Big Winners from the LPS Volleyball Classic

<p>With another top-tier weekend tournament in the books, it’s time for a look at more big winners.</p> <p>Of course, every spectator had to feel like a winner with so much high-level volleyball action at Lincoln Southeast and Northeast. I shared that excitement, and it was mixed with a bit of nostalgia as I returned to the gym of my alma mater. There are few better ways to spend a weekend.</p> <p>After pacing around Prasch Gym Saturday morning, I’ve got a lot of news and notes to share from the event. This first feature will be a broad look at some of the results and standout teams from the weekend.</p> <p>Let’s get to it!</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Frontrunners and Perennial Powers</strong></p> <p>Once again, we saw a tournament that was dominated by teams that you’d normally expect to be near the top.</p> <p><strong>Papillion-La Vista South</strong> has hauled in another tournament trophy. I watched this team do it on opening weekend at Bellevue West, and now they’ve invaded Lincoln and taken another. The Titans were simply spectacular from beginning to end, and we’ll have more details on their standout players in the days ahead.</p> <p>Yes, <strong>Norris</strong> and <strong>Elkhorn South</strong> were right up there, too. It took a matchup with Papio South to finally stop the huge run that Norris has been on over the past month. The Storm, meanwhile, appears to be reaching championship form after taking some very narrow losses in early-season play.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Potential Spoilers</strong></p> <p>If there are any teams that will knock off the postseason powerhouses mentioned above, then it might come from the tournament field that we saw at the LPS Classic.</p> <p><strong>Papillion-La Vista</strong> had a great showing over the weekend. When previewing this event, I wondered if the Monarchs would continue to progress with their young but talented lineup. Mission accomplished. This upstart squad had a great round of opening pools and had some impressive performances on Saturday.</p> <p>Another team looking to get back in the title hunt is <strong>Gretna</strong>. As expected, the Dragons came out with some sharp ball control and took fearless swings on the pins. That kind of playstyle will continue to yield victories throughout the year, and Gretna will surely be a title contender come November.</p> <p>There were several other teams that showed a lot of potential against elite competition. <strong>Lincoln Southwest</strong> had a gritty journey through the championship bracket. <strong>Lincoln Pius X</strong> and <strong>Bellevue West</strong> shined with their new-look teams, too. The LPS Classic will be a great launching point for improvement as the stakes get higher at the end of the year.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Experience</strong></p> <p>By the end of the tournament, I got to marvel at how many veteran leaders were present among the event’s top teams.</p> <p>Look at the squads that found success last weekend and you’ll find senior stars who have been dominating the high school scene for a long time. Papio South has a dominant fourth-year core that includes [player_tooltip player_id="37529" first="Ava" last="LeGrand"], [player_tooltip player_id="82412" first="Harlei" last="Cole"], and [player_tooltip player_id="37536" first="Emma" last="O’Neill"]. It’s seniors galore for Elkhorn South, too: [player_tooltip player_id="58781" first="Madi" last="Woodin"], [player_tooltip player_id="58775" first="Estella" last="Zatechka"], [player_tooltip player_id="151142" first="Kaitlin" last="Thiebauth"], [player_tooltip player_id="58811" first="Katie" last="Galligan"], [player_tooltip player_id="143576" first="Mia" last="Mroczek"], and [player_tooltip player_id="58786" first="Kylie" last="Weeks"] make up an astounding 2022 class for the Storm.</p> <p>This trend goes all the way down the line with Lincoln Southwest, Gretna, and others. There’s tremendous value in knowing what the big stage feels like. These players have been there. Watching these journeys conclude at the state championships this fall will be a memorable occasion.</p>