Top returning teams in Class 1

With the success factor in Missouri, a couple of Class 2 teams from last year have moved down to Class 1. The moves make this class more evenly balanced than in the past, but Advance also lost a senior class that won 3 straight Class 1 titles. Toss Miller and Cabool into this field, and the championship is up for grabs. Please take a look at who we feel are some of the top Class 1 teams this year. Miller Cardinals 33-3 Finished third in Class 2 last year, the Cardinals have dropped a class down to 1. Returning the entire team from that third-place team, Miller will be a tough team to beat. Sparkplug Ali Mitchell leads them as the quarterback feeding a five-headed monster of hitters. Haylie Schnake 244 kills, Emberlynn Kingsley 185 kills, [player_tooltip player_id="119212" first="Kaylee" last="Helton"] 326 kills, Ashten Kingsley 136 kills, and Claudia Hadlock 125 kills and toss in libero Addison Stockton’s 423 digs, predict the Cardinals will be final four bound.   Advance 36-1-2 Yes, the three-time defending Class 1 Hornets lost everyone but one from those teams last year. Returning is the best setter in this class in Alandry Below. Will she continue to run the 5-1 with a set of new, unproven sophomore hitters or be tossed in to hit this year. If she hits, she will be one of the best hitters in this class. Newcomers to pay attention to will be Lexi Hoffman, the coach’s kid, and Kaylee Cline. No matter what the Hornets do, they will be one of the top Class 1 teams again this year.   Cabool 30-4-4 The Bulldogs are another team that drops to Class 1 after losing to Class 2 State Champions Christion 2-3 in the state quarterfinals 14-16 in the 5th. Gone from that team were a quartet of 3-year starters that put Cabool on the map. Returning is the firey lefty 5’9 Hailey Shannon who was second on the team in kills with 260. Another critical piece is the return of blocking leader middle hitter [player_tooltip player_id="119215" first="Alexis" last="Hunter"]. These two seniors will guide a new group of Bulldogs into a new class and district. Look for a matchup with new district foe Winona in the first week of the season.   Midway 23-2 Midway finished last year with the third-place plaque in Class 1. Lost to Lesterville in the semifinals 1-3 but return plenty of talent to get back to the final four. Returning three top players are kill leaders Baylee Russ 280 kills, Abbey Dahman 155 kills, and Emily Powell 64 kills. Must replace starting setter, but the pieces are in place to have a strong season. Look for a critical matchup with Santa Fe in week 2.   Santa Fe 24-4-2 Another powerhouse program returns a solid core from a team that was one win away from a return trip to the final four. This year should be no different for the Chiefs. With deadly outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id="119196" first="Isabella" last="Limback"] back and her 516 kills from last year, she is one of the best hitters for Class 1. Add in Taylor Boothe and Emma Dierker, and the Chief’s are more than a one-woman show. September 14th rematch with Midway, who knocked out Santa Fe in last year’s state quarterfinals and district preview battle with Sacred Heart on September 29th.   Lesterville 25-11-2 The Bearcats lost the school’s all-time kill leader last year to graduation, but her replacement isn’t hard to find. Returning for her junior year is [player_tooltip player_id="123465" first="Reese" last="Gray"], who completed a fantastic sophomore campaign. With 506 kills and 486 digs last year, Gray will have to guide this young team this year. 4 other starters return for the Bearcats in assist machine [player_tooltip player_id="152153" first="Grace" last="Hicks"] 1154, Piper Fitzgerald 80 kills will move to the outside. Most likely, the Bearcats will also start a couple of freshman and sophomores. The pieces are in place for another great year but will have to contend with South Iron in the districts along with much-improved Bunker.   Blue Eye 14-10-1 The Bulldogs lost to Lesterville in the sectionals 0-3 but return top five kills leaders and gain another loss last year to injury. This group is no stranger to playoffs, and the majority of these kids were part of a state basketball final four teams last year. Kill leader Riley Arnold returns after putting down 335 kills last year. Toss in Kyla Warren’s 163, Samantha George 85, and Makayla Johnson’s 80, and you can see why they are in contentions again this year. They can’t forget that they get back Avery Arnold, who had 359 assists, 227 digs, and 115 kills as a sophomore before sitting out most of last year with an injury.   South Iron 19-7-3 The youth movement has been paying off for the Panthers late, and returning an almost full lineup sure does help. Returning players Maddie Ayers, Drew Gayle, and Enzley Dinkins, the Panthers look to win a district for the 1st time in over a decade. With 904 kills, 1531 digs, and 874 assists returning, the Panthers are looking to derail Lesterville for a district title. Having started the season 2-0, this could be the year for the Panthers. Rematch with Lesterville is on September 30th at home. Winona 14-12-2 Class 1 power Winona moved from the Lesterville district, beaten them for the last couple of district titles, but moved in with Cabool. Winona returns [player_tooltip player_id="152145" first="Nevaeh" last="Malawey"], her left arm cannon and 377 kills, Cloey Asplin and her smooth setting and 539 assists, and toss in Taylor Osborne’s 128 kills, Bailee Luttrell’s 135 kills, and Winona is stacked again this year. Don’t be fooled by the record from last year; the Wildcats play a loaded schedule for Class 1. Winona and Cabool lock horns on September 9th. Sacred Heart 20-8-1 One of my favorite mascots, the Gremlins, return to another solid team this year. Leading the way for the Gremlins is [player_tooltip player_id="152126" first="Emma" last="Siron"], one of 2 players to make all-state each of her first two seasons. She is coming off a sophomore year where she put down 348 kills, 54 blocks, 194 digs, and 179 assists. It’s not all Siron for the Gremlins as they return Kiley Beykirch with 180 kills and 396 assists. Having lost to Santa Fe in the district finals last year, the Gremlins will look for the upset this year. Watch out for a rematch with Santa Fe on September 29th. Gideon 31-2-1 Gideon had another solid year for the southeastern Missouri Class 1 team but ran into Advance in the playoffs. With the top 5 players returning this year, look for the Bulldogs to put up a fight to make the final four but are stuck in a sectional with Advance. Kaitlyn Clenney and Haley Stover and Kaylee Ashabranner returning with over 678 kills could be another district title year. With a bit of a beefed-up schedule this year, a preview of the district title game with Bernie on October 4th and a rematch with Advance on September 20th looms.     Other notable Class 1 teams. New Haven 11-15-3 4th place last year. Bunker 19-9-3 Archie 20-6-1 Eugene 17-11 St. Joseph Christian 25-2 Wellington-Napoleon 17-6-1 Eminence 6-15-2 Drexel 21-7-1