The 5A State Bracket Is Set—Let’s Break It Down!

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><a href="https://prepdig.com/subscribe"><mark class="has-inline-color has-primary-color"><em>Click Here to&nbsp;Subscribe</em></mark></a></strong><a href="https://prepdig.com/subscribe"><mark class="has-inline-color has-primary-color">–</mark></a>&nbsp;Get 30% off w/code: <strong>Bryant30 </strong>for FULL ACCESS</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's that time of the year! The 5A state title is on the line for four lucky Nevada teams. The two best teams from the southern regions and northern league will face off for the 5A State Title starting on November 8th at Spanish Springs High School (Reno).&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><em>5A Southern Region Champion - Bishop Gorman&nbsp;</em></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><em>5A Southern Region Runner Up - Coronado</em></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><em>5A Northern League Champion - Bishop Manogue</em></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><em>5A Northern League Runner Up - Reno</em></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It has been a great season for all four of these teams! They were the best in their conferences all season and were all highly favored to make it to both the region/league finals and the state finals. Check out the state title bracket➡️ <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/11qcum97CEM0ZzBrqFSNQYDX8xsa9h3eIk6sGv5R8L-Q/edit"><strong>Grab your free 5A State Bracket here!</strong></a> </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":716398,"width":"436px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/5a-state-playoffs.png?w=684" alt="" class="wp-image-716398" style="width:436px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Bracket Breakdown&nbsp;</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">State Semifinals - 11/8/2024&nbsp;</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Bishop Gorman vs. Reno, 7 pm</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><mark class="has-inline-color has-primary-color">Prediction: Bishop Gorman</mark></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">How They Got Here</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Bishop Gorman finished first in 5A Desert league with a 12-0 record, won the 5A Southern Region Championship</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Reno finished first in 5A Northern League with a 14-2, runner up in the 5A Northern League Championship</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Previous Meeting: No</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Common Opponents: None</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Returning 5A state champions, Bishop Gorman, has been dominating all season, and they're going to be a huge challenge for Reno. With standout D1 commits [player_tooltip player_id='203840' first='Ayanna' last='Watson'], [player_tooltip player_id='325888' first='Trinity' last='Thompson'], and [player_tooltip player_id='543087' first='Brooklynn' last='Williams'], they're in a great position to go all the way to the finals. [player_tooltip player_id='203840' first='Ayanna' last='Watson'] is a beast on the court, often racking up 20+ kills per match—she's like having two players in one! Other key players stepping up big time are [player_tooltip player_id='543916' first='Boyana' last='Pesic'], [player_tooltip player_id='716112' first='Carsyn' last='Stansberry'], and [player_tooltip player_id='543140' first='Ellie' last='Prindl'], especially as the season has wrapped up and into the postseason. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Reno's had a solid season, but they did get knocked out by Bishop Manogue in a crazy five-set thriller in the 5A Northern League Championship. If Reno wants to stand a chance against Bishop Gorman, they need to be sharp and limit their errors. [player_tooltip player_id='729390' first='Danica' last='Sullivan'] has been on fire with key kills for Reno and [player_tooltip player_id='548059' first='Lily' last='Houston'] has been a blocking machine. [player_tooltip player_id='724523' first='Payton' last='Finley'] and [player_tooltip player_id='544978' first='Bhavisha' last='Patil'] have been locking down the back row. [player_tooltip player_id='724523' first='Payton' last='Finley'] has been especially impressive, earning several double-doubles this season while playing all the way around. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In a matchup like this, good blocking, passing, and serving from Reno are essential. They will need to play smart—mixing up intentional attacks with well-placed tips to keep Gorman on their toes. Even if they play their best, though, Gorman is a well-oiled machine. They have an incredible serving game, [player_tooltip player_id='203840' first='Ayanna' last='Watson'] and a super solid defense. It's going to take everything Reno's got to pull off an upset!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Team Stats Comparison</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:table {"className":"is-style-stripes"} --> <figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><thead><tr><th>Category</th><th>Reno</th><th>Bishop Gorman</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Kills</strong></td><td>774</td><td>1398</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Total Blocks</strong></td><td>183</td><td>137</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Serving Aces</strong></td><td>217</td><td>267</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Digs</strong></td><td>1200</td><td>1462</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Assists</strong></td><td>675</td><td>1315</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Receptions</strong></td><td>1284</td><td>1353</td></tr></tbody></table></figure> <!