The Top Eight Class 5 Teams for Virginia States

Again, the set up for the Regionals will impact the final eight. These are eight Class 5 teams who have been playing well this season. A couple of them I have yet to see play. These are my predicted teams for the Class 5 in Virginia states. I let Max Preps determine the class.   Frank Cox (17-3) Beach - Strengths: The two outsides [player_tooltip player_id='545710' first='Avery' last='Osler'] and [player_tooltip player_id='882319' first='Camdyn' last='Milisitz'] lead the team in kills. They both bring length at 6'0" and 5'10". Avery plays six rotations. Middle [player_tooltip player_id='693822' first='Lucille' last='Tignor'] leads the team in blocks. [player_tooltip player_id='670784' first='Olivia' last='Fortier'] sets a 5/1 and [player_tooltip player_id='664966' first='Penny' last='Savino'] takes care of the back row. The 6'0" [player_tooltip player_id='882552' first='Kathleen' last='Grosz'] gets some action on the right side and ranks second on the team in blocks. They have an impressive frosh in the 6'2" [player_tooltip player_id='617089' first='India' last='Starr'] who has not seen a lot of playing time.   Two of their losses came against Flint Hill and Georgetown Day at the Endless Summer tournament. They also lost to Ocean Lakes in conference play, who they will see again at the end of the season. Since their last loss they have gone on a nine match winning streak. During that streak Norfolk Academy counts as a big win for them.   Cox has won six state championships, the latest in 2019. They also won in 2009, 2004, 2001, 1999 and 1996.   Deep Run (17-3) Colonial - Not a lot known about the Deep Run roster. [player_tooltip player_id='526878' first='MacKenzie' last='Dodge'] set a 5/1 for her club team River City. They finished second in the Shamrock tournament. Her twin sister Anika Dodge plays libero. Megan Lanier and Sonia Moss appear to plug up the middle.   Deep Run has won back to back state championships in 2006 and 2007. Last year they played in Class 6 and made it to the final eight, losing to the eventually state champion Langley in the first round.   Massaponax (18-7) Commonwealth - Strengths: They have a couple tall middles in [player_tooltip player_id='577515' first='Sierra' last='Beaver'] and Felicty Yonts who provide the bulk of their offense. [player_tooltip player_id='235304' first='Addison' last='Higgins'] sets for them but can also hit a strong right side. [player_tooltip player_id='235323' first='Cameron' last='Cox'] plays a solid defense. These were the players who stood out at the Endless Summer tournament.   The Panthers losses have come against good teams such as Midlothian, Colonial Forge, New Kent, North Stafford (twice) and Courtland. They have also beaten some quality teams in Hickory, Albermarle, Colonial Forge and Courtland. A tough schedule should make them playoff ready. They have swept their last three opponents.   Massaponax has never made it to the final four in the states.    Cassidy was a frosh on the bench when Midlothian won their first state championship. Now she is a junior and hopes to set the Trojans to their second state championship. She shares the setting role with Madelyn Eslinger who with her older sister Brooke helped the Trojans achieve their first state championship.   Cassidy has been added to my watch list since creating her profile. I have not had a chance to see her play yet. Her video does show her ability to distribute sets to all areas of the court, including the quicker sets.    Midlothian (16-1) Dominion - Strengths: Left side [player_tooltip player_id='519343' first='Dylan' last='Cline'] generate most of their offense. During her frosh season the Trojans won their 2022 championship. She will get to play a lot more in this journey. [player_tooltip player_id='527009' first='Ella' last='Sumser'] plays the middle and Madelyn Eslinger sets. Her sister Brook played libero for the Trojans during the 2022 championship run. [player_tooltip player_id='601731' first='Cassidy' last='Zalinski'] also sets for them.   The Trojans one loss came against St. Catherines. Last year Midlothian came into the states with only one loss and that loss was also to St. Catherines. They then lost to Riverbend in the first round of the state playoffs. The hope is for different results this season. The Trojans have beaten Massaponax and next week have a match against Deep Run. That should determine if they are playoff ready.   The 2022 season saw the Trojans win their first state championship. They had some taller outsides in Tatum Evans and Hannah Ball during that championship run.   Albemarle (16-2) Jefferson - Their roster is a mystery since I have not seen any of their players on the court. The Patriots two losses came against Hidden Valley and Massaponax. Their last championship came in 2008. They were runners up in 1999 and 1996.   