My Way to Early Top 5 for Class 3

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The one thing about Class 3 for next year will be the wealth of talent in the 2028 and 2027 classes. The teams on the list all return a ton of talent, but only one on the list has the experience returning, and the final four have experience. Could this lead them to the championship, or will the youth stand in the way?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Strafford 30-6-1</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Strafford lost to eventual runner-up Logan-Rogersville and has enough return to be one of my top contenders. A trio of 2028 players in <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='664702' first='Ava' last='Lane'],</strong> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='729492' first='Trista' last='Vanhorn']</strong>, and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='729521' first='Blair' last='Bough']</strong> are three of the top four hitters returning for next season and have 643 combined kills. 2026 <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='490211' first='Reese' last='Darnell']</strong> also returns to help run the offense. How successful Strafford could depend on replacing one of the top Class 3 liberos?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Odessa 26-8</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Bulldogs finished the year with a 3^rd place finish for the program's first trip to a final four. Returning a trio of 6'1” hitters in <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='490113' first='Kali' last='Adamec'], Rylee Hicklin,</strong> and <strong>Balie Ailor</strong>, who had a combined 771 kills, is a solid start. Replacing the team setter and libero will be difficult but manageable, with 2028 <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='730133' first='Maddie' last='Breitling']</strong> stepping in to fill one of those gaps. Odessa's return to the final is more than doable, but they need to sure up those two graduated positions.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Cape Notre Dame 28-10-1</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>ND had another solid season and lost to eventual state champion Potosi in 4 and did it having three of the top five hitters returning. 2026 [player_tooltip player_id='232326' first='Claudia' last='Jones'] will return for her fourth season running the Bulldog offense and has 2465 career assists. The development of 2028 <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='730111' first='Sophie' last='DeJournett']</strong>, 2027 <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='512874' first='Olivia' last='Cox']</strong>, and <strong>Morgan LeGrand</strong> will be critical, but they put down 593 kills. If 2027 <strong>Carlie Shamoun</strong> steps in as libero, the team must replace a middle, and they will be a formidable opponent next season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Mt. Vernon 19-13-2</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='464561' first='Ziah' last='Schmutz']</strong> is one of the top 2027 players in Class 3. She ended this season one win away from a final four and returns her 419 kills and 346 assists. 2026 <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='236990' first='Camryn' last='Cornell']</strong>, 2027 <strong>Savannah Dampf</strong>, and <strong>Whitney Ullrich</strong> must provide a more significant offensive output to help Ziah. If another team wants to make the final four from the SWMO part of the state, they will likely have to go through Strafford and Mt. Vernon.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>MICDS 22-10</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The program won its first district and sectional championship this season, and the Rams want to take that extra step next season—a final-four berth! MICDS will return one of the state's top middles 2027<strong>, [player_tooltip player_id='729704' first='Dorothy' last='Durrill']</strong>. The 6'3” middle led her team with 420 kills, followed by two 2028 players, <strong>Izzy Chao</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='730118' first='Maha' last='Devrapally']</strong>, and 2026 middle <strong>Audrey Marino</strong>, and the team is returning 1056 of the team's 1133 kills. 2028 <strong>Kendall Lay</strong> should slide into the setter position, and <strong>Olivia Hill</strong> could wear a different-colored jersey. They got the taste of the playoffs, so the offseason development will determine how far this team will go next season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->