Class 4 State Championship Preview

Semifinal 1:   St. Pius X Lancers 35-2-1 vs. Platte County Pirates 22-11-1   Key Players   St. Pius:   Harper Gass – 2025 – 5'5 – Libero   259 digs   Madyson Bohnert – 2025 – 5'4” – DS   101 digs   Peyton Meyers – 2025 – 5'10" – Opposite   112 digs and 28 kills   Platte County:   [player_tooltip player_id='219756' first='Karlee' last='Riggs'] – 2025 – 5'10" – Outside   408 kills and 319 digs   [player_tooltip player_id='729456' first='Miah' last='Omoike'] – 2028 – 5'10" – Middle   264 kills and 75 blocks   Giavanna Derose – 2026 – 5'4” – Libero   560 digs   How they got here: Pius knocked off Farmington in four sets, winning 25-19, 25-16, 18-25, and 25-21. Platte County beat upset-minded Notre Dame de Sion in five, 21-25, 25-20, 25-22, 21-25, and 15-10.   Common Opponents: St. Michael   St. Piux beat St. Michael 2-0, and Platt County lost 1-3.   Previous Meeting: No   Prediction: This matchup is more of a surprise to me than semifinal 2. I had Belton or St. Michael making the final four, not the Pirates of PC. St. Pius has been my favorite to win Class 4 all season, and I'm going with that in the first semifinal. St. Pius is on a talented team with every player who takes the court. So that you know – the aspect of the team I was concerned about has been answered. The defense is just as good as it was last year. Middle hitters [player_tooltip player_id='221230' first='Bennett' last='Raterman'] and [player_tooltip player_id='475322' first='Kate' last='Sherry'] have 662 kills and 123 blocks. You have two D1 outsides in [player_tooltip player_id='168037' first='Hannah' last='Leftridge'] and [player_tooltip player_id='475315' first='Anne' last='Makowski']. Leftridge is a hammering outside who led the team in digs with 309. [player_tooltip player_id='475315' first='Anne' last='Makowski'] was a tremendous driving force in St. Pius' semifinal win last year. Offense wins games, but defense wins championships, and there is no better defense than Pius.   Platte County wasn't on my radar to make the final four this year, but I was wrong. PC has a big bomber in [player_tooltip player_id='219756' first='Karlee' last='Riggs'], and the role players must have big performances to knock off St. Pius. Middle blockers [player_tooltip player_id='735629' first='Emma' last='Macaluso'] and [player_tooltip player_id='729456' first='Miah' last='Omoike'] will try to stop or slow the offense at Pius. [player_tooltip player_id='525837' first='Malin' last='Cole'], [player_tooltip player_id='219757' first='Ava' last='Moffitt'], [player_tooltip player_id='774857' first='Carissa' last='Bacon'], and the middles must consistently side out for the Pirates to pull off the upset.   This could turn into a blowout, as St. Pius is a much bigger team on the pins and the middle. The defense will win this for the Lancers because [player_tooltip player_id='168037' first='Hannah' last='Leftridge'], Harper Gass, and Madyson Bohnert will play fantastic team defense, giving Pius big bombers more attempts at terminating the ball. St. Pius moves on to the championship match with a sweep of Platte County.   Semifinal 2:   Lutheran St. Charles Cougars 23-13 vs. Jefferson City Jays 26-7   Key Players:   Lutheran:   [player_tooltip player_id='737531' first='Lacey' last='Zumbehl'] – 2025 – 5'10" – Outside   428 kills and 233 digs [player_tooltip player_id='548305' first='Kennedy' last='Brown'] – 2025 – 5'9" – Outside   200 kills and 199 digs   [player_tooltip player_id='630719' first='Samantha' last='O'Day'] – 2028 – 5'5" – Libero   378 digs   [player_tooltip player_id='168046' first='Katelyn' last='Diani-O'Day'] – 2025 – 5'10” – Setter   352 digs and 878 assists   Jefferson City:   [player_tooltip player_id='477951' first='Madilynn' last='Mitchell'] – 2025 – 5'10" – Setter   181 kills and 812 assists   [player_tooltip player_id='477954' first='Nola' last='Borgmeyer'] – 2025 – 5'8" – Outside   249 kills and 219 digs   [player_tooltip player_id='477959' first='Aydia' last='Mayotte'] – 2025 – 5'6” – Libero   511 digs   [player_tooltip player_id='475325' first='Leah' last='Heisler'] – 2027 – 5'7" – Outside   280 kills and 241   How they got here:   Lutheran won over Ladue 25-16, 25-19, 27-29, and 25-12 to advance to the final four. Jefferson City had to pass Webb City and do so in a 25-20, 21-25, 25-20, and 25-20 victory to make a back-to-back trip to the final four.   Previous Meeting: These two met at the end of the regular season in the Ozark Tournament, and Lutheran won 25-21 and 25-23. Lutheran outhit the Jays and played better defense in the win.   Common Opponents: Bolivar, Central, Greenwood, AR,  Nixa, and Ozark   Both teams lost to Ozark, while Lutheran lost to Nixa, and Jefferson City beat Nixa.   Prediction: Both teams are heavy outside-hitting; they feed their outsides much more than the middle or opposite hitters. The key will be which team gets more offensive or defensive help from their middles. This will be a much better match than the other semifinal. The key for Jefferson City will be getting big production from outside hitters [player_tooltip player_id='475325' first='Leah' last='Heisler'] and [player_tooltip player_id='477954' first='Nola' last='Borgmeyer']. Lutheran held Leah in check at the last meeting. Lutheran's outsides pounded the ball consistently in the previous meeting. Both teams have offensive setters who are unafraid to call their number in crucial situations. Lutheran has the better middle blockers, but I give Jefferson City the edge on defense.   Jefferson City lost in this match last year to St. Pius in 5. Jefferson City will turn the tide this year and squeak out a 5-setter to advance to the program's first state championship match.

Semifinal 1: