The Draw Is Complete: 1A Opening Playoff Matches We’re Watching

Unlike the other three classes' draws, the blind draw for 1A seems to have far fewer ranked matches in the opening playoff round. I'm not going to go so far as to say that the draws are “fair”, but the first glance at the records of the opening round matches makes this a little more reasonable for sectionals. We took the time to find three matches where the draw wasn't as kind to the kids and teams involved, and added their state rankings and records for reference.   ***NOTE: All rankings are the Z-Ratings, found at indianaprepvolleyball.com, and all records are through the matches on October 9.***   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">#20 North White (19-7) v #19 Pioneer (17-14)</h2>   I'm not quite sure if the blind draw could have helped in this sectional, as 1A #8, 19, 20 and 21 are all in this sectional. The latter three are all in the same half, which means only ONE of them gets to challenge South Newton in the other half for sectional supremacy. Specifically, this match features two teams that didn't see each other in the regular season, adding to the intrigue. The Vikings (Valkyries?) will roll out a pair of attackers who both bring something special to the fray. Senior Autumn Reif has the size (5'10”) to challenge any defense, while junior middle Olivia Dahlenburg uses her athleticism to fill up the stat sheet. Winners of 7 of their last 8, North White will look to their experience to bring them through this round. For the Panthers, the Hoosier North Conference champs will send out a mixture of senior leadership and the future success of the program to win this match. The three players that do most of the heavy lifting are Laylah Demond, Aspen Moolenaar and Averi Layer. Laylah is your standard middle, with size and strength to control both the offense and defense. Aspen and Averi are two of the primary passers, and are scattered all over the stat sheet, showing the variety of their skill sets. Combined, the trio has already put away over 600 balls this season, and all three will need to be ready to play from 0-0 to win this match.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Shakamak (19-7) v Lighthouse Christian (18-7)</h2>   Although neither of these teams are in the top twenty in 1A in the state, I thought it necessary to include this match as an example of how the blind draw is a punishment. These two teams have, far and away, the best records in their sectional, yet are paired in the first round of the 8-team grouping. They say, however, that to be the best, you have to beat the best, and the winner of this match will most likely go on to win the sectional. The Lakers, winning 9 of their last 11 matches, have a pair of attackers that do all of the heavy lifting. Junior [player_tooltip player_id='808477' first='Brylee' last='Faulk'] is tops in kills, while being in the top three statistically in five other categories for Shakamak. Senior [player_tooltip player_id='811541' first='Ayanna' last='Clark'] is an exceptional complement to Brylee's play, and helps keep defenses honest with her point-scoring ability. The pair have already put away over 400 kills between them, so I expect the offense to continue to run through that pair. For the Lions, all attention will be put on junior attacker [player_tooltip player_id='730369' first='Taylor' last='Helbert']. At 5'11”, she's a big two-sport stud for Lighthouse Christian, and leads the Lions in kills, hitting %, blocks and aces, while being #2 in digs. Taylor's success will dictate how this match goes, and if the Lions can overcome their straight-sets loss to the Lakers back on September 23.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">#6 Christian Academy (22-9) v Henryville (20-9)</h2>   Again, the blind draw strikes. The only teams in sectional #63 win 20+ wins are paired together in the first round, which should make for some high-level viewing. On the opening match of their respective seasons, CAI knocked off Henryville in three tight sets, but that was almost two months ago. Things have changed since then, and I'm not sure that film from that match in mid-August will be a good example of what either team can do in mid-October. The Warriors have experience for days, and their senior leadership is strong. [player_tooltip player_id='837208' first='Regan' last='Barth'] is a primary passer who scores from behind the baseline as well as anyone in this draw, combining for four points per set between the attacking and the serving. The Hornets are known more for their youth and balance, and look to showcase just that coming into this match. Junior [player_tooltip player_id='812907' first='Ella' last='Logsdon'] leads all Hornets in attacking, while freshman Emma Hargis uses all of her 5'10” frame to slow down attackers from the middle. These two attackers have combined for north of 500 kills on the season, which is an impressive number compared to others on this list. The freshman class does a lot for Henryville, and their future is definitely bright. To win this match, however, the Hornets are going to need more from their supporting cast to knock off CAI in the rematch.

Unlike the other three classes' draws, the blind draw for 1A seems to have far fewer ranked matches in the opening playoff round. I'm not going to go so far as to say that the draws are “fair”, but the first glance at the records of the opening round matches makes this a little more reasonable for sectionals. We took the time to find three matches where the draw wasn't as kind to the kids and teams involved, and added their state rankings and records for reference.