Indiana 4A Preview: Trojan Pride?

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Want $10 off of your registration to our July 27 Stock Up Showcase? Use code KypDig2025 at checkout!</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Continuing with our 4A preview here in Indiana, we're moving into the blue-blood category, which includes many teams in many classes, but can only be called as such because of years of sustained success. In today's edition, Center Grove and their 25+-win total year-in and year-out, while also producing D1 talent year after year, cements them as true volleyball blue-bloods. However, does graduation of 7 kills per set PLUS their libero defeat their streak of regional success?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Center Grove (27-9 in 2024)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>If there's one area that the Lady Trojans seem to reload each and every year, it's in the attacking area. Not all years have D1-ready setting, not all years have D1-ready passing, but seemingly every season has at least one attacker that's going Division 1 after their high school career is over. Insert <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='261044' first='Natalie' last='Vance'],</strong> a Southern Illinois commit. This hybrid of an athlete can play any of the front row attacking positions, and has done so at an open level at Team Indiana for some time now. Most recently, she's been a solid right side attacker at CG for years, and is very capable of hitting every set at every angle with pace. She's going to have to work harder than ever to help cover the gap of the 7 kills per set that just graduated. Another pin attacker that needs to pick up some of that slack is <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='481212' first='Kaylen' last='Plunkard'].</strong> Her high attack point, whip of an arm swing and ability to hit multiple angles high and hard make her a three-kill-per-set machine at the high school level. This year's Circle City training expanded her game to include a little more defense and serve receive, which will be much needed with that aforementioned graduation. One dark horse improvement I'd like to see is lengthy middle <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='546229' first='Kaelyn' last='Groce'].</strong> Being a top-end blocker with a knack for solid penetration on defense has been her calling card for a while now, so here's to hoping that her offense has caught up to her above-average defense. The Trojans will DEFINITELY need it. I expect that <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='435853' first='Avery' last='Bastien'],</strong> whose mastery of both the indoor and outdoor games have seen major gains this spring, can step in as the libero this season, with hopes of turning it into a full-time gig for the remainder of her career. That multidisciplinary ability is rare in a libero south of I-70, and should serve her squad well. Finally, this team goes nowhere without <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='435850' first='Anabelle' last='Schembra'],</strong> one of our top recruits for the class of 2027. Her game continues to be refined and energized by her increase abilities, and I would not be surprised if she receives multiple D1 offers this weekend when '27s are allowed to receive them. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Prediction: A deep run IS possible, but the teams on that path also got better.</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I have no doubts that CG win turn in yet another 20-win season. However, high-level 4A squads have firepower to burn in order to make a deep run in October. Yes, this squad graduated a Power Four middle, a D1 outside and a high-end libero. Filling the gaps in those losses will probably be the focus of the Lady Trojans in the early part of the season (read: August and the first half of September). By week six, we should know exactly what these ladies are capable of, as their schedule is perennially one of the toughest in the state, regardless of class. If the offense isn't up to their standard, they're going to need to be significantly tougher behind the baseline, as both Tri-West (3A) and Trinity Lutheran (1A) exposed them last fall when CG's serving was subpar.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->