Seniors Going Out on Top at the 2023 NSAA State Championships

There's no better way to wrap up a prep career.   Every year, we get to witness the jubilation of senior athletes who win a state championship in their final high school contest. It's no mystery that seniors often play a big part in the successes of Nebraska's top high school teams, and that narrative manifested again in 2023.   So, in our first post-event feature from the 2023 NSAA State Championships, we're giving a nod to the star seniors who are walking off with Nebraska's biggest prize.     Lincoln Southwest   It's only fitting that we start with the Class A champs. Lincoln Southwest's senior class had an extraordinary combination of quality and quantity. Almost the entire starting lineup was made up of seniors as the Silver Hawks marched to their first state volleyball title in program history. That's a transformative group.   [player_tooltip player_id='104989' first='Malayah' last='Long'] might have solidified her case as Nebraska's best prep setter this fall with her leadership and skill. The Marquette commit dished out one of the state's fastest, most efficient offenses en route to the title. Long also brings a frontcourt presence that is rare among prep setters. She puts up a solid block on the right pin and accompanies that with some aggressive attacks on the second contact. This is a complete leader who would not be denied in Saturday's championship showdown.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/KingsleyATK/status/1721001165616185795?s=20 </div></figure>   Speaking of the frontcourt, Long was joined by a host of fellow 2024s along the net. Both middle blockers, [player_tooltip player_id='152856' first='Abbie' last='Appleget'] and [player_tooltip player_id='152857' first='Emerson' last='Lionberger'], established a multi-year connection with their senior setter. Appleget became the ideal 'M2' in front of the setter while Lionberger showed her prowess on a variety of routes--even as an opposite on the right side. Opposing blockers always had to worry about this veteran duo.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/KingsleyATK/status/1720993023285145867?s=20 </div></figure>   In three-hitter rotations, right-side hitter [player_tooltip player_id='152858' first='Madison' last='Rink'] received as many opportunities as possible. LSW received a dominant final campaign from the Northern Colorado commit, as Rink frequently took over matches with her over-the-top attacks. She also had a knack for shutting down opposing left sides regardless of whether she was paired with Appleget or Lionberger on the block. This was a position with serious depth given the presence of senior [player_tooltip player_id='187809' first='Ava' last='Tomlin'] at opposite, too.   [player_tooltip player_id='187807' first='Julia' last='Trost'] was the veteran anchor on the other pin. The high-flying outside hitter was deadlocked with Rink for the team lead in kills heading into the tournament. Perhaps the biggest asset of Trost's game was her ability to quickly get on top of the up-tempo sets that LSW loved to dish out.   Finally, we have the platoon of backcourt defenders. The Silver Hawks regularly used DS substitutions for all three of its pins, allowing three defenders to enter the spotlight alongside the libero. That libero jersey belonged to [player_tooltip player_id='124953' first='Teagan' last='Little'], who had been LSW's keynote defender throughout her upperclassman years. Litte's fearlessness in digging against crosscourt heat was a positive influence on all the other talented players next to her.   [player_tooltip player_id='109613' first='Reese' last='Boyd'] was another senior DS who made the most of her time as a Silver Hawk. She was a mainstay in the starting lineup for more than just her defense and passing. Boyd frequently went on scoring runs with her tough serving, which was the case again in Saturday's championship match.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/KingsleyATK/status/1720987095253090548?s=20 </div></figure>   Like Boyd, [player_tooltip player_id='109601' first='Aaliyah' last='Bradford'] hopped over to Lincoln Southwest and finished her career on the highest note possible. Bradford landed on our radar as a setter for Lincoln East and Premier Nebraska, but her defensive specialist role with the Silver Hawks was a revelation. She locked down the right-back area for LSW--a natural spot for anyone with a setting background. This transition, both in venue and position, paid off in a big way with LSW carrying the torch for Lincoln in Class A.     Omaha Skutt Catholic   Is this the most improbable championship of Omaha Skutt Catholic's nine-year reign in Class B? Maybe. Watching the SkyHawks dominate Saturday's championship match with only one senior on the roster was something to behold.   Now, to be fair, this lone senior is a darn good one. [player_tooltip player_id='109597' first='Paisley' last='Douglas'], a future Big Ten competitor with Southern Cal, proved one more time why she belongs on big stages. The seasoned libero took over Skutt Catholic's defense in the middle-back area, which is typically not the default area for a floor defender in the contrasting jersey. However, Douglas excels in this spot by allowing her instincts and reading skills to take over.   This is about as good of a senior "class" of one as you can have.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/KingsleyATK/status/1719760234346934568?s=20 </div></figure>     Minden   Minden's big breakthrough came with a young roster, almost mirroring what Skutt Catholic was able to accomplish in this year's postseason. The Whippets had two seniors who both excelled in their own niches in the lineup.   Sayge Grotrian came off the bench and made a splash as a serving specialist, particularly in the five-set championship gauntlet against Kearney Catholic. The senior outside hitter recorded three of Minden's six aces in the title match and added a pair of digs in her half rotation. Subbing in and setting the tone is also what defined the impact of Gracie Fries, a defensive specialist who was part of a strong back row for the Whippets.     