KC Power 8 Week 1

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We didn't do an update last week since the first official night started on a Thursday. I said, "Let's get through that weekend and a full week before giving a Week 1 update". Here we go!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">1. Lee's Summit West (4-0): Preseason 1</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A 4-0 start to the season, with all sweeps except the big 2-1 over Blue Valley West in the St. James Slam. Lauren Newbold has stepped up early as a second offensive weapon. As a unit, they have 21 aces, led by Andi Gardner's 7.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">2. Lee's Summit North (3-0): Preseason 3</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Perfect to start the year, which includes a trip to Omaha for a 3-2 win over Millard South. They needed a big 26-24 4th-set win to keep the match going. They were able to escape with a 15-9 5th-set win. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">3. Oak Grove (5-0): Preseason 4</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Oak Grove won their pool in the early-season "tournament" in St. Joseph, MO. In the best-of-three format, they went the full three with Bishop LeBlond and Hannibal. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">4. St. Pius (7-0): Preseason NR</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Pius has made me a believer early in the season. I knew they returned middle Makayla Fox and setter Maddy Collignon, who have been fantastic to start the season. Pius opened with a win over Liberty. They went on to win their pool in the St. Joe tournament. Last week, they then picked up a big five-set win over Kansas 5A power program Lansing. Sophomore Gianna Termini has arrived as the second scoring option. She has proven to be terminal on the outside but also a weapon behind the service line. Also on the outside, freshman Leah Scott hasn't let the bright lights affect her play. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">5. St. Michael the Archangel (4-1): Preseason 2</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>St. Michael dropped an early match to preseason-ranked Blue Springs and on the same evening knocked off Class 5 Park Hill in three. They have tw big showdowns this week with top-ranked Lee's Summit West and St. Thomas Aquinas on the Kansas side. In the preseason, I said I would be watching to see who arises as another scoring option, and it appears to be Sailor Lynch, averaging just under 3 kills per set. Freshman Charleigh Williams has stepped in as a freshman and is leading the team with 139 assists. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">6. Park Hill (3-1): Preseason NR</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I almost ranked the Trojans to start the year but needed to watch and see how they opened. With no returning setters and losing a pin, needed to see how things shaped out around Osegueda and Chappell. They were knocked off by #5 St. Michael in three sets but beat previously ranked Blue Springs in two. They followed that up with a sweep of Park Hill South and a win over Liberty. The setters? Everleigh Bane and Finley Dirks are holding it down with 62 and 49 assists, respectively. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">7. Smithville (2-0): Preseason 7</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Warriors have started with a light schedule, playing two games to date but both wins. Senior Emily Hart is off to a fast start with 17 kills in five sets. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">8. Belton (5-1): Preseason NR</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Belton is off to a 5-1 start to begin the year. They knocked off LeBlond and Marysville in St. Joe last weekend. They followed that up with a 3-2 win over Grain Valley. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->