Hill South This was not an easy call. The top three seeds could very easily emerge from this district. Park Hill South has defeated Park Hill. St. Teresa’s has too many weapons and has gone toe-to-toe with so many heavy hitters in Class 4 in Missouri and some big-time schools in Kansas, as well. A St. Teresa’s/Park Hill district championship game with the Stars’ weapons and Park Hill’s Kristen Birmingham will be fun to watch. Class 4, District 16– Kearney, MO (4) Kearney (18-11-2) vs. (5) Staley (8-17) (3) Platte County (27-5-1) vs. (6) Central (St. Joseph) (14-15-3) (2) Liberty North (22-9) vs. Platte County/Central Winner (1) Liberty (24-7) vs. Kearney/Staley Winner Who will advance: Liberty Dark Horse: Platte County Liberty has had an incredible 2019 and has some excellent players (we see you, Ole Miss recruit Bailee Middleton and Kansas recruit Caroline Crawford). Platte County and Liberty have not faced each other this season and one thing is for sure: if they do, there is going to be some excellent volleyball. Platte County is going to give Liberty fits but the talent in the middle in Crawford will put the Blue Jays over the hump.