Nebraska 2025 Rankings Update: State Tournament Additions (Pt. 3)
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One to go! Our list of state tournament additions to Nebraska’s Class of 2025 rankings has been so extensive that we need a three-part trilogy to discuss them all. Part 1 and Part 2 are already out. That means we’ve…
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Our list of state tournament additions to Nebraska’s Class of 2025 rankings has been so extensive that we need a three-part trilogy to discuss them all. Part 1 and Part 2 are already out. That means we’ve reached the finale.
More talented athletes are left on the board.
Defensive specialists will be prevalent in this one. Bosshamer was a key backcourt substitute for Kearney Catholic, this year’s Class C1 runner-up. The Stars wielded an impenetrable defense when Bosshamer rotated in, and this junior’s designated spot was usually Zone 1. She effectively found any seams in her team’s block and used her active feet to fill any gaps. 2024 might be characterized by a few new faces along Kearney Catholic’s end line, but Bosshamer will be one of the important constants.
Highlights
Allen glued together Crofton’s offense and always found the hot hitter in clutch situations. For much of the 2023 season, that hot hitter resided in the middle. This meant that Allen needed to be proficient at turning marginal passes into in-system opportunities, and the junior setter executed this skill well. Bettering the ball will always be at the center of any setter’s job. Crofton has a leader who knows this well.
Oakland-Craig is no stranger to frontcourt firepower. Pelan stepped into the 2023 lineup to help keep this theme alive, and her brand of low-error volleyball elevated the Knights to their third consecutive tournament appearance. Even when Oakland-Craig was out of system, Pelan was still an option on the right pin to put down a tough swing and work the deep corners. Expect this tight-knit group to keep soaring next fall behind Pelan’s consistent play at opposite.
Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family was bound to get some additions after a special 2023 season. Grotluschen lands on the watch list after amassing triple-digit kills in 2023 and adding a lot more than that. Middle blockers are not often heralded as consistent servers, but Grotluschen’s tough float serve warranted her role behind the end line. This is also where she was able to show off her ball control skills, which are far ahead of most middle blockers.
Bohling joins a long list of Bruning-Davenport/Shickley attackers who can swing from just about anywhere. She’s listed as a middle blocker, but Bohling is a lot more than that. She frequently attacked from the left pin to give the Eagles some firepower in first-ball situations. In other rotations, the junior played her natural middle position and hammered away on the quick. Best of all, Bohling showed her full repertoire by even playing in the back row and making some huge digs in her designated area. Utility players are my favorite.
Sumner-Eddyville-Miller’s historic Class D1 title was buoyed by two talented setters, and Reiter carried the torch for the junior class. The Mustangs also stuck with a “true 6-2” that had Reiter playing all the way around as a frontcourt opposite and a backcourt setter. Therefore, Reiter participated in the attacking phase and even absorbed some contacts in serve receive despite leading S-E-M in assists. Such a variable role put Reiter in the spotlight during this year’s championship run, and there’s more to come in 2024.
We’ll stay in Class D1 for our final state tournament entry. Barlow carries on our trend of defensive specialists making their 2025 rankings debut, and lockdown defense was only part of Barlow’s appeal in the St. Mary’s lineup. She also dished out over 40 aces this year to bolster one of D1’s top serving teams in 2023. In other words, Barlow was a perfect fit for everything the Cardinals like to do. Much of the backcourt is staying together next year, so it’s scary to think that 2024 could offer even more production from this stock-rising libero.