4A Weekly Top Five: Hoosiers To Watch

<p>We wrap up our weekly team rankings update with a look at 4A and the players responsible for their successes. Most of the team results here wouldn’t be possible without the help of IndianaPrepVolleyball.com and their administrator, Zach McCrite. If you’re at all interested in Indiana high school volleyball, go check them out.</p> <p><strong>#5: Crown Point, 15-2</strong></p> <p><em><strong>Previous ranking: #3</strong></em></p> <p>Going 4-0 at the prestigious Avon tournament this past Saturday has helped the Bulldogs’ cause, since those wins included sweeping defending 4A state champ New Castle, 4A Seymour and 4A Carmel, while winning in three over the hosts. Their only slip-ups, earlier in the season against 4A #3 La Porte and 4A #2 Penn have aged well, so the only reason for their drop in the rankings is a strength of schedule change. No matter; CP gets another shot at La Porte on September 22. IU Kokomo (NAIA) commit <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="108372" first="Erica" last="Packwood"] (’21, 5-10, OH), </strong>has been a great #2 option behind <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="102846" first="Kendall" last="Schara"], </strong>so maybe their first contact, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="107706" first="Vanessa" last="Del Real"] (’23, 5-6, DS) </strong>at libero should get some love, as her nearly five digs per set pace the Bulldogs.</p> <p><strong>#4: Yorktown, 5-0</strong></p> <p><em><strong>Previous ranking: NR</strong></em></p> <p>The singular reason for the lack of love for the Tigers is because of the lack of matches---Big Rona turned her ugly head to Delaware County, and shut down Yorktown’s season for two weeks. Business as usual, though, as they’ve dropped exactly one set in the early going ever since. Yet another program that schedules anyone, anytime and anywhere, the Tigers face 3A #1 Bellmont on Saturday before the annual rivalry showdown with defending state champ New Castle next Tuesday. At "Libero High School", <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="85678" first="Jenny" last="Morey"] (Wright State commit)</strong> continues the long line of exceptional passers on first contact. To know that the next defensive specialist, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="85673" first="Ellee" last="Stinson"], </strong>is going to Northwestern in the fall, leaves opponents with a struggle as to whom to serve. She doesn’t need to be in serve receive, but <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="85700" first="Jaylynn" last="Dunsmore"] (’21, 6-0, MB)</strong> is the biggest of the Tigers, and her three-and-a-half kills per set and nearly a block per set pace Yorktown.</p> <p><strong>#3: La Porte, 11-1</strong></p> <p><em><strong>Previous ranking: #4</strong></em></p> <p>With wins over 4A #5 Crown Point and 4A #2 Penn, what gives? The lone blemish against Munster (4A; 13-2) is aging well, and has moved the Slicers up one spot this week. Another match against Crown Point on September 22 might be their only other opportunity to lose this season, as the rest of their schedule certainly isn’t as tough as the early going was. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="102465" first="Aniya" last="Kennedy"] (’22, 6-0, MB)</strong> pounds three and a half kills per set while hitting close to .400 against this tough schedule. Her attack touch has to be close to, if not past, ten feet, and can take over a match instantly.</p> <p><strong>#2: Penn, 11-1</strong></p> <p><em><strong>Previous ranking, #2</strong></em></p> <p>Holding steady at #2 are the Kingsmen who, after getting swept by 4A #3 La Porte in the first match of the season, have only dropped two sets since. Matches against 4A’s New Castle and Fishers should really pump up that strength of schedule, but wins against both would all but put permanent ink in the top five for Penn. I’d like to see a bit more of Penn and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="101974" first="Emma" last="Hickey"] (’22, 5-7, DS), </strong>as her bloodline has Division I potential.</p> <p><strong>#1: Hamilton Southeastern, 8-0</strong></p> <p><em><strong>Previous ranking, #1</strong></em></p> <p>Speaking of permanent ink, until someone, anyone, figures out how to slow down the offense of the Royals, this team stays right here. They’ve dropped two sets all season, and other than rivalry match Fishers on September 29, I can’t see them losing another match unless they beat themselves. Middle blocker and Harding commit <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="85697" first="Delaney" last="Garner"] </strong>paces HSE in kills per set and hitting percentage, but the surprise for this author is the emergence of freshman <strong>Lauren Harden (’24, 6-2, OH), </strong>who contributes over three kills per set herself in this balanced offense. </p>