Jackson Tournament Preview
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You get your class 1 powers, privates from Saint Louis, the host school, and then a couple of the top teams from outside Saint Louis, all in one tournament. Each pool is stacked, and you play four of the five…
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Continue ReadingYou get your class 1 powers, privates from Saint Louis, the host school, and then a couple of the top teams from outside Saint Louis, all in one tournament. Each pool is stacked, and you play four of the five teams in your pool. The top four teams advance to the tournament, where you go into a cross-pool format in the first round. This is truly becoming one of my favorite tournaments to watch.
Pool 1
1. Jackson 13-1-2
2. Nerinx Hall 17-4-1
3. Lindbergh 8-6-1
4. Lesterville 14-2
5. Advance 8-4
6. Arcadia Valley 4-11-2
Pool 1 has four or five teams that could battle for 1st place in the pool, but Jackson and Nerinx Hall should finish 1 and 2, respectively. Jackson and Nerinx Hall have one common opponent, and that is Marquette. Jackson split with Marquette at the Gateway Matchup, and Nerinx Hall lost to Marquette at the Gateway Matchup. Nerinx Hall already has a sweep over Lindbergh. Lesterville has beaten Advance in four and Arcadia Valley in 3 while Advance beat Arcadia Valley in 3 earlier in the season.
Pool 2
1. Farmington 16-3-1
2. Saxony Lutheran 13-1-2
3. Incarnate Word Academy 11-10
4. Kirkwood 5-14-3
5. Valle Catholic 6-9
6. Poplar Bluff 4-10
Pool 2 is another one that could be a toss-up between the top 3 teams in Farmington, Saxony, and Incarnate Word. Farmington lost to Saxony in the Dig for Life Tournament championship, but I feel it’s redemption time for the Black Knights. Saxony and Incarnate Word have no common opponents, but Saxony will be more than Incarnate can handle. Incarnate has a win over Kirkwood at the Gateway Matchup and could get a split here. Valle Catholic should finish in 5th behind Kirkwood, and Poplar Bluff will end up 6th.
Gold Tournament Quarterfinals
Jackson
Vs
Kirkwood
Jackson takes care of Kirkwood as Katherine St. John Katherine St. John 6'1" | OH Jackson | 2025 State MO and Ella Domian Ella Domian 5'8" | OH Jackson | 2024 State MO are too much for the Pioneers.
Saxony Lutheran
Vs.
Lindbergh
Paige Seibel and Clara Brune battle Lindbergh and win it in 3.
Farmington
Vs.
Lesterville
Offensively Farmington is too big for Class 1 Lesterville and nips the Bearcats in 2.
Nerinx Hall
Vs.
Incarnate Word
Nerinx Hall swept conference foe IWA to move on to the semifinals. Ella Gaona Ella Gaona 5'6" | DS/L Nerinx Hall | 2023 State MO takes care of the Markers’ defense and pushes them into the semifinals.
Gold Tournament Semifinals
Jackson
Vs.
Saxony
Jackson beat Saxony earlier in 4 and take this rematch in 3.
Farmington
Vs.
Nerinx Hall
Nerinx Hall beat Farmington the first weekend of the season 27-25, 23-25, 25-10, and repeated the performance with a win in 3.
Audrey O’Neill, Grace Walkenbach, and Taylor Reynolds Taylor Reynolds 5'6" | S Nerinx Hall | 2024 State MO carry the team in the win over the Black Knights.
Gold Tournament Finals
Jackson
Vs.
Nerinx Hall
The finals are the top two teams in Pool 1. Again the common opponent is Marquette with a Jackson split and a Nerinx Hall loss.
Edge in ball control: Nerinx Hall
Setting: Nerinx Hall
Defense: Nerinx Hall
Blocking: Jackson
Outsides: Jackson
Middles: Jackson
Opposite: Jackson
Jackson uses its height and power on the outside to take the finals in 3.