Class 5 District 1 & 2 Preview

I love this time of year! Class 5 is wide open at this point, and now, with five classes, you only need to win your district and one more to make the final four. District 1 is wide open from seeds 1 through 7, and the semifinal matchups for both districts will be a battle. District 2 is more balanced than in years past, as Lafayette has struggled as of late. Then you have teams like Marquette and Eureka, who can beat anyone on any night, depending on how they pass and play defense. Whatever district you want to go to watch the semifinals and finals will be worth the admission fee. Good luck!   District 1   <ol start="1" class="wp-block-list"> <li>Jackson 30-6</li> </ol>   8. Fox 5-11-1   9. Mehlville 4-12   4. Nerinx Hall 12-10-1   5. Seckman 21-9-1   7. Oakville 13-17-2   2. Ursuline Academy 17-7-2   6. Lindbergh 13-13   3. Cor Jesu 17-6   Prediction:   Semifinal 1: Jackson vs. Nerinx Hall   Jackson knocked off Nerinx Hall 25-16 and 25-16 in the Jackson Tournament. In the win, [player_tooltip player_id='630748' first='Avery' last='Brune'] led the way with eight kills for Jackson, and in the loss, Nerinx Hall had seven players with kills, but only Audrey O'Neill and [player_tooltip player_id='706805' first='June' last='Johnson'] finished with more than two. Jackson will win over the Markers 3-1.   Semifinal 2: Ursuline vs. Cor Jesu   Ursuline nipped Cor Jesu 25-13, 25-22, 21-25, 27-25, getting double-digit kills from [player_tooltip player_id='224817' first='Elizabeth' last='Koenig'], [player_tooltip player_id='490580' first='Katie' last='Krus'], and [player_tooltip player_id='207581' first='Jillian' last='Raterman'], while Cor Jesu only had Lauren Ortweth in double digits with 18. As long as Ursuline is healthy and experience is on their side, having finished as the runner-up in Class 4 last year will pull out the win over the Chargers 3-1.   Finals: Jackson vs. Ursuline   This one will pit youth against experience. Jackson has two talented freshmen in the lineup, while Ursuline is stacked with 2026 talent and the experience of making the final four last year. Once the playoffs start, I toss out the records and look at what's happening with each team. Jackson is on fire, knocking off Incarnate Word and beating a tough Eureka team in 5. Ursuline was tough last year at the final four and shined under pressure. This one comes down to defense and whether Amery Winston, Lynn Crowley, and [player_tooltip player_id='630748' first='Avery' last='Brune'] have enough defense to overcome the balanced attack of Ursuline. [player_tooltip player_id='224817' first='Elizabeth' last='Koenig'], [player_tooltip player_id='490580' first='Katie' last='Krus'], and [player_tooltip player_id='207581' first='Jillian' last='Raterman'] are solid groups, and the defense of [player_tooltip player_id='490582' first='Courtney' last='Houston'] and [player_tooltip player_id='224818' first='Addyson' last='Gresham'] can cause team fits. I'm taking Ursuline in 5 because of their experience in last year's playoffs and returning the team minus one.   District 2   <ol start="1" class="wp-block-list"> <li>Lafayette 23-4</li> </ol>   9. Northwest 10-19-3   8. Waynesville 9-14-3   5. Kirkwood 17-9-2   4. Parkway West 14-7-3   6. Rolla 13-14-3   3. Marquette 19-13   2. Eureka 19-13   7. Parkway South 7-6   Prediction:   Semifinal 1: Lafayette vs. Parkway West   Parkway West did something to Lafayette that has been a long time since it's been done. The Longhorns swept the Lancers. The triple-headed monster at Parkway West of [player_tooltip player_id='456618' first='Erica' last='Conger'], Hannah Jennings, and [player_tooltip player_id='222058' first='Katherine' last='Byergo'] put down 38 kills. I've watched PW several times this season and gone from not to very impressed. When the Longhorns are on, they are tough. [player_tooltip player_id='169899' first='Maddy' last='Bach'] is a phenomenal setter who makes everyone around her play harder, and she makes them look better with her setting. Lafayette's had a few bumps over the last two weeks of the season, and that's typically when they set it on cruise control and fly to the playoffs. This year might be a little different. Fully healthy, they have two monster attackers and many outstanding role players. If one of the big-time attackers is off, they need someone to step up and fill that role. The one thing that I've learned over the years is I don't bet against Lafayette come playoffs. Lafayette gets revenge with a 3-1 win over Parkway West.   Semifinal 2: Marquette vs. Eureka   I'm unsure who to pick here because both teams are excellent and have been playing well. Eureka has already won two games over Marquette this season, so beating a good team three times is hard. [player_tooltip player_id='220349' first='Teagan' last='Pocius'] and [player_tooltip player_id='207269' first='Mallory' last='Sell'] are two of the better players when these teams meet up. Eureka is more defensively sound and more consistent in passing than the Mustangs. When I watched Marquette, they were a very streaky team. They can look incredible and then struggle to pass.  Eureka started the season 3-7 and looked like they wouldn't be in any conversation come playoffs. I'm unsure what change was made, but it's been working. [player_tooltip player_id='169897' first='Jenna' last='Cubbage'] and [player_tooltip player_id='489915' first='Hannah' last='Garrett'] are the main offensive threats, and Amanda Heine is contributing more. If Marquette can get Teagan 35-40 attempts, they win, but I think Eureka takes the passing and defensive game to take a 3-2 win over Marquette with aggressive serving.   Finals: Lafayette vs. Eureka   How many times have these two locked up for a district title, and more times than not, Lafayette wins? This year will be no different, as [player_tooltip player_id='153929' first='Maya' last='Witherspoon'] won't let her team lose in her final season. In the previous meeting, Lafayette scored 25-17, 25-11, 22-25, and 25-22 wins behind 26 kills from [player_tooltip player_id='475339' first='Shaye' last='Witherspoon'] and 14 from [player_tooltip player_id='153929' first='Maya' last='Witherspoon']. Both teams are tough-serving teams, and both are solid passing teams. Who's going to get more production from the middle? Kira Duffner and [player_tooltip player_id='207268' first='Mackie' last='Mueller'] had great hitting matches, hitting over .350. Eureka only had [player_tooltip player_id='169897' first='Jenna' last='Cubbage'] in double-figure kills with 12. In the loss, the only category in which Eureka outperformed Lafayette was serve-receive errors. [player_tooltip player_id='153929' first='Maya' last='Witherspoon'] does everything to keep Lafayette's three-peat chances alive, and Lafayette knocks off Eureka 3-1.

I love this time of year! Class 5 is wide open at this point, and now, with five classes, you only need to win your district and one more to make the final four. District 1 is wide open from seeds 1 through 7, and the semifinal matchups for both districts will be a battle. District 2 is more balanced than in years past, as Lafayette has struggled as of late. Then you have teams like Marquette and Eureka, who can beat anyone on any night, depending on how they pass and play defense. Whatever district you want to go to watch the semifinals and finals will be worth the admission fee. Good luck!