2022 NSAA State Tournament Recap: Day 1

Class A, Class B, and Class C1 all took the stage for the opening day of the NSAA state championships. The quarterfinal round in these groups produced plenty of action, and this is where we’ll break it all down.

Class A

Class A was the final group in Day 1 action. Fittingly, this pod delivered its share of drama after dark.

In fact, the only sweep in Class A’s quarterfinal round ended up being top-seeded Papillion-La Vista South’s three-set triumph over Omaha Marian. But, as we’ll see, even that match wasn’t spared from the pulse-pounding moments.

The Titans rolled through the first two sets of Wednesday night’s contest and proved their worthiness as a top seed. The heralded pin duo of Stella Adeyemi Stella Adeyemi 5'9" | OH Papillion-LaVista South | 2023 State #95 Nation NE and Lauren Medeck Lauren Medeck 5'10" | OH Papillion-La Vista South | 2024 State #30 Nation NE was as sharp as ever, while Morgan Bode Morgan Bode 6'1" | MB Papillion-La Vista South | 2024 State NE proved her value as a lockdown middle blocker. Sophomore left-side hitter Chloe Livingston Chloe Livingston 5'7" | OH Papillion-La Vista South | 2025 State NE was also steady in her ever-growing role.

We figured that Marian would show some fight after pulling some upsets to reach Lincoln, and that’s what we got from the Crusaders. Senior middle blocker Amanda Loschen Amanda Loschen 6'2" | MB Omaha Marian | 2023 State NE matched up well with the big block of Papio South, and experienced pin hitters like Amelia Roth Amelia Roth 6'0" | MB Omaha Marian | 2023 State NE and Ashley Wilwerding Ashley Wilwerding 5'10" | OH Omaha Marian | 2023 State NE came up clutch. Marian jumped out to a large lead in the third and looked to be on the cusp of extending the match.

But, Class A’s top seed hit the gas. Adeyemi keyed up a huge serving run to fight off multiple Marian set points, and the Titans eventually capitalized on the rally. Sweep complete.

While that match was going on, Lincoln Southwest and Millard West were producing a head-spinning affair that we won’t soon forget.

The Silver Hawks entered the tournament as the second-overall seed behind Papio South, and LSW was quick to silence any doubters. Lincoln’s top team quickly got on the board with two set victories behind the extraordinary leadership of junior setter Malayah Long Malayah Long 6'0" | S Lincoln Southwest | 2024 State #138 Nation NE . This Marquette commit makes everyone around her better, from pin hitters Alexa Gobel Alexa Gobel 5'11" | OH Lincoln Southwest | 2023 State NE and Brinly Christensen Brinly Christensen 5'10" | OH Lincoln Southwest | 2023 State NE to middle blockers Abbie Appleget Abbie Appleget 6'0" | MB Lincoln Southwest | 2024 State NE and Emerson Lionberger Emerson Lionberger 6'0" | MB Lincoln Southwest | 2024 State NE . This whole quartet was teeing off thanks to Long’s exceptional tempo and location.

It looked like the Silver Hawks would dominate en route to a semifinal bid, but last year’s Class A runner-up was keen to keep playing. Millard West refocused after going down 0-2 and looked toward the players that have regularly produced in big moments. That meant senior outside hitters Alanna Bankston Alanna Bankston 6'1" | MB Millard West | 2023 State #68 Nation NE and Evan Glade Evan Glade 5'11" | OH Millard West | 2023 State NE would get plenty of attacking volume from fellow senior Skylar Walters Skylar Walters 5'9" | S Millard West | 2023 State NE at the setter spot. Suddenly, the Wildcats found a spark and took total control of the next two sets. We got our one fifth-set contest of Day 1, and nobody really knew what it would bring.

It turns out that Lincoln Southwest had saved a little juice for the end. A combination of stifling blocks from Long and clutch swings from Christensen and Gobel was all the Silver Hawks needed to pull ahead. After a 2-0 lead disappeared, the second-seeded Silver Hawks rebounded.

Finally, we ended the night with a pair of Class A quarterfinals that followed a similar course throughout.

Third-seeded Omaha Westside and sixth-seeded Gretna proved hard to separate in their late-night slugfest. We saw the strength of the pins on both sides; Gretna sophomore Elle Heckenlivley regularly exchanged blows with Westside senior Destiny Ndam-Simpson Destiny Ndam-Simpson 6'1" | OH Omaha Westside | 2023 State #37 Nation NE and Samantha Laird Samantha Laird 6'0" | OH Omaha Westside | 2023 State #171 Nation NE . There are several unsung heroes for these teams in the backcourt, too, like Westside libero Daniela Gologan and Gretna libero Faith Frame Faith Frame 5'6" | DS/L Papillion-La Vista | 2024 State NE .

The underdog Dragons swiped the opening set, but Westside quickly forged an answer. A two-point win in the second carried over into a more comfortable victory in the third. Omaha Westside was finding its stride on the big stage, and it also helped to have senior middle blocker Kensington Tekrony Kensington Tekrony 6'0" | MB Omaha Westside | 2023 State NE back in the lineup for these moments. The Warriors prevailed in four to earn a spot in the semifinals for the second year in a row.

