Nebraska 2024 Rankings Update: State Tournament Additions (Pt. 2)
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More on the way! As we mentioned in yesterday’s feature, we made a concerted effort to add names from 2023 state tournament teams in our final Class of 2024 rankings update. One article wasn’t enough for everyone, so we’re on…
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As we mentioned in yesterday’s feature, we made a concerted effort to add names from 2023 state tournament teams in our final Class of 2024 rankings update.
One article wasn’t enough for everyone, so we’re on to Part 2!
When Wallace needed a kill, Flaming was often the one to step up. The senior outside hitter tallied nearly 400 kills in her final campaign with the Wildcats and led Wallace to its first state tournament appearance in ten years. That’s an impactful outing worthy of rankings recognition.
The Blue Devils brought a veteran group to this year’s state tournament, so we were inevitably going to include some Wynot athletes in this update. Heimes gets on the board after securing almost 200 kills in 2023 while also securing a team-leading dig total from the outside hitter spot. This rare achievement demonstrates how many versatile players compete in Nebraska’s prep landscape–all the way down to Class D2.
Sumner-Eddyville-Miller’s incredible run to the Class D1 title would not have been possible without Jackson’s steady presence on the outside. It was easy to hype up S-E-M’s pair of six-rotation middle blockers, but Jackson terminated on her share of tough swings in the postseason. She performed the primary function of an experienced left-side hitter: find a way to score when circumstances aren’t perfect.
Eisenmann played a role eerily similar to Jackson. Though Clarkson/Leigh funneled a large share of attacks toward the middle, Eisenmann emerged as an unsung hero for the Patriots throughout 2023. Better yet, she was second on the team in digs and was not afraid to shoulder a significant load in serve receive. Those ball control contributions helped Clarkson/Leigh make its historic push to the Class C2 championship match.
Another Class B star enters the conversation. Rine was part of a Waverly backcourt that compiled a ton of digs in 2023. Nothing new there. Aside from her defensive contributions, Rine could also come in off the bench and get opposing teams out of system with her tough serve. It’s everything you could want from the defensive specialist position.
We’re adding more than one Sumner-Eddyville-Miller pin hitter. Claflin enters the 2024 rankings after holding down the opposite position during the Mustangs’ championship triumph. She displayed some serious range along the net and was proficient on the many crossing patterns that S-E-M deployed throughout 2023.
Class D2’s state champion was loaded with seniors, and Luther is one of those veteran leaders who ended on the mountaintop. Just when opposing teams were cheating toward Overton’s middles, Luther would pounce at the opportunity to terminate against a late-arriving block. And, like most players in the Eagles’ lineup, Luther took her skills to the back row as an all-around opposite who could do it all.
Rennerfeldt wraps up her prep career with Oakland-Craig enjoying perhaps its best multi-year stretch in program history. The outgoing senior was a fixture in the passing formation and emerged as a postseason leader for her orange-clad Knights. Oakland-Craig will seek its fourth consecutive tournament berth in 2024.
The middle blocker spot was a clear strength for Seward this year. Cepek quietly had a breakout senior year that featured triple-digit kills and a lot more quality block touches. It’s no wonder why the Bluejays got on a roll by stringing together multiple state tournament appearances.
Wynot’s senior libero found every way possible to influence matches. Sudbeck’s steady presence kept the Blue Devils in a ton of long rallies, but that wasn’t the only strength of her game. She also wielded a wicked serve that was among Class D2’s best this fall. Liberos don’t often hold that distinction, but Sudbeck was no ordinary defender.
Guardian Angels Central Catholic boasted one of Class D1’s most dangerous offenses this year. Any one of its hitters could become the go-to at any time, and Steffen was that player for much of the state tournament. The outside hitter racked up about 300 kills for D1’s #1 seed and was a digging machine in the middle-back area. We’ll see who steps up to fill this void next year.
Why not a little more Wynot representation? While Sudbeck took care of her backcourt duties, another was thriving in the middle. Wieseler neared 300 kills in her final season as the Blue Devils used almost every in-system opportunity to get the middles involved. Don’t forget about Wieseler’s game-wrecking blocks, either.
Elmwood-Murdock’s keys to success this year were ball control and defense. Justesen helped in this area with the team’s second-best dig total and over 50 aces in her serving rotation. These two contributions gave the Knights a constant advantage on first contact, which is exactly what you’d hope to get from a senior leader.