2021 Season Retrospective: Way-Too-Early Underdog Picks for 2022

<p>It’s time to embrace the underdog.</p> <p>Sure, the 2021 season just wrapped up, and it’s hard to make any solid prognoses on 2022 at this point. However, with this year’s results still fresh on my mind, I wanted to give a shoutout to a few underdogs who might have found some momentum at the end of the season. We’ll peruse through the 2021 standings to find a few teams that might be poised to ascend.</p> <p>Let’s get into it.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> [caption id="attachment_165443" align="alignright" width="452"]<img class="wp-image-165443" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/11/IMG_4449.jpg" alt="" width="452" height="301" /> Nebraska Christian competes at the 2021 state championships.[/caption] <p><strong>Nebraska Christian</strong></p> <p>Admittedly, by the time the 2022 postseason rolls around, this team might not be considered much of an underdog anymore. Even still, this group of players and coaches is looking to take Nebraska Christian’s volleyball program to new heights.</p> <p>A semifinal appearance this year by the Eagles has put everyone on notice. After coming within one set of breaking into the Class D1 title match, Nebraska Christian brings back a talented core group of players that will surely be looking for redemption -- and a first-ever volleyball title for their school.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Falls City</strong></p> <p>Class C1 surely has a lot of worthy upset picks. For this feature, though, we’re taking a peek at Falls City.</p> <p>A lot of focus might be on Falls City’s next-door neighbor winning a D2 title this year, but the Tigers also turned in a solid 24-7 campaign. Prolific scorers <strong>Makinley Scholl</strong>, <strong>Reece McNeely</strong>, and <strong>Raeann Thompson</strong> are all set to return for this group that should have aspirations of climbing higher in the wildcard race.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Bennington</strong></p> <p>This is a school that’s no stranger to athletic success, and they’ve got a chance to have a breakout season on the volleyball court in 2022.</p> <p>It’s a wide-open race in Class B again next year, and there’s a lot to like about what Bennington returns. Of course, [player_tooltip player_id="109590" first="Olivia" last="Mauch"] is always spectacular in the libero jersey as she holds down the Badger backcourt. [player_tooltip player_id="102194" first="Lauren" last="Buzbee"] has always been a force no matter which position she plays. Meanwhile, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="103080" first="Evie" last="Howard"]</strong> and <strong>Maddie Uhlir</strong> are also set to return after seeing plenty of on-court time in 2021.</p> <p>I’m excited to see this group elevate their game.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Grand Island</strong></p> <p>GISH has a real chance to make some noise in Class A for a few years.</p> <p>It’s hard not to start with the returning outside duo of [player_tooltip player_id="104983" first="Haedyn" last="Hoos"] and [player_tooltip player_id="155042" first="Tia" last="Traudt"]. This pair has been finding great success in both club and high school competition, and they’re just going to keep getting better with more high-level experience.</p> <p><strong>Jaylen Hansen</strong> is another name to keep an eye on, as the 2024 defensive specialist showed some great back-row skills this year. These talented players will create a balanced attack that should have the Islanders clawing up the Class A hierarchy.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Johnson-Brock</strong></p> <p>This volleyball powerhouse can seldom be considered an underdog. After missing out on the 2021 state tournament, Johnson-Brock might be set to make a resurgence.</p> <p>Replacing [player_tooltip player_id="58793" first="Jadyn" last="Hahn"] is a difficult task, but the Eagles will also have plenty of familiar faces around the program next year. <strong>Natalie Knippelmeyer</strong> and [player_tooltip player_id="155057" first="Taryn" last="Ottemann"] were steady contributors as underclassmen, and now their roles will surely expand. [player_tooltip player_id="103092" first="Halle" last="Rasmussen"] could provide some vital senior leadership, too.</p> <p>In any case, you really can’t keep Johnson-Brock down for long.</p>