Likewise, the 4-5 matchup between Papillion-La Vista and Lincoln East started with the lower seed getting on the scoreboard first. Lincoln East has received so many positive contributions from junior pin hitters Shandy Faalii Shandy Faalii 5'7" | OH Lincoln East | 2024 State NE and Megan Waters Megan Waters 5'10" | OH Lincoln East | 2024 State NE . This pair factored heavily in Set 1 victory for the Spartans, and they’d keep racking up numbers for the rest of the match.

Papillion-La Vista has an experienced lineup of its own, though. Elite junior contributors like setter Reagan Hickey Reagan Hickey 5'8" | S Papillion-La Vista | 2024 State NE and middle blocker Mia Tvrdy Mia Tvrdy 6'0" | MB Papillion-La Vista | 2024 State #54 Nation NE are used to these stages, and it showed in the way the Monarchs rebounded. Aside from the Hickey-Tvrdy combination, I was especially impressed with how Morgan Glaser Morgan Glaser 6'0" | OH Papillion-La Vista | 2024 State NE and Anna Sis Anna Sis 5'11" | OH Papillion-La Vista | 2023 State NE held down the pin positions and exhibited all-around skills in the back row.

All this firepower helped Papio power through every tight set after the opening loss. The Monarch claimed three-point wins in the third and fourth sets after winning the second by two, and these slim margins brought this history-rich program back to the final four.

Class B

Wednesday’s tournament action started with the Class B quarterfinals, and the top seeds in this group quickly made their presence felt.

It all started with top-overall seed Elkhorn North securing a bid to the next round with an emphatic 3-0 win over Grand Island Northwest. The Wolves offense was rolling from the start and was as balanced as it was effective. Ava Spies Ava Spies 5'9" | MB Elkhorn North | 2024 State NE frequently got involved from the middle blocker spot, and Shay Heaney Shay Heaney 6'2" | OH Elkhorn North | 2025 State NE was an efficient out-of-system outlet on the left. Of course, senior opposite Grace Heaney Grace Heaney 6'2" | RS Elkhorn North | 2023 State #33 Nation NE got her share of floor-denting kills, too.

Grand Island Northwest responded well to a first-set defeat by playing a closely contested second set with Class B’s top seed. Senior middle blocker Chloe Mader showed her versatility with some assertive swings on the right pin. Still, Elkhorn North managed to put together enough runs to steal the second set and eventually earn the sweep.

On the other side of the court, Omaha Skutt Catholic was engaged in a 2021 semifinal rematch with seventh-seeded Waverly. And, like last year’s contest, the Vikings struck first.

Senior opposite Kara Kassebaum Kara Kassebaum 6'0" | RS Waverly | 2023 State NE has long been a leader for Waverly, and she showed a little more of that impact Wednesday morning. The veteran had an important role in helping the Vikings rally late in the first set and steal the opener from the second-seeded SkyHawks.

From there, though, the seven-time defending champions found their rhythm. Senior outside hitter Morgan Burke Morgan Burke 5'10" | S Skutt Catholic | 2023 State #132 Nation NE terminated in several different areas of the court, opening up the rest of the offense to take aggressive swings. The right side duo of Ivy Leuck Ivy Leuck 5'8" | S Skutt Catholic | 2023 State NE and Abbie Hagedorn Abbie Hagedorn 5'11" | RS Omaha Skutt Catholic | 2025 State NE was particularly effective as Skutt rolled in the next three sets and kept the hunt for eight alive.

The second wave of Class B quarterfinals carried on the trend of success for higher seeds. On the south court, third-seeded Norris flexed its championship pedigree with a 3-0 victory over Sidney. Though the Titans have a somewhat different look than last year’s runner-up squad, there are still plenty of seasoned stars on the floor. Senior Gracie Kircher Gracie Kircher 5'11" | OH Norris | 2023 State NE continues to carry her do-it-all role for Norris, which features setting, hitting, and almost anything in between. Anistyn Rice and Celia Spilker Celia Spilker 6'4" | OH Norris | 2024 State NE were also a formidable frontcourt tandem in Wednesday’s win.

Sidney wraps up a 28-7 campaign that brought a variety of emerging talents to the forefront. Karsyn Leeling Karsyn Leeling 5'9" | MB Sidney | 2024 NE and Kayla Westby Kayla Westby 5'7" | OH Sidney | 2025 NE make up a powerful pair that should be even stronger for the Raiders next fall.

Lastly, we saw a fascinating 4-versus-5 matchup that pitted Bennington against Seward. These two blue-clad teams came to Lincoln looking to upset some of the other big powerhouses we’ve just discussed.

The beginning of the match was all about Bennington. Future Nebraska Cornhusker Olivia Mauch Olivia Mauch 5'7" | DS/L Bennington | 2024 State #50 Nation NE quickly made a habit of sprawling around the court making improbable defensive plays. Also in the ball control realm, setter Madelyn Uhlir Madelyn Uhlir 5'10" | S Bennington | 2024 State NE also showed her experience with some savvy distribution.

