Kansas 5A Substate Bonner Springs Sites

The postseason is here and this will be my first go-around at covering Kansas postseason. If you are like me and new to the substate versions, then let's ponder together why it's called the Bonner Springs sites and yet Bonner Springs is not a host school. After talking to some colleagues and locals, the 4 “substates” are actually hosted by the higher-seeded teams in the four brackets or quadrants. Therefore the following Substates are based on their wins and losses record (winning percentage) as we have St Thomas Aquinas at #1 (32-3), followed by last year's state runner up St. James Academy (31-3). Seaman is #3 with a 28-8 record, and Lansing #4 vying to defend their state title (24-7).   St. Thomas Aquinas Substate   The first Play-in match will feature Bonner Springs and Highland Park. I watched Bonner Springs played earlier this month at the Janice Van Gorp Classic. They relied heavily on senior setter Wren VanCleave in their offensive system and sometimes plays as a hitter to get them going. Highland Park Scots do have more wins in the season but it will all depends how they'll play collectively as a unit. I see an upset as Bonner Springs take the first match to face St. Thomas Aquinas in the first semifinal match. Aquinas team is loaded with talent and I can list all of them if needed to. To be concise, too many hitters in [player_tooltip player_id='150076' first='Betsy' last='Goodenow'], [player_tooltip player_id='153937' first='Alea' last='Goolsby'], and [player_tooltip player_id='119725' first='Tatum' last='Grimes'] will power the Saints to the final.   The 8/9 match will be a tough one in Blue Valley Southwest and Piper. Blue Valley Southwest is in "rebuilding" mode from watching them often this season. However, all-around athletes in senior [player_tooltip player_id='150080' first='Reese' last='Bates'] and sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='173370' first='Kaylee' last='Tingey'] will proves them otherwise. Yes the resurgence of the freshman class in [player_tooltip player_id='222092' first='Willow' last='Weninger'] and [player_tooltip player_id='222097' first='Taylor' last='Stanley'] has created a buzz in the future of the program but that's not what's important now. Statistically, Bates and Tingey will not be on any leaderboards because both have played so many positions for the Timberwolves (Bates, Jacksonville State commit, actually leads the team in aces with 44). Piper is a dark horse from this perspective. They have the wins but only a few quality wins against Olathe East and Shawnee Heights in the past month. Their stats are not updated on MaxPreps but based on whom I saw this season, they will rely on setter [player_tooltip player_id='493376' first='Abbie' last='Roth'] and outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='216402' first='Delaney' last='Cahill']. Roth can play setter and opposite if needed to and was utilized in a 5-1 scenario throughout the season. We'll take the Timberwolves to face Aquinas in the final.   Aquinas flexed their muscle why they are the number 1 team in the state and takes home the substate trophy with [player_tooltip player_id='119691' first='Kelsey' last='Schenck'] and [player_tooltip player_id='222090' first='Alayna' last='Vaeth'] running their 6-2 offense.   Prep Dig Marshall = Aquinas Twitter Poll = Aquinas (75%)   St James Academy Substate   Leavenworth and Pittsburg will be first in the play-in match before the winner moves on to play host St. James. No statistical data is inputted on MaxPreps from either teams but I know one in senior outside hitter Emma Kenny from Leavenworth. Kenny will be the go to player and be ready for her to pop off another 23 kill series like she did against Bonner Springs. Pittsburg might be in a disadvantage with their schedule as their two wins came from the same team in Field Kindley from Coffeyville. We take Leavenworth on this one. St. James will not wait around to get going as they have both the offensive unit as well as the defensive players to roll through the competition. We start with sophomore setter [player_tooltip player_id='154039' first='Reese' last='Messer'] leading the offense with 591 assists on the season. She will have her hitters hot and ready from middle block Kate McKnight to her pins in [player_tooltip player_id='119718' first='Ava' last='Spachek'] and Ella L Goodwin. More impressively is that they have 4 strong defenders. Leading the way is junior libero [player_tooltip player_id='119694' first='Mya' last='Bolton'] with 306 digs and 280 receptions. The three others are Kansas commit, [player_tooltip player_id='150067' first='Heidi' last='Devers'] (161 digs, 215 receptions), [player_tooltip player_id='152163' first='Lauren' last='Brown'] (159 digs, 231 receptions), and Kate Blaesing (162 digs, 234 receptions). The Thunder will roll on through to the substate final.   The 7-10 matchup feature Spring Hill and Shawnee Heights. Theyplayed each other at the Olathe Northwest Invitation just a couple of weekends ago with Shawnee Heights pulling the victory. Spring Hill will feature their 1-2 workhorse in [player_tooltip player_id='119712' first='Shannon' last='Frakes'] and [player_tooltip player_id='216384' first='Keilah' last='Rivers'] as their pins. More importantly, can their middle blocker Jenna Weber be a difference maker as their top blocker? I said it before and I'm going to say it again, Shawnee Heights will be the dark horse in any competition. Watch for senior outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='214642' first='Emily' last='Loy'] taking charge of the offensive output. Libero Taylor Rottinhaus and setter Elise Curry are hidden gems from the bigger 5A schools. You'll see the three of them all-over the court for Shawnee Heights as they upset Spring Hill.   