Menchville (19-2) Peninsula - Another team whose roster is a mystery. Based on the numbers Lillian Abbitt leads the team in kills. She apears to play six rotations, leading the team in digs and being part of the serve receive. Kamryn Keasey and [player_tooltip player_id='746353' first='Caroline' last='Clements'] follow closely behind. in kills The team leader in blocks is Keasey. [player_tooltip player_id='875298' first='Emma' last='Wade'] runs a 5/1 but also leads the team in service aces. Kamryn Eccleston covers the back row.   The Monarchs only two losses came against Stone Bridge and Academy-Norte Dame, a team from Pennsylvania. Since that last loss the Monarchs have swept their last 12 opponents. Menchville has yet to see any state championship victories. Last year they made the state playoffs but lost in the first round to Kellam.    I saw a little of Marian when she played for East Coast Volleyball club. Unfortunately, I have not seen her play yet for Hickory. At 5'11" with a 9'7" approach jump she brings some good size to the right side.   Marian plays with a lot of enthusiasm on the court. When watching her video she also has the ability to hit left side, finding the seams well and hitting the ball off the block. Her serve receive in the videos shows a quiet platform.    Hickory (16-3) Southeastern - Two players who stand out on the roster are [player_tooltip player_id='569802' first='Milan' last='Curl'] and [player_tooltip player_id='519180' first='Marian' last='Ratchford']. Milan is a 6'0" left side who played six rotations for [program_tooltip program_id='450416' first='East' last='Coast Volleyball Club']. She likes to sneak into the middle to hit a higher set if no one is watching her movement. In limited stats she leads the team in kills. Ratchford plays right side and at 5'11" has some length to put the ball away. The setter appears to be Daisy Wettstein.   The Hawks three losses have come against Massaponax and two Endless Summer defeats to George Marshall and a Puerto Rican team NW Bilingual. They have gone on a 13 match winning streak since the two Endless Summer losses.   Hickory last won a state championship in 2020.    Camryn was one of my biggest risers in the rankings jumping from number 53 to 18. She now ranks as the number three libero in the class of 2027. She can cover a lot of ground to prevent balls from hitting the floor. Quickness on the court and a strong instinct of where to play the ball are her strengths.   Last year Riverside carried one of the strongest liberos in Natalie Carlin. Camryn has shown that this position remains a strength for Riverside. The fact that she is only a sophomore is even more impressive.    Riverside (20-1) Potomac -Strength: They picked up right side [player_tooltip player_id='301696' first='Nadiya' last='Johnson'] as a transfer. She was on the roster of the United States Junior National team this year. When they need a kill she is the go to person. They also have two strong left sides in [player_tooltip player_id='225187' first='Simone' last='Schaefer'] and [player_tooltip player_id='464556' first='Kennedy' last='Peyton']. Kennedy plays the back row like a libero. The middles are strong with [player_tooltip player_id='181309' first='Brianna' last='Holladay'] and [player_tooltip player_id='333652' first='Gabriella' last='Vizek']. Both are listed at 6'0". [player_tooltip player_id='333651' first='Sydney' last='Ray'] runs a 5/1. Her sister Ava also set for the team the year before Sydney. [player_tooltip player_id='438070' first='Camryn' last='Coulther'] plays an excellent libero. No weaknesses among the starting group.   Last year the Rams went undefeated until losing in the finals of the state playoffs. This year their only loss has come against Independence in a five setter. Ideally, if you are going to lose just one match during the season it is best to do it early and not in the state playoffs. Riverside has beaten some quality teams in James Wood, Loudoun County and Millbrook. The next time they played Independence they swept them.   The closest the Rams have gotten to the playoff was last year when they lost in the finals.   Class 6 Championships   The last post we predicted our final 8 for the Class six but failed to list their championship seasons.   Langley - They won it last year as well as 2017 and 2013.   Madison - They won it in 2015. The previous year they went undefeated during the season but then lost in the finals of the state championship, losing the fifth game in overtime 25-23 to First Colonial.   Ocean Lakes - No championships. They were runners up in 2016 and 2011, losing to Kellam both times.   Patriot - No championships. They did reach the final four in 2017 when they lost to Langley, who eventually won the championship.   Colgan - One championship in 2021. In 2018 they lost to Chantilly in the final four and in 2022 they lost to Alexandria City in the finals.   West Springfield - None. Last year they qualified for State but lost in the first round to Battlefield.   Chantilly - 2018.   North Stafford - In class 5 they were runnersup in 2018 and 2019.

Again, the set up for the Regionals will impact the final eight. These are eight Class 5 teams who have been playing well this season. A couple of them I have yet to see play. These are my predicted teams for the Class 5 in Virginia states. I let Max Preps determine the class.