Class 5 District 5 Preview
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Tonight’s the night! District 5 is set to get going and here is who we have to get us underway. We’ll call this the most teams go east bracket as many KC area teams hit I-70. Teams (in order of…
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Continue ReadingTonight’s the night! District 5 is set to get going and here is who we have to get us underway. We’ll call this the most teams go east bracket as many KC area teams hit I-70.
Teams (in order of seed): Rock Bridge, Blue Springs South, Blue Springs, Hickman, Smith-Cotton, Fort Osage, Truman, William Chrisman
Rock Bridge vs. William Christman
Key Players: Rock Bridge; Ella Swindle Ella Swindle 6'2" | S Rock Bridge | 2023 State #6 Nation MO , Lily Dudley Lily Dudley 5'10" | OH Rock Bridge | 2023 State #192 Nation MO , Kaylen Rush Kaylen Rush 5'7" | DS/L Rock Bridge | 2023 State MO . William Chrisman; No Information Available
Top seed Rock Bridge shouldn’t have much of a problem with the 8th seed Chrisman. Lily Dudley Lily Dudley 5'10" | OH Rock Bridge | 2023 State #192 Nation MO is explosive on the pin and Rush has been good in the back row with over 4 digs per set.
Hickman vs. Smith-Cotton
Key Players: Hickman; Madelyn Ashton, Kyndra Collier, Jenny Nielson. Smith-Cotton; Isabelle Lyles, Piper Cantrell Piper Cantrell DS/L Smith-Cotton | 2026 State MO
4th seed Hickman enters the postseason with a very balanced statistical team. Three players are averaging more than two kills per set. Three players are over 2 digs per set. And two setters with over 300 assists on the year. Smith-Cotton has a hard hill to climb in this first-round match with seven wins on the year. They do have defensive dandy Piper Cantrell Piper Cantrell DS/L Smith-Cotton | 2026 State MO and her 500 digs to keep the ball off the hardwood.
Blue Springs South vs. Truman
Key Players: Blue Spring South; Tori Valentine Tori Valentine 5'11" | OH Blue Springs South | 2023 State MO , Jaelynn Tunley Jaelynn Tunley 5'9" | OH Blue Springs South | 2025 State MO , Alexis Alexander. Truman; No Information Available.
Blue Springs South is a mystery. I saw them in action last week and thought how didn’t they scratch out more wins? They are coming in hot with three straight wins. Tunley, Valentine, and Alexander were all on their game in a recent five-set win over Platte County. They should make it past Truman.
Blue Springs vs. Fort Osage
Key Players: Blue Springs; Maya Fergerson, Kayleigh Jenkins. Fort Osage; Epifania Salamasina Epifania Salamasina 5'11" | MB Fort Osage | 2025 State MO , Averi Gray
Blue Springs has enough weapons to get it done in their opening contest behind the play of Fergerson, who can do everything on the court from hitting, setting, and digging. Salamasina has been a steady performer with six win Fort Osage this fall. Blue Springs n three.