Class 6A State Preview: Mill Valley Looks To Repeat

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 2024 Kansas State Volleyball tournament brackets were released on October 27.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Eight teams in Class 6A will travel to Salina on November 1, and seven will be looking to knock off the defending state champion Mill Valley Jaguars.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This is the first of multiple previews featuring athletes from competing teams.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Every team traveling to state tournaments in Salina, Hutchinson, Dodge City, and Emporia believe they can win a title. In this particular field, I can see any of the top six seeds getting hot and winning the title.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I plan on being in Salina on Friday to watch Pool Play and then move on to Hutchinson on Saturday to watch the Class 4A and 3A semifinals and finals.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here is a quick look at each Pool and one prospect on each team. Stay tuned this week for more tournament previews and look for coverage of the tournaments all weekend long.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Pool One: No. 1</strong>) Blue Valley West (33-4), <strong>No. 4)</strong> Washburn Rural (30-6), <strong>No. 5)</strong> Wichita North (30-8), <strong>No. 8)</strong> Manhattan (20-15).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='173372' first='Lily' last='Wedman']</strong>, 5'8”, S, Blue Valley West, ‘25 (Pictured Above)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wedman guides the offense which features a top sophomore attacker I featured in a Sub State preview. Wedman leads the Jaguars with 712 assists in her senior season. She has verbally committed to play college ball for the Tulane Green Wave. West is the No. 1 Seed overall in Class 6A and will open the tournament with a match against Manhattan scheduled for a 9:30 a.m. start time.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='223572' first='Stella' last='Kelly']</strong>, 5'10”, S, Washburn Rural, ‘26</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kelly has come into her own this season as a setter. I have her compete for the Blues as well as for her club team. She has worked really hard to increase her speed and court stamina. Washburn Rural enters the tournament in Salina as the No. 4 Seed. Rural will compete in Pool One and open their tournament on Court A with an 8:30 a.m. match against Wichita North. Kelly is currently ranked No. 30 overall in the class of 2026 and has an over from Baker University.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='493491' first='Tori' last='Buss']</strong>, 5'9”, OH, Wichita North, ‘25</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Buss is one of the top uncommitted talents in Kansas in the class of 2025. I am pleased that she and her North teammates qualified for the state tournament and can show off their skills on the big stage. This team owns a dangerous front row, and Buss is a six-rotation talent that serves as the team's leader. She is currently ranked No. 55 overall by Prep Dig. North is the No. 5 seed in the tournament and will begin Pool One play at 8:30 against Washburn Rural.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='483908' first='Bailey' last='Busch']</strong>, 5'7”, OH, Manhattan, ‘27</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Busch is currently ranked No. 32 overall in the Kansas Class of 2027. She has registered 304 kills for the Indians this season. I did not see Manhattan play in the regular season, but I saw Busch play club ball last season. She has nice lift in her game and helped lead Manhattan to an upset win over No. 3 Seed Wichita Northwest at Sub State. The Indians open play against No. 1 Seed Blue Valley West in a 9:30 a.m. match on Court A on November 1.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Pool Two</strong>: <strong>No. 2)</strong> Olathe West (31-4), <strong>No. 3)</strong> Mill Valley (32-5), <strong>No. 6)</strong> Blue Valley North (25-8), <strong>No. 7)</strong> Garden City (22-14).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='219740' first='Ashley' last='Barcus']</strong>, 5'10”, OH, Olathe West, ‘25</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Barcus is an exciting attacker on a team featuring a balanced attack. She has recorded 224 kills in 84 sets/ She is one of three Owls with more than 200 kills this season. To my knowledge, she remains uncommitted and is ranked No. 62 overall by Prep Dig Kansas, she is one of the highest-ranked uncommitted athletes in the class of 2025. The Owls are the No. 2 seed overall and will open the tournament in Salina against Garden City scheduled for a 9:30 a.m. start time.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='489339' first='Corinne' last='Schwindt']</strong>, 5'8”, DS/L, Mill Valley, ‘26</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mill Valley is the No. 3 Seed and opens Pool Two play at 8:30 against Blue Valley North. Mill Valley has multiple committed athletes. One who has not yet committed is Schwindt. She leads Mill Valley in digs with 238 digs in 83 sets. Mill Valley has faced Blue Valley North twice this season and lost both times. This first match of the day very well could set the tone for the entire tournament.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='445976' first='Reese' last='Maslowski']</strong>, 5'10”, OH, Blue Valley North, ‘27</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I featured North's [player_tooltip player_id='154041' first='Logan' last='Parks'] in the Sub State preview, so a young player to keep an eye on is Maslowski. The freshman outside hitter collected 122 kills in 75 sets this season. She is one of four Mustangs with 100-plus kills this season. North will look to win its third match of the season versus Mill Valley and will look to knock off the Jaguars for a third straight time.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='709741' first='Josslynn' last='George']</strong>, 5'5”, S, Garden City, ‘28</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Garden City uses two setters and George is a freshman I have not seen play in person. She is second on the team in assists with 339. The class of 2027 rankings will be updated in November, so George has a chance to make an argument for inclusion at the state tournament in Salina. The Buffaloes are the No. 7 seed and earned a spot in the field by winning a three-set Sub-State win over Dodge City.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->