4 Dark Horses in the 2023 MHSAA Division I Tournament

<h6 class="wp-block-heading"><em>Be sure to follow <strong>@lshotvb </strong>on Instagram, Tik Tok and Twitter for all things volleyball!</em></h6>   <h6 class="wp-block-heading"><em><a href="https://prepdig.com/top-250-expos/">Join us at the Prep Dig Top 250 Expo</a>! Use code LShotVBExpo2023 for 10% off your registration fee.</em> (APPLICABLE TO ALL EXPOS)</h6>   <h6 class="wp-block-heading">–</h6>   <p>With the conclusion of some last minute tune up tournaments this Saturday, it is officially post season!</p>   <p>October 30th marks the day we've been all waiting for since the start of the season in August. The Road to Kellogg Begins NOW!</p>   <p>Let's take a look at the teams in Division I to keep an eye on as the journey unravels over the next few weeks.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Temperance Bedford</h2>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/06/A3783325-7824-428F-8951-1FF67F59A8B8.jpeg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-411241" style="aspect-ratio:1.501466275659824;width:306px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='288945' first='Victoria' last='Gray'] </figcaption></figure>   <p>Temperance Bedford has been well within the mix of the top ten in Division I all season long. With their highest ranking coming somewhere in the mid-season at No. 6, Bedford currently sits at No. 9 walking into district week. This is not a team to take lightly however. </p>   <p>While their district field will seem pretty uneventful, it will be the regional rounds where Bedford will see their true test to a deep tournament run. If all goes as projected, the Kicking Mules could see themselves faced against No. 2 Northville in the opening rounds. On the other side of that bracket sits either a 3rd rematch with Saline or a match with No. 5 Brighton. While a tough route, Bedford may have the special recipe to make it through the trenches.</p>   <p>The special sauce in question is their Indiana bound middle blocker, [player_tooltip player_id='288945' first='Victoria' last='Gray']. One of the top players in all of Michigan this season, there is no player out there doing what Gray does. She stands as one of the most domineering players at the net with nearly a block per set and hitting .430 on the season. Not to mention, Gray is a six rotation player! With such a middle heavy presence and a setter like [player_tooltip player_id='261174' first='Kaylin' last='Schroeder'] that can dish the hot hand from anywhere on the court - it will be an interesting battle.</p>   <p>Bedford enters the post-season with a 57-3 record.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Jenison</h2>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/08/DSC_6232.jpg?w=884" alt="" class="wp-image-450351" style="aspect-ratio:0.8641251221896383;width:246px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='222360' first='Aubrey' last='Johnson']</figcaption></figure>   <p>Much like Bedford, Jenison has been well within the mix of the top teams in Michigan. The Cats have been a team on a steady rise since the beginning of the season. After going 2-3 in their opening weekend, Jenison has rallied on to go Runner-Up at Beast of the East a few weeks ago and currently sit just outside the top ten of the coaches' poll. </p>   <p>This is going to be a tough one however. The west side of the state are walking into the post-season with <strong>EIGHT</strong> ranked teams, all of which are vying for a singular spot in Kellogg Arena. For Jenison, the road is never easy and will kick off with the No. 1 team in the state, Hudsonville. This will be a match worthy of the bright lights in Battle Creek. (Sadly, relegated to a district final match at Grandville HS). If Jenison can overcome the beast at this stage of the tournament. No team may be too big for the Cats. </p>   <p>Jenison is headed by a trio of stellar pin attackers, all with solid ball control to keep the opposing defenses honest. [player_tooltip player_id='226882' first='Karis' last='Chatfield'] has been a true revelation for this program in just her sophomore season. She's leading this team in both kills and digs - averaging nearly 4 kps and 3.5 dps. Sr. [player_tooltip player_id='222360' first='Aubrey' last='Johnson'] and Jr. [player_tooltip player_id='200397' first='Dylann' last='Kelly'] are nothing to slouch over either. The two combine to add on another 5.5 kps and 3.5 dps. It will truly become a team effort for this squad to take Jenison to new heights.</p>   <p>Jenison enters this coming week with a 39-12-3 record. Only one of those losses came at the hands of an unranked team.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Mercy</h2>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/07/792-Kate-Kalczynski-1.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-437884" style="aspect-ratio:1.149270482603816;width:295px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='442987' first='Kate' last='Kalczynski']</figcaption></figure>   <p>Yet again, another team that has very much been in the conversation at one point or another throughout the season to be a championship contending team. However, Mercy has fallen out of the rankings as of the last two releases. With the pause in play from [player_tooltip player_id='156295' first='Campbell' last='Flynn'] (Nebraska), things seem very much in the air for Mercy. With a return to play, this is a team dangerous enough to take things all the way to the title game.</p>   <p>While it is unknown the severity of Flynn's injury - and if she will return for the post-season - one thing is for certain. With or without Flynn, this team is quite dangerous. They are a squad chock full of athletic pieces to toy around with, evident to what they have done all season due to injuries and absences. Mercy knows how to throw the pieces around and make do, something that will be critical in crunch time. </p>   <p>One of the biggest reasons for this elevation in play is the freshman phenom, [player_tooltip player_id='442987' first='Kate' last='Kalczynski']. It's not everyday you have a young gun like this leading a team in kills, but she nearly doubles the next highest attacker in kills per set. Kalczynski is quite an effective attacker with a nice array of shots that is not too often seen by someone her age. She'll have to show up big time if Mercy wants to make their grand return to Battle Creek after a four year absence.</p>   <p>The Marlins sit with a 24-12-3 record. Eight of these losses coming from times where Flynn was out of the line-up due to injury or duties with the National Team.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Harper Creek</h2>   <p>Unlike the previous three teams mentioned, Harper Creek has not been in the conversation at all! In fact, this is a team that is turning things on in this last half of the season. This past week, Harper Creek cracked the rankings as an HM team. What could they be bringing to the table and what could that mean this post season?</p>   <p>This team hasn't seen much top of the crop competition this season. At least, not in Division I. This could mean one of two things. This Harper Creek squad could come in very unprepared or come in as a huge unknown for the team across the net. Creek's last game against a ranked opponent was in early October in a loss against HM Lowell, their last win was over HM Grand Haven in the opening weekend of the season. However, similarly to Bedford, this team has quite the weapon in the middle that may be too much to handle.</p>   <p>Of that weapon in question, [player_tooltip player_id='472798' first='Cassidy' last='Pratley'] (Western Michigan) has been lighting it up all season. Get you a middle who can average over 5.5 kps and hit .350 on the season! Pratley is so terminal, she sits as the No. 6 most productive attacker in Michigan with 522 kills on the season. Pratley is much of an unknown product with this high school season being her big breakout. She'll need to be huge to get past the likes of Portage Northern or Gull Lake to advance deep into the tournament. </p>   <p>Harper Creek enters post-season play with a 27-9-5 record.</p>