Nebraska Bid Tracker: South Central NE 17 Black Strikes Again

This is Show Me Qualifier royalty.   We started following this core group of South Central NE 17 Black players since they arrived on the 15s scene two years ago. They've reached the Show Me Qualifier's Liberty division championship every year we've covered them. Last weekend gave us the three-peat.   Kansas City remains South Central NE's gateway to Nationals. This year's 17s squad brought some new faces into the mix, but the result was remarkably familiar. This entry to the Nebraska Bid Tracker reminds us that the small-town scene can still produce big results in club venues.   17 Black is back.  <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Moving up to 17 Liberty to find South Central NE 17 Black, a group with no shortage of Show Me accolades. Right back in the top division in KC. <a href="https://t.co/eJhVcg861x">pic.twitter.com/eJhVcg861x</a> — Austin Kingsley (@KingsleyATK) <a href="https://twitter.com/KingsleyATK/status/1911529663698182208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 13, 2025</a></blockquote>    Sustained Dominance   Let's put it plainly: South Central NE seldom loses matches in Kansas City.   17 Black likely set high expectations heading into the Show Me Qualifier based on results from past seasons. We hesitate to say "bid or bust," but South Central NE was aware of what it could accomplish.   That determination materialized immediately as 17 Black rolled through the first round of pool play. South Central NE posted a 3-0 record while not allowing any of its opponents to go beyond 20 points in a single set. We've seen this dominant form before.   The routs continued in the first two matches of Sunday's slate. 17 Black finally dropped a set in its Round 2 finale against Houston Skyline, but the small-town crew mounted an impressive comeback to keep the overall winning streak alive. Bracket play beckoned, and South Central NE was 6-0.   The pressure of a single elimination format has not deterred South Central NE in past Show Me qualifiers. Monday's action provided more of the same clutch play, and 17 Black rolled past Tulsa Power after an opening-round bye.   Two bids were available in Show Me's 17 Liberty division. South Central NE was in the semifinals, one win away from clinching one of those GJNC berths. One opponent stood in the way: VCNebraska 17 Black. For the second year in a row, South Central NE was locked in a Great Plains semifinal with a spot in the Liberty championship on the line.   Once again, we'd see the resilience of South Central NE 17 Black pay off in the biggest spotlight of all. VCNebraska claimed the first set, putting its in-state foe on the brink of elimination. South Central responded with a dramatic 25-23 win in Set 3 to force the tiebreaker.   That momentum resulted in a large South Central lead early in Set 3. VCN clawed back, however, and evened the set at ten apiece. Finally, a massive late scoring run put South Central NE in command en route to a 15-11 triumph in the third. The three-peat was complete, and 17 Black finished runner-up for the second consecutive season.  <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> They've done it again! South Central NE 17 Black wins the Great Plains battle to clinch a 17 Liberty bid and a spot in the championship. This group's road to Nationals *always* runs through Kansas City! <a href="https://t.co/024KuE2MvS">pic.twitter.com/024KuE2MvS</a> — Austin Kingsley (@KingsleyATK) <a href="https://twitter.com/KingsleyATK/status/1911849065270370373?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2025</a></blockquote>    The Perfect Medley   As mentioned in the intro, this year's South Central NE 17 Black roster featured a mixture of familiar names and new additions. The transition has panned out perfectly.   [player_tooltip player_id='276201' first='Myla' last='Emery'] is the perfect complement to 17 Black's operation. The versatile athlete is a two-time state champion at Minden and can seemingly play any position around the dial. Emery's role with 17 Black is what we've come to expect from the dynamic junior: setting and hitting. Her distribution as a backcourt setter is exquisite, and Emery is also a go-to opposite in the front row.   South Central NE boasts another exceptional athlete who emulates Emery's versatility: Nebraska Christian junior [player_tooltip player_id='275965' first='Taytum' last='Perdew']. Perdew has made her mark as a setter-attacker on the high school stage, and her all-around prowess persists with South Central NE. This 17 Black can run what is often referred to as a "true" 6-2 with two setter-hitters in the formation.   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/07/DSC03450.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-436910" style="width:401px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Griess</figcaption></figure>   This new shuffle has also shown us how well [player_tooltip player_id='396733' first='Payton' last='Bauer'] can adapt to various positions. On past South Central NE rosters, we've seen Bauer compile reps as an opposite or a middle blocker. Show Me revealed her takeover potential as a left-side hitter, making Bauer a true utility player in the South Central frontcourt. 17 Black has reinvented itself in the absence of superstar outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='253923' first='Jalyn' last='Branson'], and Bauer has stepped up at the right time.   On the other side of the rotation, [player_tooltip player_id='275895' first='Isabel' last='DeJonge'] is finding her groove. Like most of South Central's attackers, DeJonge is a six-rotation force who contributes as a passer and back-row defender. The Adams Central standout is playing her best volleyball and has seized a leadership role with her new-look squad.   Lest we forget about the middle blockers. This position group has always been a strength for 17 Black, and that identity has not wavered throughout the 2025 campaign. Hastings St. Cecilia junior [player_tooltip player_id='396732' first='Payton' last='Sullivan'] has soared up the efficiency charts on the prep scene and carves wicked angles in front of the setter. Sullivan can also take swings as a left-side hitter in first-ball scenarios.   Meanwhile, [player_tooltip player_id='518577' first='Jamie' last='Vavra'] is compiling an impressive highlight tape as the other middle blocker in the lineup. The Ord native is a natural blocker who can overpower any attacker across the net. She anchors the M2 spot well and has been another new revelation for 17 Black.   Of course, [player_tooltip player_id='396734' first='Kyla' last='Griess']' backcourt excellence is nothing new. This game-changing libero has racked up numerous accolades throughout her time with South Central NE, particularly as a 15s contender at GJNC. Griess has tremendous defensive instincts and lets her attackers shine after quality first contacts. This is 17 Black's captain and centerpiece, but it took a full team effort last weekend.   Welcome back to the podium.   The Tracker     18 Open   [program_tooltip program_id='428743' first='VCNebraska' last=''] 18 Elite - KC MLK     18 National   Premier Nebraska 18 Gold - GPR     18 USA   [program_tooltip program_id='428717' first='Nebraska' last='ONE'] 18 Black - NLQ     18 American   Premier Nebraska 18 Black - GPR     18 Freedom   Banzai VBC 18 Select - GPR     17 Open   Premier Nebraska 17 Gold - NLQ     17 National   Midwest Elite 17-1 - GPR     17 Liberty   South Central NE 17 Black - Show Me     17 American   [program_tooltip program_id='428717' first='Nebraska' last='ONE'] 17 Black - GPR     17 Freedom   VCNebraska 17 Elite - GPR     16 Open   Premier Nebraska 16 Gold - Show Me     16 American   [program_tooltip program_id='428717' first='Nebraska' last='ONE'] 16 Black - GPR     16 Freedom   VCNebraska 16 Black - GPR     15 National   VCNebraska 15 Elite - GPR     15 American   VCNebraska 15 Black - GPR     15 Freedom   Premier Nebraska 15 Black - GPR

This is Show Me Qualifier royalty.