Lincoln Lutheran   The 2023 seniors who had been at Lincoln Lutheran from Day 1 are walking away with three state championships. Not a bad output.   Among the three-player senior class for the Warriors is the team's top terminator in 2023, [player_tooltip player_id='109592' first='Sophie' last='Wohlgemuth']. It's hard to capture Wohlgemuth's wide-ranging influence in a few words, but there's little doubt that she became the lifeblood of this year's championship effort. Wohlgemuth supplemented her frontcourt scoring with wicked serving and the best ball control contributions of her career. Her development into a true six-rotation threat was a difference-maker during this fall's three-peat.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/KingsleyATK/status/1720879831099785645?s=20 </div></figure>   Similar to our discussion of Grotrian's impact with Minden, Lincoln Lutheran senior Jenna Luebbe had a consistent role as a reliable serving sub. Luebbe compiled nearly two dozen aces during the 2023 regular season, so the Warriors kept going to the well during the state tournament. Lincoln Lutheran's depth also shows with middle blocker Ava Stroud also providing value off the bench as either a middle blocker or an opposite. The quarterfinal contest against Summerland offered another chance for Stroud to assert herself along the net.     Sumner-Eddyville-Miller   The Mustangs soared to the Class D1 title from the #6 seed, and a quartet of seniors helped make it happen.   It's hard not to anoint S-E-M middle blocker [player_tooltip player_id='109591' first='Mikah' last='O'Neill'] as the MVP of the Class D1 tournament. The extraordinary six-rotation middle entered the postseason as one of Nebraska's most productive scorers in any class. She backed that up with a stunning 33 kills in four sets against D1 runner-up Amherst. But it's perhaps equally impressive to see O'Neill put up 28 digs in that match, adding to her mystique as an all-around superstar.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/KingsleyATK/status/1720836458498658376?s=20 </div></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='492382' first='Jenna' last='Claflin'] joined O'Neill in S-E-M's starting frontcourt and added nine kills in the championship match. In addition to her scoring presence on the right pin, Claflin also added an aggressive serve and triple-digit digs in her final season.   The Mustangs leaned on another senior on the other pin across from Claflin. Outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='492405' first='Cayleigh' last='Jackson'] was an indispensable part of S-E-M's tournament push and had some incredibly clutch swings throughout the week. Experienced terminators like Jackson are vital in out-of-system situations, and the Mustangs had the right formula with Jackson on the left.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/KingsleyATK/status/1720847766900142293?s=20 </div></figure>   S-E-M had a roster full of well-rounded players with senior Merry Day listed as the only DS on the team outside of the libero. Day came in as a reliever throughout the 2023 season and helped bolster a strong defensive lineup.     Overton   So, if you're measuring the magnitude of senior impact among this year's state champions, Overton has to be ranked somewhere close to Lincoln Southwest. It doesn't get much bigger than this.   We might as well start with [player_tooltip player_id='105006' first='JoLee' last='Ryan'], the six-rotation middle blocker whose profound influence on the Overton program cannot be overstated. Ryan has been hovering atop Nebraska's leaderboards for kills and hitting efficiency ever since she stepped onto the scene as a freshman. Overton was always a championship contender over that period but couldn't quite finish the task. It felt like Ryan wouldn't be denied in her final season, as she recorded 15 kills, 13 digs, and three aces in her final prep match. She has rewritten the Eagle record books and was one of the most well-rounded middle blockers you'll ever see.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/KingsleyATK/status/1720815048686461012?s=20 </div></figure>   But Overton didn't just beat opponents with one six-rotation middle blocker. How about two dominant seniors? [player_tooltip player_id='172559' first='Natalie' last='Wood'] was never too far behind Ryan in the stat sheet and always gave Overton an unstoppable middle force regardless of rotation. While most of Ryan's success came in front of the setter, Wood distinguished herself as Overton's primary slide-hitting threat who could pull blockers in a lot of different directions.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/KingsleyATK/status/1720818043381752237?s=20 </div></figure>   It also helps that Ryan and Wood had some serious career continuity at the setter position. [player_tooltip player_id='105005' first='Ashlyn' last='Florell'] led the charge at this spot and had long been one of Class D2's most productive distributors. Beyond that, she led Overton's defense with 26 digs in the three-set finale against Cambridge.   And the list goes on. Like Sumner-Eddyville-Miller, Overton had senior leadership on the left and right pins. The opposite position belonged to [player_tooltip player_id='492387' first='Gracyn' last='Luther'], who also helped as a secondary setter whenever Florell was racking up digs. Luther's greatest strides this year came in defense and serve receive, where she absorbed plenty of volume in her final campaign.   Adysen McCarter took care of business on the left and was Overton's third-leading scorer behind Ryan and Wood. And, with Overton seldom using substitutions this year, McCarter carried the same defensive weight as many of her senior counterparts. It was as an all-around effort from a revolutionary stable of seniors that finally gave Overton its long-awaited title.

There's no better way to wrap up a prep career.