Teams of the Week 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A, 6A

Busy week in the Prep Dig Arkansas Office, The first half of the season is complete, new rankings for 2028, 2029 and 2030 classes are about to drop and Wednesday a new podcast is being shot! Today we are going to hit a lot. Players, teams, you name it. Let's go... who are the 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A and 6A teams of the week?   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">2A Team of the Week — Cotter Lady Warriors</h3>   Population of about 900. A railroad boom town that sprang up in the early 20th century, Cotter was once the largest town in North Arkansas. Today it is a well-known river town offering excellent trout fishing amid incredible scenery. It's also known as a volleyball town!   Cotter has been one of the more impressive teams in 2A this season, and after talking with Head Coach Nikki Guthrie, you get a better understanding of what has gone into their success.   One thing Guthrie has really focused on is finding tougher competition and preparing her team for the grind they will face in the state tournament. That started during the summer when Cotter attended a camp in Gulf Shores and competed against Farmington and other larger schools. The goal wasn't just winning. It was putting the Lady Warriors in difficult situations and teaching them how to deal with adversity.   That approach is paying off. Cotter is 17-2 overall and 4-0 in 2A-2 play, with both losses coming against 4A Harrison.   The strength of this team is a talented core junior class, but this isn't a team relying on just a couple of players. Guthrie is getting contributions up and down the roster, and that depth combined with the experience gained against bigger programs should serve Cotter well as the season moves toward tournament time.   The Lady Warriors have already shown they can win. Now they are building a team designed to handle the tougher matches that come later in the season.    [player_tooltip player_id='1046675' first='Lily' last='McNutt'] is a name to remember. The Cotter freshman stands 6'4", so she draws attention as soon as she walks into the gym. She is already getting Division I attention on the basketball court, but her potential on the volleyball court may be just as exciting.   Head Coach Nikki Guthrie describes McNutt as about as good of an athlete as you will see and believes she has the potential to become every bit as good in volleyball as she is in basketball. For a freshman with that kind of size and athleticism, there is a lot to work with.   She also gets to play alongside her older sister, Myah, a talented 5'11" junior who is part of the strong junior class leading this Cotter team.   The McNutt sisters will be fun to watch the rest of the season as the Lady Warriors make their run at a state championship.    <h3 class="wp-block-heading">3A Team of the Week — Bergman Panthers</h3>   Bergman is on a roll. The Panthers are 13-3 and have won 11 straight matches after a 2-3 start to the season.   One of those early losses came against Flippin in five sets. Bergman got another shot at them during this streak and returned the favor with a five-set win. Even more impressive, those are the only two sets the Panthers have dropped during their entire 11-match winning streak.   This is an experienced group with seven seniors, one junior and four sophomores. The Panthers are led by team captains [player_tooltip player_id='834310' first='Kinsley' last='See'], a senior outside, and [player_tooltip player_id='842916' first='Jazlyn' last='Porter'], a RS/DS. See has led the attack at 2.7 kills per set and has added 26 aces.   Senior libero [player_tooltip player_id='801147' first='Avery' last='West'] has anchored the back row at 3.3 digs per set, while sophomore setter Abryee Uber has handed out 204 assists. Senior middle [player_tooltip player_id='843352' first='Laney' last='Butler'] leads the work at the net with 12 blocks. Sophomore outside/DS Alexis McCutcheon has also been part of a group getting contributions from both its veterans and younger players.   Key Statistical Leaders: [player_tooltip player_id='834310' first='Kinsley' last='See'] — 2.7 kills/set, 26 aces | [player_tooltip player_id='801147' first='Avery' last='West'] — 3.3 digs/set | Abryee Uber — 204 assists | [player_tooltip player_id='843352' first='Laney' last='Butler'] — 12 blocks   Eleven straight wins, only two sets dropped and a little revenge mixed in. Bergman is playing some really good volleyball right now. By the way...Oct 5th Bergman and Cotter tangle in what should be a really good game.    Senior captain [player_tooltip player_id='834310' first='Kinsley' last='See'] has been a big part of Bergman's impressive run this season. She is a six-rotation outside who gives the Panthers production at the net, from the service line and on the back row.   See has shown she can take over offensively when needed. She put down 18 kills in a three-set win over Yellville-Summit and added 14 against Salem. She has also been solid defensively, averaging 2.3 digs per set, while her 26 aces show she can create pressure from the service line.   More than anything, See gives Bergman an experienced senior leader who can impact the game in several ways. With the Panthers playing some of their best volleyball of the season, their captain has been right in the middle of it.   Season Stats: 32 sets | 85 kills | 2.7 kills/set | .233 hitting | 26 aces | 72 digs | 2.3 digs/set    <h3 class="wp-block-heading">4A Team of the Week — Harmony Grove Cardinals</h3>   Harmony Grove has quietly put together an impressive season. The Cardinals are 12-4-1 overall and a perfect 4-0 in the 4A-6. They are 8-1-1 over their last 10 matches, with their only loss during that stretch coming against a red-hot Valley View team.   The Cardinals have picked up some quality wins along the way, including victories over Westside, Magnolia and Wynne.   [player_tooltip player_id='747267' first='Preslie' last='Walker'] continues to lead the attack at an impressive 5.0 kills per set. [player_tooltip player_id='762345' first='Jaycee' last='Bossert'] has been efficient in the middle, hitting .340 while recording 27 blocks. Running the offense is [player_tooltip player_id='785641' first='Leelana' last='Kennach'], who has already handed out 525 assists and has been dangerous from the service line with 52 aces.   Key Statistical Leaders: [player_tooltip player_id='747267' first='Preslie' last='Walker'] — 5.0 kills/set | [player_tooltip player_id='762345' first='Jaycee' last='Bossert'] — .340 hitting, 27 blocks | [player_tooltip player_id='785641' first='Leelana' last='Kennach'] — 525 assists, 52 aces   At 4-0 in conference play and with wins in eight of their last 10 matches, Harmony Grove has put itself in a strong position in the 4A-6.    Bossert started the week with a monster performance against Lake Hamilton. In a five-set victory, she put down 33 kills on 60 attempts while hitting .417. She followed that with 12 kills against Wynne and another 12 against Westside, both Harmony Grove victories.   She has been a major piece of the Cardinals' offense, giving them a reliable option who can handle a heavy workload and still score efficiently. When Harmony Grove has needed points, Bossert has consistently delivered.   Weekly Stats: 22 sets | 98 kills | 4.5 kills/set | 199 attempts | 32 errors | .332 hitting | 8 aces | 6 blocks   Season Stats: 54 sets | 234 kills | 4.3 kills/set | 497 attempts | 65 errors | .340 hitting | 14 aces | 27 blocks    5A Team of the Week — Valley View Blazers   Don't look now, but Valley View has become one of the hottest teams in the state.   The Blazers have put together a 14-match winning streak, and they haven't just been piling up wins. Valley View put together five straight sweeps over Beebe, Jonesboro, Nettleton, Greene County Tech and West Memphis before another big weekend.   Valley View kept the run going with wins over Wynne, Harrison and Brookland. The Brookland win was especially important because the Bearcats had handed Valley View one of its only two losses earlier this season. This time, the Blazers got a little revenge with a 2-1 win. Led by a talented group of seniors in [player_tooltip player_id='1008480' first='Kate' last='Calhoon'], [player_tooltip player_id='807048' first='Peyton' last='Prater'], Mary Kate Rees and [player_tooltip player_id='1008850' first='Lynnli' last='Jo Thomas'], Valley View has beaten teams from several classifications and continues to find ways to win against quality competition. Now things get really interesting. The Blazers open the week against Marion, the team responsible for their other loss this season. The Patriots took the first meeting 3-1, so Valley View gets another opportunity for revenge, this time at home.   Fourteen straight wins. A chance to avenge their only remaining loss. And a big 5A-East matchup. Will Valley View keep rolling, or will Marion prove once again why the Patriots sit at the top of the 5A-East?    She has quietly put together another solid season leading the back row for Valley View. Thomas provides reliable ball control, reads the court well and is an important piece of the Blazers' defensive system. Their high powered offense starts with a great serve receive and Thomas provides a steady platform and great communication to her teammates. Lynnli gives Coach McGee another coach on the court.   At 5'7", she brings good size to the DS/L position and covers a lot of court. She is also another two-sport athlete on this list, playing softball for Valley View.    <h3 class="wp-block-heading">6A Team of the Week — Fayetteville Bulldogs</h3>   What a week for Fayetteville. The Bulldogs faced two of the best teams in 6A-West, then headed to Missouri for the weekend and came home with a tournament championship.   It started with a five-set thriller against Bentonville in the Prep Dig Game of the Week. Fayetteville came out on top in a match that featured some of the best volleyball I have watched this season. The Bulldogs followed that with a 3-1 win over Bentonville West. Basically, they took on the city of Bentonville's best and came away with two wins.   [player_tooltip player_id='749911' first='Avah' last='Brown'] was a force from the right side. She had 24 kills on 48 attempts with only 3 errors against Bentonville, then added 17 kills on 32 attempts against Bentonville West. [player_tooltip player_id='749906' first='Molly' last='Miller'] kept the offense moving with 49 assists against the Tigers and another 38 against the Wolverines. For all the talk that Miller and Brown get, let's not forget it all starts with a pass and [player_tooltip player_id='749872' first='Eva' last='McPike'] does it as well as anyone in the state.   Then Fayetteville took the show on the road. The Bulldogs traveled to Missouri and won the 2026 Lori Endicott Invitational to finish off a huge week.   Two big 6A-West wins and a tournament championship in Missouri. Fayetteville earned this week's 6A Team of the Week.    [player_tooltip player_id='749872' first='Eva' last='McPike'] has been a steady presence on the back row. She reads the game well, puts herself in position to make plays and gives her team a reliable first contact in serve receive. McPike does a nice job keeping balls off the floor and giving her team opportunities to stay in rallies and transition back to offense.   She also brings consistency to the back row. Whether she is digging an attack or handling serve receive, McPike has become an important part of what her team does defensively.   Weekly Stats: 15 sets | 46 digs | 3.1 digs/set | 8 aces | 51 receptions | 7 assists Season Stats: 44 sets | 170 digs | 3.9 digs/set | 24 aces | 142 receptions | 22 assists    -Robert Birch, Lead Scout-Prep Dig Arkansas. Reach out to me at <a href="mailto:bdsrecruiting10@gmail.com">bdsrecruiting10@gmail.com</a> or connect with me on X (@predigRob) Tik Tok(@prepdigrob) and Instagram(@prepdigarrob)

Busy week in the Prep Dig Arkansas Office, The first half of the season is complete, new rankings for 2028, 2029 and 2030 classes are about to drop and Wednesday a new podcast is being shot! Today we are going to hit a lot. Players, teams, you name it. Let's go... who are the 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A and 6A teams of the week?