-- /wp:table --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Coronado vs Bishop Manogue, 5pm</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><mark class="has-inline-color has-primary-color">Prediction - Coronado</mark></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">How They Got Here</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Coronado finished first in the 5A Mountain league with a 10-0 record, 5A Southern Region runner up&nbsp;</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Bishop Manogue finished second in 5A Northern League with a 12-4 record, won first in the 5A Northern League Championship</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Previous Meeting: No</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Common Opponents: Moapa Valley, Galena, Arbor View, Kamehameha Kapalama</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Coronado went 5-1 against common opponents (beat Arbor View 3x), Bishop Manogue went 3-2 (lost to Arbor View). Both teams beat Galena, Moapa Valley and Kamehameha Kapalama</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Coronado has had an <em>amazing</em> season! They went undefeated in league play and are easily one of the most talented teams in the 5A conference. Players like [player_tooltip player_id='550487' first='Julie' last='Beckham'], [player_tooltip player_id='543103' first='Rachel' last='Purser'], [player_tooltip player_id='525323' first='Gentry' last='Oblad'], and [player_tooltip player_id='221014' first='Rachel' last='Schwartz'] dominated in the Desert League and all four earned First Team All-Conference honors. Plus, every one of them is committed to a D1 university! They've been flexing their skills all season, beating everyone in their conference. Even though they lost in the 5A Southern Region finals, that doesn't take away from their epic 18-game winning streak leading up to the loss. Now they're looking to face off against Bishop Gorman in the state finals—assuming Gorman gets past their semifinal match, of course.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Meanwhile, Manogue's had their own adventure. They traveled all the way from Reno to Henderson, NV, to compete in the Durango Fall Classic, where they got a chance to play against some tough Vegas teams. It gave them a good taste of the competition they'll face, helping them prepare for what's coming as they look to take on Coronado in the finals.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Manogue's offense has some serious firepower. [player_tooltip player_id='532710' first='Lily' last='Beckwith'], Kaetlie Harris, and [player_tooltip player_id='532706' first='Audrey' last='Sutherland'] are all key players for them. Beckwith has been a standout all season with her powerful outside swing and ability to contribute from the back row. Plus, she's got a nasty float serve and leads her team in digs, showing she's got more than just an offensive game. [player_tooltip player_id='532707' first='Eva' last='Knudsen'] has been a big part of the team's back-row defense, and setter [player_tooltip player_id='543090' first='Pamela' last='Jonovic'] has been putting up some impressive numbers—597 assists so far this season! Not only is Pamela dishing out great sets, but she's also been a key defender in right back.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>No doubt, Manogue is a solid team. But the big question is: Can they take down a powerhouse like Coronado, who's got that experienced, D1-bound squad? We'll have to wait and see!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Team Stats Comparison</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:table {"className":"is-style-stripes"} --> <figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><thead><tr><th>Category</th><th>Coronado</th><th>Bishop Manogue</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Kills</strong></td><td>1110</td><td>734</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Total Blocks</strong></td><td>117</td><td>91</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Serving Aces</strong></td><td>322</td><td>191</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Digs</strong></td><td>1011</td><td>797</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Assists</strong></td><td>1003</td><td>697</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Receptions</strong></td><td>1257</td><td>1057</td></tr></tbody></table></figure> <!-- /wp:table --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">State Finals - 11/9/24</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We're predicting a major showdown between Bishop Gorman and Coronado in a rematch of both the 5A Southern Region final from this season and last year's state championship. Gorman took the win in three straight sets in their previous meeting, but Coronado definitely started bringing the heat in that final set. If they can carry that momentum into every set in the next matchup, they've got a shot at pushing Gorman to more than three sets—and maybe even snagging the state title. The key will be minimizing errors and playing aggressively but with smart strategy. In their last match, Coronado only had 3 total blocks, so blocking more would be very beneficial. However, Gorman is on fire this season. They're all playing at an insanely high level and show no signs of slowing down. They've got a really strong chance to win it all.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Prediction</strong>: At first, I picked Gorman to win the Southern Region title and Coronado to take state. But after seeing them face off in person, I'm switching things up. This is going to be a crazy match to watch, with tons of D1 talent on both sides. As much as I'd love to see Coronado pull the upset, I'm going to pick<mark class="has-inline-color has-primary-color"><strong> Gorman to win the state title this year</strong></mark>. It's going to be a battle, but Gorman looks unstoppable!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>More playoff coverage and updates coming soon! 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