Seward wouldn’t go away easily, though. The Bluejays regularly generate offensive balance through hitters like Sophia Turek and Keira Lliteras, and that was evident in Lincoln. Seward took the third stanza to stay alive.

Bennington promptly responded. Mauch keyed up some huge serving runs to stretch the Badger lead late in Set 4. That was enough to propel Class B’s #4 seed into the semifinals.

Class C1

The middle portion of Wednesday’s festivities was occupied by Class C1, a group that put plenty of recognizable powerhouses in the state tournament field.

And those powerhouses had quite an opening day. North Bend Central led the charge as C1’s top seed, and the Tigers defended their frontrunner status by sweeping Adams Central on the north court. Junior outside hitter Josie Cleveringa Josie Cleveringa 5'10" | OH North Bend Central | 2024 State NE had another spectacular outing as North Bend Central’s go-to attacker, and multi-talented athlete Kaitlyn Emmanuel put on a blocking clinic at the net. This Tigers team has a similar core group that just won a state basketball title this spring, so it’s easy to feel this stage is not too big for them.

Adams Central graduates impactful seniors like Lauryn Scott Lauryn Scott 5'8" | RS Adams Central | 2023 State NE and Rachel Goodon Rachel Goodon 6'3" | MB Adams Central | 2023 State NE but can still lean on leading attacker Megyn Scott Megyn Scott 5'8" | OH Adams Central | 2024 State NE on next year’s Patriots squad.

While C1’s top seed was flexing its muscle on the north court, second-seeded Minden was doing much of the same on the south court. The Whippets backed up their impressive 32-3 regular season with a convincing sweep over DC West to reach the C1 semifinals. Sophomore Mattie Kamery Mattie Kamery 5'10" | S Minden | 2025 State NE paced the Minden offense Wednesday night, as she has done throughout the 2022 fall season. Her team-leading kill totals are particularly impressive given that Kamery also spends much of her time running the offense from the setter spot. When Kamery is setting, freshman Myla Emery is usually available to pick up the slack.

Even after Minden’s stellar performance, it’s hard to take away the excellent season that DC West put together to reach the state championships. Creighton commit Nora Wurtz Nora Wurtz 6'4" | MB DC West | 2024 State #110 Nation NE was as advertised, and this physical middle blocker even showed that she can pass and play defense in the back row. And, speaking of defense, junior libero Anna Borner Anna Borner 5'4" | DS/L DC West | 2024 State NE remains the focal point of a very strong Falcons backcourt.

Then, it was time for the other two Class C1 semifinals. Plenty of eyes were on the 3-versus-6 contest that featured two major perennial players. But, in this year’s showdown between Grand Island Central Catholic and Kearney Catholic, it was all about the Crusaders.

GICC quickly jumped out to a commanding lead in the opening set and seized that momentum for the rest of the match. Veterans like setter Carolyn Maser Carolyn Maser 6'1" | S Grand Island Central Catholic | 2024 State NE , outside hitter Gracie Woods Gracie Woods 6'0" | OH Grand Island CC | 2023 State NE , and middle blocker Lucy Ghaifan Lucy Ghaifan 6'1" | MB Grand Island Central Catholic | 2023 State NE found a way to make an influence in nearly every play. Not only was the offense connecting well, but the physicality of the Crusaders proved to be a lot to handle.

Still, Kearney Catholic was one of my favorite central Nebraska teams to follow this year. We got to see that lethal frontcourt combination of Londyn Carnes and Aibrey Mandernach Aibrey Mandernach 6'0" | MB Kearney Catholic | 2024 State NE , both of whom still have a year left with the Stars. You can count on Kearney Catholic generating a return bid next fall.

Of course, we had to save the one upset of the day until the very end of the feature. Leave it to the Swedes to break some trends in a day that went almost completely chalk.

Fifth-seeded Gothenburg was a state quarterfinalist last season, but the Swedes quickly showed that out for something more this year. Reliable hitters like Clara Evert Clara Evert 5'6" | OH Gothenburg | 2024 State NE and Taryn O’Hare Taryn O’Hare 5'8" | OH Gothenburg | 2025 State NE were all set up by the steady floor defense of senior libero Emily Cornwell. It was a beautiful combination that eventually lifted the Swedes to a 2-0 lead against fourth-seeded Malcolm.

The Clippers weren’t about to yield, of course. Malcolm built quite a winning reputation throughout the regular season, and we saw glimpses of how this team has been so successful. True freshman outside hitter Halle Dolliver has been a revolutionary addition to the program, and she will surely be a menace for years to come. The youth of Dolliver was also counterbalanced by the experience of senior outside hitter Diamond Sedlak. Malcolm used this unique combination to fight off elimination and swipe the third set.

In the end, Gothenburg pulled ahead to score Day 1’s lone upset. The #5 seed won the right to battle the North Bend Central juggernaut in what ought to be a thrilling semifinal bout.