Top Ranked Teams and the Prospects Powering Them

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The WIAA has released the first RPI Rankings for the 2024 season. In this article, we review the formula and look at the current rankings, which are "much too early," and some of the players driving those teams.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Rankings Percentage Index is used to seed the first round only at the state tournament. The WIAA defines it as "one tool utilized by the seeding committees to determine first-round bracket pairings into the State Tournaments." The RPI is not the only thing the committee looks at, but it's one source when looking at relative team strength.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The formula is as follows: RPI = (40% x WP) + (40% x OWP) + (20% x OOWP)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>WP= Teams Winning Percentage</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>OWP= Opponent Winning Percentage</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>OOWP= Opponents Opponents' Winning Percentage</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It pays to win; first of all, it's equally important to play teams that win, and if possible, those teams you play should compete against teams that win! Does that make sense? Watching the RPI last year, the longer a team is undefeated, the longer they stay towards the top. Teams that play weaker opponents will take that penalty, though, a reason some undefeated teams only rise so far in the rankings. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>4A- CAMAS</strong>. 6-0, 1.0000 0.6234 0.5797 <strong>0.7653</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["449941"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66fa2af7cab3c"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">The junior libero may not get all the hype of some of her high-flying attackers, but she is the lynchpin of the Papermakers back-row defense. She racked up 28 digs in a win over Columbia River and did a terrific job of reading her blockers and the opposing hitters to be in the best possible position to make a dig. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>3A- RIDGELINE.</strong> 3-0 1.0000 0.4889 0.7174 <strong>0.7390</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["266203"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66fa2af7cab9b"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">The Falcons have several skilled and talented attackers, and Arnold delivers the goods to her hitters from the 6-2 offense. The senior has worked hard at her craft and makes excellent decisions when finding a good matchup. Ridgeline always plays scrappy defense, and Arnold is a gritty, tough defender out of her setter position. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2A- Ellensburg.</strong> 5-1 0.8333 0.5804 0.5803 <strong>0.6815</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Bulldogs are the first team at the top of the RPI rankings with a loss on their record. That loss was to an undefeated Chelan squad that has also played an excellent schedule. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["449819"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66fa2af7cabde"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Tornow had a big match working in the middle against Burlington-Edison, recording 15 kills on 21 swings in a five-set win. The 2026 prospect has excellent length, a smooth and quick arm swing, and terrific movement in transition and along the net. She demolished several balls in the match and moved her swings around the block to score from the middle and both pins. Tornow has taken her game up a notch, and CWAC opponents will be on notice this season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>1A- Cedar Park Christian. </strong>8-0 1.0000 0.5714 0.5593 <strong>0.7404</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["268474"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66fa2af7cac1c"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Fredrickson is a long, athletic middle who helped power WVBA 18 Adidas during the club season and is doing the same for the Eagles this fall. She is skilled overall and a talented shot-maker at the net. Fredrickson is hitting .420 on the season, averaging nearly a block per set, and has been hard to handle from the service line. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2B- ADNA.</strong> 6-0 1.0000 0.5317 0.6252 <strong>0.7377</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='734234' first='Karsyn' last='Freeman']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'8u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32564","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Adna","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66fa2af7caca3"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Freeman is an outstanding multi-sport athlete who has posted enormous numbers for the Pirates early in the season. In a monster matchup against Manson on the road, Freeman totaled 33 kills and 16 digs to help power Adna to a five-set win over the defending state champions. Freeman has pop in her right arm, and she loves to hammer away at the sharp angle to score. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>1B- Walla Walla Valley Academy.</strong> 4-0 1.0000 0.4583 0.5116 <strong>0.6856</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Kienna Stepper","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'11u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32924","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Walla Walla Valley Academy","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66fa2af7cad3e"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Stepper is a team captain and one of the top returning players for the Knights, along with her sister, 2027 prospect Addy. The senior is long, athletic, and has a smooth and accurate arm swing that racks up kills for the Knights. She has a solid skill set on the court and can score from the middle and either pin. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->