Preseason 2A Top Five

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Use code KypDig2024 to get $10 off of your registration to either our Stock Up Showcase or our Freshman Showcase August 3!</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A lot of turnover and a lot of unknowns come with the IHSAA's attempt at balancing schools into their respective classes. Teams with the tournament success factor in their favor get to spend their next two seasons up a class, while smaller schools that were previously in 3A get to knock around an entire class of teams that are smaller. Here are my preseason top five.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">1) Benton Central</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Bison have been giving fits to teams in the Lafayette area for some time now, and their rise to prominence continues into this coming fall. More and more kids are playing club ball, which is definitely working in the favor of BC. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='260994' first='Calista' last='Foster']</strong> (Western Kentucky) is a rising junior that, as a six-rotation outside, should run the show and be the main focus of most defenses the Bison face. Her supporting cast is solid as well, and they just dropped from 3A, making some of their postseason matchups that much easier than just a year ago.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">2) Western Boone</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Of the 2A schools in this list, none have an athlete that is responsible for more of their team's success than <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='154814' first='Raegan' last='Durbin']</strong> (Middle Tennessee). She's enrolling at MTSU in January, so this is her last "prep" anything, including club. Don't think that Miss Durbin won't try to carry her squad single-handedly in all aspects of the game, from serve receive to attack, from defense to offense. If anything, she's one of the few that I can safely say truly enjoys playing and being around her teammates. In an era where scholastic sports are becoming less and less fun, I might attend a WeBo match just for the fun of it. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">3) Burris</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The defending state champ in 2A has a few pieces graduating from a year ago, including their libero (Southern Indiana). However, they still get <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='155089' first='Lilly' last='Howell'] </strong>(Charlotte) on the attack, an intimidating presence who hit over .600 in the state championship match in November. No other 2A program has as big an attacker, but I placed the Owls here for two reasons, and they're both on the list ahead of them.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">4) Brownstown Central</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 2A runner-up from a season ago will have plenty coming back to try and make another run to Worthen. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='750544' first='Sophie' last='Wischmeier']</strong> should again be the main attacker, averaging over four kills per set last fall before running into the buzzsaw that Burris was in the title match. There are plenty of pieces around Sophie that can propel the Braves to the same path, but there are a few teams dropping from 3A to 2A that might limit their possibilities. Expect a tough schedule from the Braves to prepare them for just such a challenge. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">5) Barr-Reeve</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I found myself second-guessing the #5 spot in both the 3A and 4A lists, but there was no such guessing on this list. The Vikings have nearly EVERYONE returning from a year ago, including nearly all of the offense. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='226808' first='Addison' last='Jones']</strong> will be the primary attacker, but defenses will have to account for all of the talent around her as well to have a chance of competing in the southern half of the draw. And, after coming off of a 3A season, the Vikings will have an easier draw when October comes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->