Battles Brewing - Class 3 Sectional 1 & 2 Preview

Class 3 is wide open this year, with the defending champions and two of the other final four teams already knocked out. This sectional and quarterfinal will send a new team to the final four. Record-wise, Cape Notre Dame is the favorite place to drive to the Show Me Center. Potosi is at full strength and could make the team's first quarterfinal appearance. Can Cardinal Ritter pull off the massive upsets and make a final four trip, or will Notre Dame STL squash the Lion's hopes? Here's my preview for the Class 3 Sectional round, and the winners will meet in the quarters.   Sectional 1   Cape Notre Dame Bulldogs 24-8-1 vs. Potosi Trojans 23-9-1   How they got here:   Notre Dame swept Saxony Lutheran in the semifinal round 25-23, 25-10, and 25-21. In the championship match with Dexter, the Bulldogs had to sweat out a 19-25, 25-23, 25-19, 20-25, and 15-6 victory to move into the sectional round.   Potosi had an easier time winning the school's third district championship. Potosi would sweep Central [program_tooltip program_id='428790' first='Park' last='Hills'] 25-22, 25-18, and 25-20. In the championship match, Potosi would get revenge and knock off the Dragons of Ste. Genevieve 25-20, 25-18, 25-18, and first district title since 1992.   Key Players:   Notre Dame:   [player_tooltip player_id='708439' first='Courtney' last='Tatum'] – 2025 - 6'0" – Middle   331 kills and 126 blocks   Morgan LeGrand – 2027 – 5'8" – Middle   223 kills and 58 blocks   Lyla Martin – 2025 – 5'2” – Libero   582 digs   [player_tooltip player_id='232326' first='Claudia' last='Jones'] – 2026 – 5'9” – Setter   984 assists and 295 digs   Potosi:   [player_tooltip player_id='170045' first='Ava' last='Robart'] – 2025 – 6'0" – Outside   436 kills and 205 digs   [player_tooltip player_id='485570' first='Eden' last='Robart'] – 2027 – 6'0" – Middle/Outside   240 digs and 417 kills   Macyn Mccarthy – 2027 – 5'2" – Libero   363 digs   [player_tooltip player_id='737598' first='Carsyn' last='Yount'] – 2025 – 5'7” – Setter   875 assists and 170 digs   Common Opponents: Advance, Central, Farmington, Jackson, St. Pius X, Ste. Genevieve and Valle Catholic   Notre Dame went 3-4, while Potosi went 3-4.   Prediction:   On September 5th, these two went to battle, with Notre Dame pulling out the 25-21, 23-25, 25-18, 20-25, and 16-14 win. In the win, Notre Dame had three players notch double-digit will, with [player_tooltip player_id='708439' first='Courtney' last='Tatum']s, 19, Kendyl Slinkard, and [player_tooltip player_id='512874' first='Olivia' last='Cox'] putting down ten kills. Potosi countered with 33 kills from [player_tooltip player_id='170045' first='Ava' last='Robart'] and 16 from [player_tooltip player_id='485570' first='Eden' last='Robart']. In the match, Notre Dame finished with 86 digs compared to Potosi's 65. Every other category was pretty even, but Notre Dame finished with five more blocks. A lot has changed since the beginning of the season, and during a part of the season when Ava was out for Potosi, other players had to step up and make the big plays. Potosi got revenge in the district finals against a team that had beaten them twice previously. Potosi will pull this out in a nail-biting 5th set to move to the quarterfinals.   Sectional 2   Notre Dame STL Rebels 15-15-1 vs. Cardinal Ritter Lions 13-10-1   Key Players:   Notre Dame:   Gwen Keeven – 2025 – 5'10" – Outside   371 kills and 484 digs   Cameron Theirauf – 2027 – 5'8" – Outside   375 digs and 147 kills   Jillian Keeven – 2027 – 5'8" – Setter   281 digs and 457 assists   Cardinal Ritter:   Provides no statistical information on any platform   Common Opponents: DuBourg, Duchesne, Hazelwood Central, Metro, Rosati-Kain   Notre Dame went 5-0, and Cardinal Ritter went 0-5.   Prediction: I watched Notre Dame at the first weekend tournament, and they are a solid squad. I've not watched Cardinal Ritter, but traditionally, they are not a strong volleyball program. This one should be an easy win for Notre Dame to move into the State Quarterfinals and play the Potosi and Cape Notre Dame winner.

Class 3 is wide open this year, with the defending champions and two of the other final four teams already knocked out. This sectional and quarterfinal will send a new team to the final four. Record-wise, Cape Notre Dame is the favorite place to drive to the Show Me Center. Potosi is at full strength and could make the team's first quarterfinal appearance. Can Cardinal Ritter pull off the massive upsets and make a final four trip, or will Notre Dame STL squash the Lion's hopes? Here's my preview for the Class 3 Sectional round, and the winners will meet in the quarters.