First Impressions from 2025 Bellevue West Invite

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>What a way to start the show.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Bellevue West Invitational is always our gateway to a new season. Over a dozen volleyball powerhouses from Omaha and beyond converge for an early pressure test. That leads to some stark first impressions.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Let's take stock in several of Nebraska's title contenders after a thrilling opening-weekend slate.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Class “1A” versus “1B”</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We're blurring the lines between Class A and Class B.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This annual event draws title contenders from both of Nebraska's highest-population classifications. And, especially with this year's results, we're still seeing how close these two groups are.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Of course, Elkhorn North did its part to prove the preeminence of Class B. The Wolves had made multiple semifinal appearances in their Bellevue West Invitational history, but 2025 offered a chance to go one step further. Elkhorn North scored a 2-1 triumph over defending Class A champion Papillion-La Vista South to hoist this year's trophy. This is a massive early statement.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Class B powerhouse Omaha Skutt Catholic wasn't far behind. This program has made a habit of taking down Class A schools over the last decade, so this year's semifinal berth was no surprise. We can always count on the SkyHawks to represent Class B well during the season's opening weekend.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>But the depth of Class B goes even further with Gretna paving its way to the semifinals. The Dragons are not far from being a Class A group themselves, but the schism with Gretna East contributed to Gretna's Class B return last season. This has given Class B another surefire frontrunner with all the firepower you'd expect from a Dragon lineup.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/KingsleyATK/status/1961810347725402330","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/KingsleyATK/status/1961810347725402330 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Thin Margins</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This was the deepest Bellevue West Invite field in recent memory. A deuce set here and there had massive seeding implications for the final bracket.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Millard West gave us a stark example of how tight this tournament was. The Wildcats started the season Thursday night with a heartbreaking five-set loss against Omaha Westside. Fittingly, the Wildcats and Warriors reconvened for the weekend's pool play and went the distance yet again. Westside claimed another narrow victory in the best-of-three bout, but this isn't the last we'll see of Millard West against big-time opponents.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":882329,"width":"380px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","align":"right"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/08/IMG_9882-edited.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-882329" style="width:380px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Gretna competes at the 2025 Bellevue West Invitational.</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Competition was also fierce for the No. 1 seed in Group A. The race came down to Omaha Skutt Catholic and Omaha Westside, and the deciding showdown was a thriller. Perhaps the 17-15 deuce drama from Thursday night was the difference for Westside. Either way, the Warriors won a 27-25 nail-biter in the third set to knock off Skutt Catholic in Friday's meeting.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Let's also give a nod to our lone Star City visitor. Lincoln East challenged itself against the Omaha juggernauts and compiled a wealth of quality reps on the Class A scene. Friday's nightcap against the homestanding Thunderbirds was particularly close. Even as the Spartans introduce several new players to their rotation, the standard remains the same.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">The Old Guard</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We'll expand on this point through our player features throughout the week, but we had to give a nod to the veterans.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>At the start of every season, it can be easy to get caught up in what's new and different. We fixate on emerging underclassmen and fresh faces in starting lineups. However, this Bellevue West Invitational served as a reminder that seasons are often won by leaning on the seasoned pros.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Elkhorn North brought upperclassman strength at the setter spot and the pins to win the tournament title. Omaha Skutt Catholic had a pair of high-flying seniors at the left-side hitter spot. Even Gretna, a school with tons of influence from the Class of 2028, has several steely veterans leading the way.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We won't skimp on the senior coverage this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->