6A Playoff Preview W/ Predictions

<p>We are taking a look into each regional tournament, where the winner will take a trip to state, and the three other teams will be heading home. We will make some predictions and look at some of the players that could help their teams stay alive. </p> <p>Regional #1- #1 ranked Bishop Kelley, Sand Springs, Booker T. Washington, and Ponca city</p> <p>The Bishop Kelley Comets have only lost 3 games against teams from Oklahoma this season. <span style="text-decoration: underline;">[player_tooltip player_id="156860" first="Curry" last="Kendall"]</span> has been the main firepower for their offense. If she has a big game, BK is a hard team to stop. The 16th ranked team Sand Springs will play a tough match against #17 BTW. The Hornets got the best of the Sandites in the silver championship of the Owasso Tournament. This game will likely come down to the battle in the middle between <span style="text-decoration: underline;">[player_tooltip player_id="145974" first="Layla" last="Lenex"]</span> and <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Taryn McIntosh</span>. Another big battle to watch is between <span style="text-decoration: underline;">[player_tooltip player_id="144133" first="Sydney" last="Thompson"]</span> and <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Payton Robbins</span>, both are 6 rotation players. Robbins is a little more offensive, while Thompson is more defensive-minded.  They both have played well all season. Whichever team wins will play BK for their shot a state. <strong>My prediction</strong> is reigning state champion, Bishop Kelley, will win in the 4th set against either team that just gave everything they had to win the first match. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Regional #2- Edmond Santa Fe, Mustang, Putnam City North, and Putnam City.</p> <p>Edmond Santa Fe has bounced between number one and two all season long. They have players at every position on the court that step up in big moments. It will be an interesting matchup with Mustang, as Mustang has been taking sets from highly ranked teams lately and Santa Fe has lost a few sets to lower-ranked teams. <strong>My </strong><b>prediction</b> is Mustang snags a set from Santa Fe but it won't be enough to snap their regional championship streak. [player_tooltip player_id="144099" first="Katelyn" last="Branson"] and [player_tooltip player_id="144108" first="Madison" last="Edwards"] come up big for Santa Fe, as they have in this position many times before. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Regional #3- Jenks, Moore, Stillwater, and Yukon.</p> <p>This should be an interesting region. Yukon has a middle blocker named <span style="text-decoration: underline;">[player_tooltip player_id="144112" first="Katie" last="Clark"]</span> that is a big kid and if they can get her the ball, she is a playmaker. Stillwater has<span style="text-decoration: underline;"> [player_tooltip player_id="145967" first="Bess" last="Glenn"]</span> that hits from all over the court and the energy she brings makes her a great teammate.  Moore’s <span style="text-decoration: underline;">[player_tooltip player_id="144121" first="Reilly" last="Morrow"]</span> is a very crafty setter and hitter. She makes some brilliant plays that appear to be effortless. <strong>My prediction</strong> is Jenks has too many weapons and they get into the state tournament. [player_tooltip player_id="144111" first="Mikiah" last="Perdue"] and [player_tooltip player_id="144134" first="Megan" last="Salyer"] are possibly the best middle blocker and libero in the state. That makes it rough for hitters, if you can get past Perdue’s massive block, Salyer is patrolling behind her. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Regional #4-  Edmond Deer Creek, Edmond North, Choctaw, and US. Grant. </p> <p>Edmond North and Deer Creek saw each other in August and that match went five sets. I see them meeting again in the regional championship match and it being tight again. <span style="text-decoration: underline;">[player_tooltip player_id="144120" first="Cameron" last="Turner"]</span> and <span style="text-decoration: underline;">[player_tooltip player_id="145979" first="Jenna" last="Houk"]</span> are both very smart players that don’t make many mistakes. <strong>My prediction</strong> is Deer Creek punches their ticket in the fourth set. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Regional #5-  Norman North, Bartlesville, Westmoore, and Lawton</p> <p>Norman North has really gotten on a roll as of late. They have won 18 of the last 19 matches, with 11 of those being over top 15 teams. <strong>My prediction</strong> is this trend continues against Bartlesville. [player_tooltip player_id="144139" first="Mia" last="Otten"] is probably the best opposite in the state, but it won't be enough for all of Norman North’s options. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Regional #6- Edmond Memorial, Bixby, Norman, and Southmoore. </p> <p>Norman has been a scare for some teams this year. Bixby, and 6 rotation standout, <span style="text-decoration: underline;">[player_tooltip player_id="145964" first="Olivia" last="Vance"]</span>, may have a fight early on their hands. Edmond Memorial has gone through a rough patch lately but all of those losses were to top 10 teams.  This is going to help them this time of year. Playing tough teams will just be another week for them. <span style="text-decoration: underline;">[player_tooltip player_id="144132" first="Joeci" last="Hunt"]</span>, <span style="text-decoration: underline;">[player_tooltip player_id="144114" first="Devon" last="Scott"],</span> and <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Annie Davis</span> will be too much to handle. <strong>My prediction</strong> is they win in the 4th set but each set will be close.  </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Regional #7- Broken Arrow, Union, Northwest Classen, and Enid</p> <p>Both Union and Broken Arrow are in the same conference and have plenty of seniors who will not be ready for the season to end. This matchup for a state berth will be a knock-down-drag-out fight. They will trade blow for blow with their big front row players. Union is a better serving team but BA is better in serve receive. <strong>My prediction</strong> is Union feels good winning the last 14 of 15 games, including BA themselves, they get it done across town in a tough 5 set match to upset BA and keep their season alive. Some big hitters from both teams will be worth the watch, <span style="text-decoration: underline;">[player_tooltip player_id="144086" first="Mackenzie" last="McGuire"]</span>, <span style="text-decoration: underline;">[player_tooltip player_id="144141" first="Madison" last="LaPointe"]</span>, <span style="text-decoration: underline;">[player_tooltip player_id="144105" first="Tierney" last="Jackson"]</span>, and <span style="text-decoration: underline;">[player_tooltip player_id="144094" first="Mia" last="Martin"]</span>. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Regional #8- Owasso, Bishop McGuinness, Putnam City West, and Muskogee. </p> <p>Owasso and Bishop McGuinness will both get their first two games over with quickly. [player_tooltip player_id="144125" first="Rylee" last="Martin"] for Owasso has been a workhorse for her team all season long. [player_tooltip player_id="145990" first="Grace" last="Smallwood"] came back from her injury and has made McGuinness a totally different team. <strong>My prediction</strong> is the home crowd for Owasso, who usually shows up in swarms, will help keep their energy and allow them to outlast the Irish to punch their ticket to state. </p>