St. James was the state runner-up last year and they will return to State to take another shot at a State Championship. Watch for [player_tooltip player_id='119723' first='Julia' last='Headley'] to be dominant in the middle.   Prep Dig Marshall = St. James Twitter Poll = St. James (80%)   Seaman Substate   In our first 4 team bracket, Seaman hosts De Soto. Unfortunately, there are no stats entered on MaxPreps for either teams. Fortunately, I watched them play in person to give some insights on both teams. Seaman's [player_tooltip player_id='173374' first='Meagan' last='Mills'] will start the offense their outside hitter. Watch for her to be active on the left and right side of the court. In the middle, we will have [player_tooltip player_id='119804' first='Brooklyn' last='Gormley']. Both were in my all-tournament honorable mention during Lansing's Invitational. They'll showcase a few more sophomores in setter [player_tooltip player_id='219715' first='Campbell' last='Chabot'] and leftie setter/opposite [player_tooltip player_id='349386' first='Jaida' last='Stallbaumer']. De Soto looks to their younger core players in sophomore Makenzie Farmer and freshmen [player_tooltip player_id='523672' first='Chloe' last='Kmiecik'] to make a difference. Senior Erin Barr and Carson Schuman should provide some stability in their respective hitting and setting responsibilities. Seaman's consistency will put them through the next round.   FL Schlagle  vs Turner matchup will be an unknown to me as teams do not have their roster nor stats up on MaxPreps. To be respectful, we will take FL Schlagle to win this matchup with their better winning percentage.   Seaman's experience, playing in twice as many matches, will give them a big advantage. We concur with our twitter poll and take Seaman to win their substate.   Prep Dig Marshall = Seaman Twitter Poll = Seaman (95%)   Lansing Substate   Lansing will go as the defending State Champion and should be fine against Basehor-Linwood. The played once this year where Lansing cruised to a 25-12, 25-14 victory. Led by senior outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='120045' first='Skylar' last='Weaver'], junior [player_tooltip player_id='119810' first='Anna' last='Laincz'] and [player_tooltip player_id='119730' first='Ashlynn' last='Jaccard'], Lansing will have no barriers offensively. I'm starting to like the plays of setter Tabor Scanlon (759 assists) and libero Jessi Ritchhart (262 digs, 330 receptions) to compliment their offensive firepower. Basehor-Linwood will attempt to fight back from the plays of setter Taylor Cruse (who has 600 assists in the season), junior [player_tooltip player_id='495679' first='Harley' last='Baker'] (190 kills), and Abbie Richards (290 digs, 348 receptions). We saw their lone battle earlier this season and we will see the same result with Lansing taking the rematch.   The 5-12 matchup will feature Sumner Academy and Washington. I have not watched either team so we're basing this from statistical input on MaxPreps. Washington had some wins in the season but have not played well against tougher opponents. Looking through some of the scores, it seems that there's a big skill gap between them and some of the bigger volleyball schools. Sumner did provide stats which is helpful on piecing together who they have. They turn to senior Annabelle Cacho (219 kills) and Kylie Mccleary (134 kills) to provide the offense. They look to running a 5-1 offense through Kenneth Rodriguez who has 380 assists this season. Libero Sui Par will round up the squad as their top defender with 172 digs and 216 receptions. Based on this analysis, we take Sumner Academy to move on.   We thought it might be Lansing's rebuilding season but the defending state champ have proven otherwise. We take Lansing to return to Salina to defend their State Championship.   Prep Dig Marshall = Lansing Twitter Poll = Lansing (94.1%)   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   Follow Twitter <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="http://www.x.com/prepdigmarshall" target="_blank">@PrepDigMarshall</a> to participate in the twitter poll! Use #KSpickemSubstate22 and #SubstatePickEm to find past, current, and future polls!

The postseason is here and this will be my first go-around at covering Kansas postseason. If you are like me and new to the substate versions, then let's ponder together why it's called the Bonner Springs sites and yet Bonner Springs is not a host school. After talking to some colleagues and locals, the 4 “substates” are actually hosted by the higher-seeded teams in the four brackets or quadrants. Therefore the following Substates are based on their wins and losses record (winning percentage) as we have St Thomas Aquinas at #1 (32-3), followed by last year's state runner up St. James Academy (31-3). Seaman is #3 with a 28-8 record, and Lansing #4 vying to defend their state title (24-7).