Ryan’s Class 5 Final Four Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><mark class="has-inline-color has-primary-color">Semifinal 1: Lafayette Lancers 34-2 vs. Kickapoo Lady Chiefs 35-4</mark></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>These two played for the Class 5 championship last year with Lafayette taking a 25-19, 24-26, 25-10, 25-17 win. Lafayette would squeak out a district championship over Marquette in 5 and swept Jackson in the quarterfinals to reach the final four. Lafayette is going for the school's 8^th title in its 11 final four appearances. Kickapoo would knock off Ozark 25-15, 25-19, 22-25, 25-19 to win districts and then got their brooms out for a sweep of Blue Springs South. Kickapoo is looking for their first state title in six final-four appearances. The Lady Chiefs have three 2^nd, one 3^rd, and one 4^th place finish. Both teams have</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Common Opponents:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lafayette beat all the common opponents, while Kickapoo beat Blue Springs South, Liberty North, Ozark, and Park Hill South. Kickapoo lost to Eureka, Marquette, and Nixa.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Head-to-Head: </strong>In the Rockwood Tournament Kickapoo jumped out on Lafayette and took the 1^st set 25-20. In the second set, Lafayette would put the hammer down on the Lady Chiefs and win 25-9. During the third set, Lafayette got out quickly and held on for the 25-19 win. [player_tooltip player_id='124851' first='Bella' last='Faria'] would finish with nine kills, [player_tooltip player_id='243236' first='Claire' last='Doennig'] with seven, Lily Paupin added five, and [player_tooltip player_id='493000' first='Hannah' last='Gardner'] finished with six in the loss for Kickapoo. [player_tooltip player_id='342439' first='Kya' last='Johnson'] and [player_tooltip player_id='124851' first='Bella' last='Faria'] are the only two in double digits for digs combining for 32. [player_tooltip player_id='493000' first='Hannah' last='Gardner'] and Reagan Greenway combined for 28 assists. Lafayette's 2027 [player_tooltip player_id='475339' first='Shaye' last='Witherspoon'] would lead the attack for the Lancers with 11, [player_tooltip player_id='153929' first='Maya' last='Witherspoon'] with 8, [player_tooltip player_id='124222' first='Allison' last='Risley'] with 5, and [player_tooltip player_id='207267' first='Kira' last='Dufner'] with 5. [player_tooltip player_id='207267' first='Kira' last='Dufner'] and [player_tooltip player_id='475339' first='Shaye' last='Witherspoon'] had a huge blocking match with seven and five respectively. The Lancer's defense scooped up 66 digs with [player_tooltip player_id='124219' first='Alyssa' last='Nelson'] topping the players with 14 to go along with her 28 assists.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Statistical leaders for Kickapoo:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='124851' first='Bella' last='Faria'] has 318 kills and 394 digs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='342439' first='Kya' last='Johnson'] has 548 digs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='243236' first='Claire' last='Doennig'] has 121 blocks.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Reagan Greenway has 58 aces and 646 assists.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Statistical leaders for Lafayette:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='153929' first='Maya' last='Witherspoon'] has 393 kills.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='124219' first='Alyssa' last='Nelson'] has 62 aces and 937 assists.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='207267' first='Kira' last='Dufner'] has 109 blocks.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepdig.com/player/amelia-mia-moser/">Amelia “Mia” Moser</a> has 430 digs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Prediction: </strong>Lafayette came out flat in the district championship with Marquette falling behind 0-2 and on the brink of elimination before pulling out a 34-32 3^rd set and the match in 5. They've lost to St. Thomas Aquinas, KS, and semifinal participant Lee's Summit West both 2-1 decisions. Kickapoo already has extra motivation in the match having suffered a defeat in last year's title match to Lafayette and the regular season. The difference in both those matches was Lafayette's blocking and relentless attack. Kickapoo will need big production from its pin hitters along with big blocking matches from the middle and opposite if they want to knock off the Lancers. Lafayette will take the semifinal match 3-1 and move on to the championship keeping hopes alive for back-to-back titles.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><mark class="has-inline-color has-primary-color">Semifinal 2: Lee's Summit West Titans 27-8 vs. Francis Howell Vikings 31-7-1</mark></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Titans won their district championship with a 5-set win over Lee's Summit 19-25, 25-22, 20-25, 25-23, and 15-7. Then they had the daunting task of taking on Liberty North in the quarterfinals. They would take down Liberty North 25-21, 25-19, 19-25, and 25-22 to reach their 7^th final four and seek its 2^nd championship. In every final four appearances, they've played for the title and have gone 1-5 in the championships. Howell is making the program's 4^th final four appearances and seeks the school's first volleyball title. The Vikings swept through districts and then had a battle in the quarterfinals with Francis Howell Central taking the 25-23, 17-25, 25-21, and 25-17 win to advance to the first final four since 2016.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Common Opponents: </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Head-to-Head: No</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Common Opponents:</strong> Lee's Summit West went 3-1 and Howell went 1-3. West beat Blue Springs, Blue Springs South, and Eureka and lost to Marquette. Howell beat Blue Springs but lost to Blue Springs South, Eureka, and Marquette.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Statistical Leaders for Lee's Summit West:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='493090' first='Kamryn' last='McDonald'] has 250 kills and 273 digs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='349614' first='Bella' last='Bishop'] has 38 aces and 233 kills.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='179749' first='Ava' last='Anderson'] has 116 blocks.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='152824' first='Emily' last='Mathis'] has 299 digs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='219779' first='Delaney' last='Rhoden'] has 555 assists.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Statistical Leaders for Francis Howell:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='495274' first='Ella' last='Kloepper'] has 361 kills and 227 digs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Claudia Bonacorsi has 57 aces and 223 digs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='174285' first='Avery' last='Helms'] has 451 digs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='207586' first='Avery' last='Guisinger'] has 79 blocks and 232 kills.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='153928' first='Morgan' last='Christine Dumm'] has 218 digs and 634 assists.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Prediction:</strong> Either team has a solid chance and winning this match and advancing to the championship. West knocked off one of the best teams in the state to make a return to the final four and did so with a balanced attack. Francis Howell had three players with double-digit kills in their quarterfinal win and finished with 8 blocks. Both teams have terminating opposites in [player_tooltip player_id='170047' first='Danielle' last='Moore'] and [player_tooltip player_id='216020' first='Ryanne' last='Wattree']. Both liberos are outstanding and the setters run great offenses. The difference in the match will be who can terminate more often during the long rallies. The edge will go to Lee's Summit West in a 3-2 marathon.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->