Will Crescent Valley win the 5A State title?

PrepDig Oregon released a poll awhile back asking everyone to vote on their prediction for the 5A State title winner. PrepDig is doing a write up on each of the top four vote getters, plus a bonus school we think will go far in the State tournament. Based on the results, Bend, Wilsonville, Summit, and West Albany received the highest number of votes; and, our 5A bonus school is Crescent Valley. All five programs are top-notch and will likely advance well into the State tournament. But, will one of these teams win it all? Time will tell.    Given the school's impressive record this year, our bonus 5A school to highlight is Crescent Valley High School. Crescent Valley had not made it into any 5A State tournament championship match until last season, when the team made an incredible run to the finish line to beat Bend High School in 3 sets. This fall, Crescent Valley is ranked #1 and has a 19-2 overall record, putting the Raiders in a great position to have repeated success.   Throughout the regular season, we were able to see this team in action and have some amazing players to highlight.   Leading the Crescent Valley's offense is co-team captain junior [player_tooltip player_id='161158' first='Kamden' last='Mitchell'], a University of Oregon commit who is undoubtedly one of the top setters in the state. Mitchell, who was recently named 5A Mid-Willamette Conference Co-Player of the Year, is an incredible player to watch. She brings so much fiery passion to the court, and not only is Mitchell an excellent setter, but she can also hit, block, and play defense with the best of players. Mitchell showcases a great connection with each of her attackers and has a very high volleyball IQ, seeing court openings and placing the ball into them with ease. Over the course of the season, she has notched an impressive 445 assists on 1089 total attempts, ranking second in the 5A classification on total assists. Mitchell has also tallied 125 digs, 31 aces with a 96.4 serving percentage, and 104 kills with a very stellar 0.412 hitting percentage. Mitchell is also a very high level blocker, ranking second on her team for total blocks with 20 solo blocks and 18 block assists.   Anchoring the Raiders' back row for her final year is senior libero and co-captain [player_tooltip player_id='126231' first='Danielle' last='Street'], who has consistently been one of the top liberos in the state over the past couple years. Street, who was just named to the Mid-Willamette all-league first team, is incredibly fast and can pick up shots that seem impossible to get to, flying around the court gracefully and effortlessly. Street leads her team's defense exceptionally well, which allows Mitchell to run her offense so effectively. Street has tallied an impressive 267 digs this season, as well as 255 solid passes on serve receive. She has also notched 43 assists and an incredible 50 aces. Commanding the back row alongside Street is senior defensive specialist [player_tooltip player_id='126232' first='Addison' last='Staab'], who just earned Mid-Willamette all-league honorable mention accolades. Staab has been a steady back row presence for the Raiders, and has amassed 80 digs, 150 passes on serve receive, and a solid 31 aces.   On the pins, the Raiders have several high-level players who have been key in the team's success. Playing six rotations on the left side is junior [player_tooltip player_id='161821' first='Isabella' last='C Jacobson'], a Mid-Willamette all-league first team recipient and a powerhouse player who proves challenging to defend against. Jacobson has a heavy arm and an explosive approach; she gets up high to put the ball away deep into the court consistently, and she is a versatile attacker, hitting just as effectively from the back row as she does across the net. Jacobson also has a nasty topspin jump serve, and she leads the 5A classification with total aces, having racked up an incredible 67 aces so far this season. Jacobson leads the Raiders in total kills with 246 on 545 total attempts, and she's showcased a solid 0.330 hitting percentage. She has also tallied 7 solo blocks, 9 block assists, 158 digs, and 179 passes on serve receive.   Junior [player_tooltip player_id='161832' first='Vivian' last='Buford'] and sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='268718' first='Ashlin' last='Lockman'] both play opposite Jacobson, often splitting the outside position in some capacity. Buford, a Mid-Willamette all-league honorable mention recipient, suffered early-season injuries that kept her off the court at times; nevertheless, Buford has bounced back onto the court with power and passion, using her all-around skills to make effective plays from the left for the Raiders. She has notched 51 kills on 156 attempts, 34 digs, and 72 solid passes on serve receive. Lockman, a versatile attacker, has been a steady force for the Raiders this season. Lockman gets up high and hits hard on top of the ball, powering it past opposing teams' blocks. Over the course of the season, she has amassed 67 kills on 193 attempts, 26 aces with a 91.4 serving percentage, 68 digs, and 82 passes on serve receive.   The Raiders also have a solid pair of players in the middle, including senior Ruth Teerlink and junior [player_tooltip player_id='161826' first='Taelyn' last='Bentley']. Teerlink has consistently put up a big block for the Raiders, and she moves around the court well to position herself for a set. She has recorded 18 kills on 81 attempts, an impressive 17 solo blocks, and 18 block assists. Bentley, the #1 middle blocker for the class of 2025 and a Mid-Willamette all-league first team recipient, is a formidable player and a force to be reckoned with. Bentley gets up super high and, with her heavy, powerful arm, puts the ball away frequently. She is also an incredibly strong and effective blocker, letting little get by her. The connection between Bentley and Mitchell is super fun to watch; the two of them run plays quickly and effortlessly, and the combination of Mitchell's fast sets and Bentley's explosive approach prove hard to defend against. Bentley has tallied 168 kills on 312 attempts with an amazing 0.436 hitting percentage - the top hitting percentage in the 5A classification. She's also recorded an impressive 43 aces, and leads her team in total blocks with 39 solo blocks and 28 block assists.   *The stats provided are through Oct 29, 2023.

PrepDig Oregon released a poll awhile back asking everyone to vote on their prediction for the 5A State title winner. PrepDig is doing a write up on each of the top four vote getters, plus a bonus school we think will go far in the State tournament. Based on the results, Bend, Wilsonville, Summit, and West Albany received the highest number of votes; and, our 5A bonus school is Crescent Valley. All five programs are top-notch and will likely advance well into the State tournament. But, will one of these teams win it all? Time will tell.