Maryland Regional Playoff Action

Below a summary of the four teams left in the Regionals for the four classes. The playoffs for these teams are Tuesday November 12th. The two winners will advance to the States.   Class 4    Hopefully I will get the opportunity to watch the Broadneck team play. They have an excellent setter in [player_tooltip player_id='478903' first='Barrett' last='Bolter'] running the offense. She sets a 6/2 for Metro and with three setters on this roster she does the same for the Bruins.   This team has four players that are six foot or greater, the kind of weapons that a setter appreciates. Unfortunately, it also makes it difficult for a 5'8" setter to get a lot of playing time in the front row with all those 6 footers looking for a spot on the court. That forces Barrett to share the setting duties with junior [player_tooltip player_id='721762' first='Sydney' last='Lawrence'] in a 6/2.   Barrett does a good job playing defense at her position. She brings out soft hands which show consistent location. It is not uncommon for her to obtain double doubles in the stat category for assists and digs. In the county championship win against Arundel Bolter collected 12 assists and 13 digs.    Richard Montgomery (22-1) - The defending Class 4 champion had an easy time with Springbrook sweeping them with no set closer than 10 points. In the last set the Blue Devils could only score seven. [player_tooltip player_id='235748' first='Ema' last='Djordjevic'] continues to lead the team with her 13 kills and 10 assists. They also swept past Urbana with the sets a little more competitive. [player_tooltip player_id='412056' first='Elizabeth' last='Mitchell'] produced seven kills with her seven aces and 10 digs. With her frosh sister [player_tooltip player_id='536719' first='Katherine' last='Mitchell'] hitting outside this team brings more weapons to the pins than the team carried last year.   Winston Churchill (11-6) - Churchill played the Rockets in the Battle of Bethesda and lost a three set match. The third set ended 15-13. In the Regionals it took them five to beat Walter Johnson. Against Reservoir they took the third set 29-27 and then finished them off in the fourth 25-18. Churchill attacks with [player_tooltip player_id='397548' first='Sonia' last='Breslawec'] on the left side while [player_tooltip player_id='465322' first='Siyena' last='Fitsum'] takes charge of the middle. [player_tooltip player_id='438053' first='Lucille' last='Deraleau'] can play either middle or right side while sister [player_tooltip player_id='346818' first='Charlotte' last='Deraleau'] sets.   Broadneck (16-3) - Broadneck swept past Leonardtown and did the same to Crofton. [player_tooltip player_id='478903' first='Barrett' last='Bolter'] shares the setting responsibilities with [player_tooltip player_id='721762' first='Sydney' last='Lawrence'] for a team that brings intimidating height to the court. On the roster they carry 6'1" Addison Sladky, 6'0" [player_tooltip player_id='721753' first='Kennedy' last='Smith'], 6'1" Amanda Protzman and the 6'0" Molly Robison. It appears the primary targets start with left side [player_tooltip player_id='721759' first='Anna' last='Graves'] and middle [player_tooltip player_id='721753' first='Kennedy' last='Smith']. The Bruins only losses have come against Reservoir, Musselman and Arundel, all playoff caliber teams. Fortunately for Broadneck, after six straight losses to Arundel they finally beat them in the county championship, taking them in four.   Perry Hall (8-11) - Not a team with a great record. Six of their losses came during a consecutive losing streak. Taking a look at the regional play they swept Parkville then followed with an upset win against a 17-3 Flowers team in five. They won the last two sets 25-18 and 15-4.   Class 3    When you list 6'3" (now 6'4"?) you will grab attention on the volleyball court. Chloe played right side for Metro last year. She also won a top performer award at the Prep Dig frosh showcase in August.   She still needs work on the arm extension to enhance her swing velocity and her transition game needs to get more fluid. However, she does bring some quickness to her game that taller players normally lack. What makes her even more attractive for the right side is her left handed swing.    Northern C (18-0) - They swept past Great Mills and Old Mill in the Regional Playoff. This extends a winning streak to nine matches in which they have swept their opponent. North Hagerstown should provide for a tougher match. The Patriots swept Leonardtown for the Southern Maryland Athletic Conference championship. They have only lost three sets all year with no match going five. On the roster they carry the 6'3 frosh [player_tooltip player_id='515489' first='Chloe' last='Canetto'].   North Hagerstown (17-2) - Their only two losses came early in the season against Howard and James Wood, two teams that may end up as state champions as well. They swept their regional opponents Linganore and Bel Air. While losing senior left side [player_tooltip player_id='249341' first='Baylee' last='Doolan'] to a knee injury they still have weapons. Younger sister [player_tooltip player_id='303701' first='Caydence' last='Doolan'] is a powerful force from the left side while setter [player_tooltip player_id='520349' first='Lauren' last='Hobbs'] is pretty much always on target with her hitters. Finally, [player_tooltip player_id='481964' first='Nevaeh' last='Ware'] plays a solid middle and has the ability to shift outside.   Howard (23-0) - At least one team will take their first loss before the season ends, either Howard or Northern. It should be a fun match to watch. Howard took down both River Hill and Arundel in four. Against River Hill [player_tooltip player_id='402429' first='Kaleigh' last='Williams'] (9), [player_tooltip player_id='702631' first='McKenna' last='Brown'] (8) and [player_tooltip player_id='577516' first='Mariska' last='Ordonez'] (8) combined for 25 kills. [player_tooltip player_id='374421' first='Miranda' last='Ball'] covered the back for 20 digs and [player_tooltip player_id='698761' first='Imagine' last='Peltier'] orchestrated the offense with 27 assists. Against Arundel it was Brown (12), Williams (12) and [player_tooltip player_id='720806' first='Jackie' last='Klugh'] combining for 36 kills. Peltier distributed 40 assists. This team can attack from all positions.   