MICDS Brace for Impact Volleyball Tournament
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It’s the best time of the year! Volleyball is starting and the first weekend gives us a power-packed field for the MICDS Tournament. Some of the top teams from the metro area will take to the court Friday evening and…
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Continue ReadingIt’s the best time of the year! Volleyball is starting and the first weekend gives us a power-packed field for the MICDS Tournament. Some of the top teams from the metro area will take to the court Friday evening and Saturday with battles in every pool. We have power programs from each side of the Metro area and the Class 3 back-to-back state champions. I will preview the pools, semifinals, and finals in the top playoff bracket.
Pool A
St. Pius X
U – High Chicago
Belleville West
MICDS
St. Pius X and Belleville West should be the match to determine the pool winner. Hannah Leftridge Hannah Leftridge 5'10" | OH St. Pius X (Festus) | 2025 State MO , Anne Makowski Anne Makowski 6'0" | OH St. Pius X (Festus) | 2025 State MO , and Bennett Raterman Bennett Raterman 6'4" | MB St. Pius X (Festus) | 2026 State MO take care of business at the net while Karlie Lane Karlie Lane 5'4" | DS/L St. Pius X Festus | 2024 State MO and Emma Frazier Emma Frazier 5'4" | DS/L St Pius X | 2024 State MO cause fits for the opposition in the backcourt. The Lancers will finish top in Pool A without much trouble.
Pool B
Mater Dei
Blair Oaks
Rockwood Summit
Hillsboro
If you follow the metro area on the Illinois side, then you already know about the powerhouse Mater Dei. Blair Oaks has become a powerhouse of their own the last two years as they have taken the Class 3 state title back-to-back. Mater Dei has a monster middle in 6’5” Alyssa Koerkenmeier and 6’2” outside hammer Emma Johnson. Blair Oaks counters with Autumn Bax Autumn Bax 5'11" | RS Blair Oaks | 2024 State #188 Nation MO the dominant lefty opposite and outside Bailey Braun Bailey Braun 5'10" | OH Blair Oaks | 2024 State MO . Mater Dei has too much for the Falcons to handle and the Knights win the pool.
Pool C
St. Joseph’s Academy
Althoff
Farmington
Centralia, IL
The Angels return a powerful attack and a huge block. Althoff, IL is another dominant program from Illinois and this year will be the same for the Crusaders. The battle between St. Joseph’s Academy and Althoff will be a fight, but I’ll take the Angels for the pool winner. Emma Howard does a ton on the outside and Gabby Orlet is a smooth offensive setter for the Crusaders. Claire Morrissey Claire Morrissey 6'0" | RS St Joseph’s Academy | 2024 State #22 Nation MO does it on both sides of the ball with her powerful attacks and relentless defense while Zoe Baliva Zoe Baliva 6'1" | OH St. Joseph's Academy | 2025 State MO and Kayla Jansen Kayla Jansen 6'2" | MB St. Joseph's Academy | 2024 State MO help defensively at the net for the pool-winner Angels.
Pool D
Nerinx Hall
Belleville East
North Point
Fox
Nerinx Hall Markers has another solid team this year led by Taylor Reynolds Taylor Reynolds 5'6" | S Nerinx Hall | 2024 State MO who will feed her big middle Audrey O’Neill and have enough role players make big plays to take the pool over North Point. Catherine Woolf Catherine Woolf 6'0" | OH North Point | 2024 State MO and Cooper Griffin do damage for the Grizzlies but not enough to keep Nerinx from moving on to the top playoff bracket.
Bracket Playoff Semifinals
(1A) St. Pius X vs. (1D) Nerinx Hall
The Lancers have a ton of offense and a talented setter in Elena Ruble Elena Ruble 5'7" | S St. Pius X (Festus) | 2026 State MO who feeds her powerful middle Bennett Raterman Bennett Raterman 6'4" | MB St. Pius X (Festus) | 2026 State MO early and often. The Markers put up a great fight but the Lancers take a 2-1 win to advance to the finals.
(1B) Mater Dei vs. (1C) St. Joseph’s Academy
This is going to be one heck of a semifinal game. Both are power programs from their respective states. Mater Dei has one of the better middles in the Metro area while St. Joseph’s has one of the better outsides in the nation. Defense will win this one and I’ll take my home state team St. Joseph’s Academy to advance to the finals with a dogfight 2-1 win.
Finals
St. Pius X vs. St. Joseph’s Academy
Claire Morrissey Claire Morrissey 6'0" | RS St Joseph’s Academy | 2024 State #22 Nation MO plays outstanding defense and leads the offense, and the Angels outmuscle the Lancers to take the championship match 2-0.