Opening Day Preview: Lincoln-Area Matches to Follow

<p style="text-align: left;">I know many of you have been counting down the days until the 2021 season begins. For many schools, there's only a couple of days left!</p> <p>Today, we're taking a quick look at some of the best Thursday matchups that will help start off the year with a bang. The Lincoln area certainly has a few matchups that will be worth looking at. Some schools are rekindling old rivalries to begin their 2021 campaigns, while others are organizing top-tier triangulars. In short, there will be some great volleyball to watch right out of the gate.</p> <p>Here are some opening day matchups to follow around the Lincoln area.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Aurora vs. Norris</strong></p> <p><strong>Wahoo vs. Aurora</strong></p> <p><strong>Wahoo vs. Norris</strong></p> <p>Once again, the Titans are hosting a pair of teams that always seems to be vying for a spot in the state championships. This triangular is sure to deliver.</p> [caption id="attachment_114757" align="alignright" width="300"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-114757" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/11/2020-Wahoo-Team-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> 2020 Wahoo Warriors[/caption] <p>Norris is out to prove right away that they’re the favorites in Class B. Standout seniors like [player_tooltip player_id="37546" first="Maisie" last="Boesiger"], [player_tooltip player_id="37542" first="Ella" last="Waters"], and [player_tooltip player_id="82269" first="Sydney" last="Jelinek"] provide good reason to believe that they’ll achieve their big goals in 2021. This team will also have a great influx of young talent. Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id="105001" first="Alivia" last="Hausmann"] has a great chance to expand her role in the backcourt, and [player_tooltip player_id="105000" first="Celia" last="Spilker"] could make an impact in the middle.</p> <p>Wahoo has a big-time senior of its own in [player_tooltip player_id="37530" first="Mya" last="Larson"]. The Montana State-bound outside hitter will look to help her team to another state crown this fall. It’s a much younger Warriors roster than last year, but this squad will still be a contender. [player_tooltip player_id="106608" first="Mya" last="Emerson"] and Josie Sutton are two more veteran players that will have a big impact on this offense.</p> <p>Meanwhile, Aurora has plenty of reliable attackers that return from last year’s roster. [player_tooltip player_id="78672" first="Rachel" last="Hunter"], [player_tooltip player_id="122752" first="Lexi" last="Jones"], and [player_tooltip player_id="122753" first="Kasey" last="Schuster"] will be impact players to watch as the Huskies kick off the season at Norris.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Lincoln East vs. Grand Island</strong></p> <p>Thursday’s slate offers an intriguing matchup right in the heart of the Star City.</p> <p>As I mentioned in our preview of this weekend’s Bellevue West Invite, Lincoln East is probably looking forward to a more normal season more than anything else. Having fewer disruptions would go a long way for this team that has some exciting talent on its roster. Players like [player_tooltip player_id="112002" first="Brooklyn" last="Fuchs"], [player_tooltip player_id="109601" first="Aaliyah" last="Bradford"], and [player_tooltip player_id="109612" first="Megan" last="Waters"] will be key to this team getting into a rhythm in 2021.</p> <p>The visitors in this matchup will be fun to watch, too. Grand Island has a very promising pair of underclassmen on the outside in <strong>Tia Traudt</strong> and [player_tooltip player_id="104983" first="Haedyn" last="Hoos"].</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Lincoln High vs. Lincoln Southeast</strong></p> <p>I couldn't wrap up this feature without making mention of the old rivalry matchup taking place to help usher in the new season.</p> <p>Lincoln High and Lincoln Southeast will battle on Thursday night with a lot of pride on the line. There's plenty of new faces that will likely make their starting debut in this match, so these two will be worth following in the coming months. More names to add to the watch list, for sure!</p>