Thomas Wootten (15-3) - On paper this team looks over matched when compared to playing the defending state champion and two undefeated teams. Fortunately, games are not played on paper. Losses to Georgetown Day, Richard Montgomery and Churchill are teams still involved in their respective state playoff races, though Georgetown Day recently won their state championship. The Patriots swept both Dulaney and Magruder in the Regional playoffs. That gives them five sweeps in a row after getting beaten by Churchill in five. [player_tooltip player_id='325604' first='Sara' last='Foster'] and [player_tooltip player_id='438097' first='Haile' last='Ma'] provide strong offense from the outside. The middles are strong with Kirsten Sinkler and [player_tooltip player_id='434851' first='Caitlin' last='Doherty']. More importantly, the person responsible for getting them the ball [player_tooltip player_id='325600' first='Taryn' last='Su'] does an excellent job of orchestrating an offense.   Class 2    At 5'9" Skylar will be considered undersized for a left side. For Williamsport she ranks as their top hitter, leading the team in digs. As an undersized player it helps if you can play defense. Skylar can do that ranking second on the team in digs. She also is one of the primary passers in serve receive.   She recently earned a spot on the Herald Mail Media as one of the 46 Washington County high school players to watch in the high school playoffs. In order for Williamsport to win the Class 2 state championship they will require Skylar to be on her game.    Eastern Tech (16-4) - Three of their four losses have come against Dulaney. They swept both Frederick and Douglass in the play offs. Not familiar with the Mavericks roster. [player_tooltip player_id='764655' first='Shawna' last='Dyer'] appears to lead this team from the left side. At 5'10" she brings some height to the floor. Her primary sport appears to be softball. She can wing a softball 70 miles per hour. With that kind of velocity she can whack a volleyball pretty hard.   Centennial (7-8) - Despite their losing record they are still in the final four. They are also the defending champs. One more win and they will get to the finals of the state. They beat Poolesville in four and swept Sparrows Point. They have a balanced offense with setter Ana Lima and outsides Julia Guzman and Hannah Shiau. Joy Chen appears to be their main setter and the 6'1 Audrey Smallidge plays right side and leads the team in blocks. Simar Sidhu plays libero.   Calvert (15-3) - They have lost to Bullis, Leonardtown and Northern, all very strong teams. In the playoffs they swept past Huntington and defeated C. Milton Wright in four. Raegan Oursler appears to be the offensive spark on the team.   Williamsport (13-5) - Losses have occurred against James Wood and Boonsboro as well as a three game losing streak to North Hagerstown, Smithsburg and Clear Spring. They swept Middletown and then beat Kent Island in four in the regional playoffs. [player_tooltip player_id='309027' first='Skylar' last='Norris'] produced 9 kills to lead the offense against Middleton. Emerson Shank tacked up four kills to go with her 9 digs and 10 assists. Skylar leads the team in kills with frosh [player_tooltip player_id='610473' first='Catherine' last='Warren'] right behind. Libero Elizabeth Warren leads in digs and aces. Emerson Shank does most of the setting.   Class 1   Patterson Mill (15-2) - Their only two losses came against Bel Air, which North Hagerstown eliminated in the Class 3 Regionals. They have won their last eight matches, with the last seven earned by sweeps. Patterson Mill swept both Bohemia Manor and Carver A & T in the Regional playoffs with neither team scoring twenty points. Samiyah Hubbard is an outside hitter to watch.   Clear Spring (14-5) - They swept Fort Hill and Chesapeake Math South in the regional playoffs. In the regular season they lost to two West Virginia power houses Hedgesville and Spring Mills. They have also lost to Boonsboro, who they could play in the finals if they win their next playoff match. [player_tooltip player_id='481961' first='Addison' last='Ziegler'] is their top offensive threat. She has a left handed swing ideal for the right side but can also hit left side.   Boonesboro (15-3) - Three tough losses against Smithsburg, Urbana and North Hagerstown, all quality teams. They upset a strong South Carroll team in five, taking the fifth set 15-12. Their next match was much easier with a sweep against Edmondson-Westside. The Red Storm could not manage to reach 10 points in any of the three sets. [player_tooltip player_id='569805' first='Larissa' last='Blair'] is an outside hitter to watch. Other players to watch include middle Sydney Turner and setter [player_tooltip player_id='526877' first='Alyssa' last='Phillips'].   North Dorchester (12-6) - Two sweeps against Colonel Richardson and Chesapeake Math North in the Regional playoffs. Unfortunately, not a lot known about this team.   Two of my four champions are still in the playoff race, repeaters Richard Montgomery and North Hagerstown. The North Hagerstown prediction was based on the Doolan sisters firing on all cylinders. A knee injury will make [player_tooltip player_id='249341' first='Baylee' last='Doolan'] unavailable for the playoffs. It will be tough for them to beat Howard.   Still not committed to a team in class 2 while class 1 I will ride it out with Boonsboro.

Below a summary of the four teams left in the Regionals for the four classes. The playoffs for these teams are Tuesday November 12th. The two winners will advance to the States.