1A Too-Soon Preview: Part 2
<p>Part two of our four-part too-soon preview involves a perennial top-five 1A candidate and a recent returning 1A team that spent the last two years as a 2A squad. Both are capable of doing damage in the post-season, and both have enough returners to challenge Trinity Lutheran for the title.</p>
<p><strong>Bloomfield</strong></p>
<p>What. A. Run. The Cardinals didn’t win their conference, nor was their record indicative of the perfect timing of their regional title run. However, graduating seniors <strong>Gracie Lowry (5 k/s, .362), </strong><strong>Rylee Schantz (1.9 k/s, .253) </strong>and <strong>Kinley Moody (1.7 k/s, .233)</strong> take the bulk of the offense with them, while <strong>Emma Vaught (2.5 d/s)</strong> leaves the libero jersey to someone else this coming fall. Who might take over? Returning setter <strong>Brianna Bucher (’23, 5-5, 8.6 a/s) </strong>has the championship experience to run a 5-1 offense, and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="144799" first="Delaney" last="Richardson"] (’23, 5-10 MB)</strong> is the top returning attacker and the only significant size option for the fall. <strong>Annie Pegg (’24, OH)</strong> might see her options limited offensively, as she’s the only returning defender with varsity experience. This group of two-sport Cardinals have athleticism, but will be a young bunch looking to repeat the magic of the fall of ’21.</p>
<p><strong>Cowan</strong></p>
<p>Welcome back to 1A, Blackhawks! A state title in 2019 got them up a class, so now that they took their lumps with the bigger girls, the Cowan faithful will be back to the success we’re accustomed to seeing from this Muncie-area squad. Extended good news for this roster is the return of the majority of the offense and defense, something most 1A schools can’t say for this coming fall. The size comes back on offense, with middles <strong>Madi Howell (’23, MB, 1.8 k/s, .293) </strong>and <strong>Josie Byrd (’23, MB, 1.4 k/s, .210)</strong> leading the way. I can easily see softball stud <strong>Cheyenne Carter (’24) </strong>take the libero jersey for herself this fall, as <strong>Graci Upchurch </strong>was the top floor defender a year ago. The biggest question will be who runs the offense, since <strong>Emma Clark’s </strong>leadership is gone. </p>
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