Indiana 2A Preview: Bison Stampede?

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Want $10 off of your registration to our Freshman or Stock Up Showcase on July 27? Use code KypDig2025 at checkout!</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Moving into the top three in the state from last fall, according to indianaprepvolleyball.com, and you can start to see big time players appearing on rosters. Southwood has a Kentucky ('27) recruit, and they're listed as #4 in 2A from a season ago. Today's edition puts the focus squarely on the Bison of Benton Central, located northwest of Lafayette. Benton Central has seen more and more kids playing high level club ball, and their experience playing at the open level has made this roster one of the up-and-coming programs in the northern half of the state of Indiana. Do they have enough coming back to make a major run this coming fall? Here is my preview and prediction of what's returning at Benton Central.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Benton Central (27-5 in 2024)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>You can see that they had five losses a season ago, but the only loss to a 2A school was to eventual state champ Western Boone in the sectional final. The Bison perennially play one of the toughest schedules in the state, let alone in 2A, to prepare for a deep run in the playoffs. Last fall's last loss was tough, but they only lose a setter from their 6-2, who's going to NAIA Doane in Nebraska. The returners are eye-opening and worth the price of admission to watch. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='260994' first='Calista' last='Foster'],</strong> a Western Kentucky commit, is about as explosive and well-rounded a recruit as you'll see in the state, and has been since we started scouting her two years ago. Junior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='411023' first='Mckenna' last='Yadon']</strong> is another pin attacker that has brains to go with her athleticism. Senior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='807860' first='Ava' last='Holder']</strong> can terminate from anywhere as well, and is an excellent outlet attacker when the defense camps on Miss Foster. I'm also a fan of undersized and underappreciated middle <strong>Rhyan Deno,</strong> as she's responsible for more blocks than one would think from a 5'9" middle. <strong>Isabella Widmer</strong> in the libero position adds to an already stout serve receive and floor defense complement, while the other half of the 6-2 from a year ago, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='499444' first='Izzy' last='Adams'],</strong> returns for her senior campaign. Other than filling the second setting position in their 6-2, the Bison (yes, that's plural) are in great shape for a deep run in the playoffs simply because of the amount of high-level players coming back this fall. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Prediction: Is this the "Year of the Bison"? Why not?</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Western Boone '25 edition is NOT the same as what we saw from them in '24. If Benton Central wins their sectional, which should <em>finally</em> happen, the northern half of the draw is tough. For things to work out, the Bison need to stay healthy and condition well for the extra-long run into November. Only ONE of either Burris or Wapahani will make it out of that sectional, and Southwood is always tough in the northern half. But that's it. No other 2A program north of I-70 will be as battle-tested as Benton Central, and none will have a chip as big as theirs going into mid-October. If things fall the way the volleyball gods should let them, this could be the Year of the Bison.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->