Missouri Class 5 high school volleyball preview

Missouri Class 5 roundup is here. Again a lot of factors are yet to be determined in the state volleyball scene, but at least we can have a little fun to start the season. MSHSAA will not release the district and state playoff pairings until late September, so a lot of this could state. With the success factor in play for the private schools, some schools could move around come late September. I also grouped the teams in each class following similar guidelines the state had the previous years for enrollment and teams per class. Class 5 could see the most movement in schools moving in and out of this class. Let us get started on teams I think will be contention for the Final 4 come November. Lafayette (Wildwood) 30-9-1 Class 4 Runner up You can never sleep on this public school powerhouse. They always seem to reload each year with more talent than any other large school in Missouri. Graduated five from last year runner up team but returned several underclassmen that will make this team a title contender again. [player_tooltip player_id="102553" first="Layne" last="Witherspoon"] and [player_tooltip player_id="101699" first="Jordyn" last="Lochmann"] return for sophomore years after impressive freshman campaigns. Look for senior Morgan Isenberg to lead the team from the middle. Zach Young always has this team ready to go come playoffs. This year will be no different. Liberty 29-7-1 Class 4 3rd Place This team is a talented bunch of 5 returning starters from last year’s third-place state finishers. Led by hard-hitting senior outside [player_tooltip player_id="41749" first="Bailee" last="Middleton"] and junior outside [player_tooltip player_id="41808" first="Madison" last="Corf"], the bulk of the offense returns. Then add the two returning sophomore middles in jumping jack [player_tooltip player_id="99215" first="Brooklyn" last="Young"] and [player_tooltip player_id="102558" first="Grace" last="Toney"] you got the pieces for a return trip to state. With Jnai Moultrie returning as another hitter and [player_tooltip player_id="99216" first="Ashley" last="Mullen"] is stepping in to run a possible 5-1, Liberty has all the tools to play for a state title. Getting out of the Kansas City area to state is always a battle. Blue Springs 22-11 The Wildcats return 4 of the top 6 kill leaders from last year. Led by 5-10 junior [player_tooltip player_id="41818" first="Chloe" last="Kaminski"] and 6-0 [player_tooltip player_id="41810" first="Ella" last="Duchane"], this duo should be ready to get back in the state playoffs again this year. With dig leader Anna Christenson and returning assist leader [player_tooltip player_id="41765" first="Lily" last="Letchworth"] back, the Wildcats should be contenders again this season. Nixa 34-4 Class 4 State Champions Having to replace 4 of the main starters from the team will be a challenge for the Eagles. [player_tooltip player_id="102444" first="Sydney" last="Golden"] does return to guide this team as she did so smoothly last year. This kid can make anyone look great. The 5’8 junior has hands of gold. She will have a couple of big bombers to feed still. Return to power the nets are 5-11 junior [player_tooltip player_id="102546" first="Jaycee" last="Fixsen"] and 5-11 senior [player_tooltip player_id="41762" first="Taylor" last="Golmen"]. Pretty sure coach Zimmerman will have the Eagles soaring come districts. The Eagles are in the toughest district in the state in SWMO. St. Teresa’s Academy 27-6 The Stars might stand in the way of Liberty, making a return to the state. The Stars return a hammer in senior 6-1 [player_tooltip player_id="101677" first="Maggie" last="McInerney"] along with classmate 6-0 [player_tooltip player_id="101686" first="Kelly" last="Ann Greene"]. With a year under her belt, sophomore 6-2 [player_tooltip player_id="101697" first="Reagan" last="Fox"] will do a lot more damage this year. Having to replace the graduated setter and two stellar defenders might slow the Stars down a little. I sure come playoffs they’ll be clicking on all cylinders. Park Hill South 22-8 Panthers from Park Hill South always seem to field a young but talented team with a solid senior class that leads the group. Senior outside Abby Day and setter [player_tooltip player_id="101690" first="Arley" last="Anderson"] returns to lead the Panthers this year. Also returning will be last year’s kill leader, sophomore [player_tooltip player_id="102555" first="Isabel" last="Day"], followed up by junior [player_tooltip player_id="102458" first="Alex" last="Dvorak"]. Toss in junior Gracie Painter to finalize the group, and the Kansas City area has a solid group of teams battling to get to state Willard 32-5 The Tigers fell one game short of state to State Champion Nixa. That was without [player_tooltip player_id="41750" first="Payton" last="Van Veen"], who was probably the best player on the team to start the year. She returns this year, ready to finish her senior year strong. The 6-1 senior will have a lot to prove with this being her last go around. Teaming up with senior 6-1 Maddie Bushnell, this tandem will be hard to stop. With two main defensive dandies returning to lead the backcourt and a reliable setter in place, the pieces are in place for another run in the playoffs. Finding other key hitters to replace the trio lost from last year’s team will be vital to that playoff push. Eureka 19-10 The Wildcats bring back one of the best outside hitters from the Saint Louis area in [player_tooltip player_id="102446" first="Madison" last="Scheer"]. The 6-1 outside finished with 233 kills last year in a rebuilding year for the Wildcats. Being stuck in the same district as Lafayette doesn’t help much. The lone year the Wildcats and the Lancers were not in the same district, they met for the state championship. 2018 Eureka finally got the best of the Lafayette when it meant the most. Park Hill 21-11-2 The Trojans have a lot to be excited about this year. With a total of 765 kills and 318 total blocks returning this season, a district championship is insights. With senior [player_tooltip player_id="41748" first="Kristen" last="Birmingham"] leading the attack and senior Hannah Graves and sophomore leading the defense at the net, the trojans could be a handful for the Kansas City area. Park Hill used to be a staple at the state tourney in the late 80s and early 90s. Maybe this will be the year they return to the promised land. Lee’s Summit West 25-5 Having a core group returning to build around has West in place to have another fantastic season. Four main offensive threats lead by junior hitter [player_tooltip player_id="41813" first="Sydney" last="Handel"], and senior Abby Massengill will have the Titans firing this season. With junior [player_tooltip player_id="41816" first="Lacey" last="Higgins"] feeding the ball to her hitters and senior libero [player_tooltip player_id="41757" first="Aly" last="Gurtiza"] keeping the ball off the floor, Lee’s Summit West gives Kansas City another top-notch team vying for one spot come November in Cape. Marquette 24-9-2 Missouri commit [player_tooltip player_id="101696" first="Madilyn" last="Sell"] will be back for her junior year and will team up with senior Jenna Gruender to give the Mustangs a solid one-two punch. Add in sophomore Adison Davidson, and the Mustangs have a solid hitting trio. Plus, the returning setter Olivia Meier might help ease some of the loss of last year’s libero. Not that losing a libero is easing to replace, but probably Courtney Schultheiss or Alexa Rush would be suitable replacements. Another Saint Louis team that would have to get past Lafayette if it wants to head to Cape this year.