Missouri Class 1 high school volleyball preview

Without knowing the exact classes with Missouri moving to a 5-class system this year, I have decided to take a shot at probably the more accessible level to predict. Missouri has adopted the success factor this year, where teams can move up a class depending on past success. Without MSHSAA releasing the actual districts and playoff schedules until late September, all of this could change. Let us get right to who I see is the top teams in Missouri Class 1. Keep in mind this all can and will change come late September. Advance Hornets 38-2-0 Class 1 State Champions 2-time defending state champions return a stacked team that should include three-peat if they can stay healthy. With a dominating group of seniors returning, this team should not miss a beat. Coming off winning the Jackson summer league, we see what another exceptional year for the Hornets could be. Led by senior hitters 5-11 [player_tooltip player_id="41785" first="Nyah" last="Wilson"], 5-9 Mikayla Mikels, 5-9 Meadow Mores, and 6-0 [player_tooltip player_id="41758" first="Alyssa" last="Miles"] has a front line no other Class 1 team will have. With 5-9 junior setter Alandry Below feeding, this bunch Advance will be a fun team to watch. The only question mark will be the defense. I do not see that being a big issue this year. Look for Advance to swarm the opponents to a three-peat. Santa Fe Chiefs 33-3-4 Class 1 2nd place Last year’s Class 1 runner up to Advance returns a solid group of underclassmen. All-State 5-10 junior Isabella Limback led the Chiefs in kills, attacks, and digs as a sophomore. Also returning will be both setters 5-5 sophomore Cassie Aversman and 5-5 senior Kara Hollingsworth. Both middles are returning with 5-7 senior Allexis Lark and 5-10 sophomore Emma Dierker. Santa Fe will be hard to beat if they can find a reliable replacement for All-State [player_tooltip player_id="41705" first="Carrigan" last="Smith"] lost to graduation. Miller Cardinals 27-4-2 Last year was another great year for Coach Lander’s squad. This young team, led by fiery junior 5-0 setter Alli Mitchell is ready to get back to the sectional round and beyond. Mitchell will have her same group of hitters again this year. With Kingsley’s back in the middle with 6-1 Ashten and 6-0 Emberlynn, the middle tandem will look to improve on last year’s finish. Rounding out the outside spots are returning juniors 5-8 Claudia Hadlock and 5-8 Kaylee Helton. Miller lost to Lesterville in the sectionals 15-25, 17-25. Lesterville Bearcats 19-13-4 The Bearcats have fallen short of the state finals the last three years by one game. This year they will look to break this steak. Lesterville has returned the bulk of the offense but needs to replace a quick, talented setter lost to graduation. Leading this team will be 5-9 senior [player_tooltip player_id="41797" first="Mallory" last="Polk"]. Polk currently sits at 960 kills for her career and is a do-all for the Bearcats. Sophomore 5-9 Reese Gray 1 or 2 freshmen to make the Class 1 All-State team last year returns. Reese had 321 kills, 37 aces, 18 blocks, 401 digs, and 508 serve receptions. Other returning starters from last year will be sophomores, Piper Fitzgerald, a small solid middle with defense, and passing of a libero. Sophomore Grace Hicks, who will step in and run a 5-1 for the Bearcats. Class 1 team with a brutal schedule of Class 3 and 4 teams. Bearcats lost to Billings in the quarterfinals 25-19, 26-28, 19-25 for the 2nd year in a row. Blue Eye Bulldogs 24-9-1 The Bulldogs feature a sister duo of Avery and Riley Arnold. They started since freshman and have been in the top 3 in kills each year. Kyla Warren returns at the other outside hitter position after finishing with 119 kills last year. Senior Bailey Owens returns to her libero position after leading the team in digs and 2nd in serve receive the previous year. The Bulldogs will need to replace the firepower left behind from losing Kohnnar Patton. If they can, they should be in an excellent stop to return to the state playoffs after losing to Billings in district finals last year. Winona Wildcats 18-12-5 With Francie McBride moving on to Branson high school, this team will have a new head coach. Wildcats do return a solid group for the new coach. With 5-9 junior setter Cloey Asplin returning to run the show, Winona will not miss a beat. Having a young group of hitters to depend on should not be a problem. Leading the hitters will be sophomore Nevaeh Malawey, a 5-9 sophomore lefty middle. Nevaeh gave plenty of teams fits last year running the middle slide. Also returning will be hitters Autumn Fitzanko, 5-5 junior, 5-6 sophomore Kyleigh Smith, 5-8 sophomore Bailee Luttrell, and 5-8 sophomore Taylor Osborne. Replacing hard-hitting outside Teah Thomason will be crucial for Winona’s success. Crest Ridge Cougars 25-7-3 The good news for the Cougars they return a solid core. They are starting with hard-hitting 5-10 senior Reagan Shippy. The senior led the Cougars with 283 kills last year. Sophomore Kyla Brandes returns after having a solid freshman season where she had 129 kills. Senior Leah Shanks looks to step in and run a 5-1 after running a 6-2 last year. Shanks finished with 371 assists last year, leading the team. Essential for Crest Ridge this year is what they do with Shippy. Move her to the middle or leave her on the outside and run her all over the place. Shippy has the power and ups to carry this team far. If Crest Ridge wants to make the final four, they will have to get past Santa Fe. A team they could not beat last year in three tries. Midway Vikings 16-12-5 Midway returns a solid hitting trio of 5-9 junior middle/outside Baylee Russ, senior 5-8 middle Morgan Irvin and 5-7 senior middle Kennedie Greer, along with a junior Emily Powell and sophomore Abbey Dahman. So basically, they are returning all the leading hitters from a team that lost a 1-2 district final match to Crest Ridge. Even better news the same setters running the 6-2 offense. Senior Jessie Humbird and junior Emily Powell. After only losing one senior, Midway might be in for a huge year. Kansas City Lutheran Knights 24-7-3 Coach Rudzinski has been at the helm forever. This year’s team returns the 2 top kill leaders. Led by seniors 5-6 Aleena Peterson and 5-9 Morgan Horn, the Knights should be in the right spot to compete for a district title and get back into the state playoffs. Also, the setting combo of senior Alexis Chancellor and Emma Schempp returning to run the 6-2, the offense looks to be in good shape. The Knights could be one of the teams impacted by the new success factor. Sacred Heart Gremlins 19-11-3 5-6 sophomore Emma Siron will lead the Gremlins. Emma will look to improve on her 332 kills, 72 aces, 29 blocks, 145 digs, and 191 assists from her freshman year. Returning to help Siron is junior 5-7 Kiley Beykirch, senior 5-8 Kaytlin Kempf, junior 5-6 Bella Smith, senior 5-7 Maria Mergen. Siron and Beykirch look to run the same 6-2. The key for the Gremlins will be to replace the loss of the defense. One game from the state tourney losing to Calvary Lutheran 25-19, 23-25, 14-25. If past success doesn’t move, the Gremlins up a class. Wait and see come September.