What Teams Start the Season Strong

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As the volleyball season heats up in Missouri, several teams are making impressive strides. With a mix of seasoned competitors and young talent, early results highlight a competitive landscape. Teams such as the Helias Crusaders and Sullivan Eagles are showcasing their skills, setting the stage for an exciting season. Let's take a closer look at the standout teams already turning heads with their strong performances.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Helias Crusaders 12-0-1</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The defending Class 3 champions have moved up to Class 4 and are off to a strong start, with a 12-0-1 record. They have dropped only 3 sets to Strafford, Class 5 Kickapoo, and Nixa and have won a Branson Tournament title. The Crusaders are led by 2027 <strong>Nora Lock</strong>, a 5'9 opposite with 86 kills; 6'1” outside <strong>2030 Julia Buffington</strong> with 71 kills; 2027 <strong>Emma Hulsey</strong> with 66 kills; 2027 <strong>Alyssa Scherr,</strong> who runs the offense, dishing out 296 assists; and 2027 libero <strong>Hayley Hoffmann</strong>, who has been playing fantastic defense with 130 digs. 5'10” middle <strong>Kayla Pitts </strong>has also been a standout early in the season, hitting .440 with 45 kills and only 8 errors, and has 18 total blocks. Two interesting battles are coming up with both undefeated Hickman and Battle. Helias has to move up to one of the top positions in Class 4 after a really nice start.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sullivan Eagles 6-0</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sullivan went to St. Joseph for the Pony Express State Preview and swept Adrian, Lafayette County, Benton, and Mountain View Liberty to win their Pool title. They then beat a strong Blair Oaks team 3-1. The top offensive threats are all underclassmen, with 2029 <strong>Reya Rochleau</strong>, 2028 <strong>Ava Kirk</strong>, and <strong>Payton Bray</strong> combining for 136 kills. 2027 <strong>Karlee Head</strong> has 104 assists, and 2028 <strong>Hayden Webb</strong> is adding 49 assists and 24 digs. Up next is the North County Tournament, and a date with Borgia on 9/15 will be a solid test for Sullivan. At this point in the season, Sullivan should be a top district seed if that were to happen right now.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Marquette Mustangs 4-0</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Marquette is a very young team, usually having five 2029 players and a 2030 player on the court for most matches. 2029 <strong>Danaya Petkova</strong>, 2028 <strong>Jane Covington</strong>, and 2029 <strong>Kate McLean</strong> lead the team in kills with 138, and 2029 <strong>Camille Plunkett</strong> has dished out 134 assists in the young season, helping the Mustangs start 4-0. The team plays one 2027, 3 2028s, 5 2029s, and 1 2030 player. The team is great at passing and defense, led by 2030 <strong>Kate Covington</strong>. With the talent of young hitters, Marquette is playing some great ball to start the 2026 season. Games with Kirkwood and the Rockwood Tournament over the weekend will help us gauge what this Mustang team is made of.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Lockwood Tigers 8-0</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Tigers are undefeated and have yet to drop a set, including a sweep of a strong Billings team. This team has been building for the past two years and will once again be in the mix for a district title in late October. The team is led by 2028 <strong>Asa Lasater</strong> with 88 kills and 2027 <strong>Reese Whitesell</strong> with 61 kills. 2028 <strong>Peyton Lasater</strong>, the team's libero, leads with 69 digs, and 2027 <strong>Gracyn Clawson</strong> is running the offense to perfection with 146 assists. A mid-October matchup with Greenfield, which upset Lockwood last year in the district championship, will have district seeding implications.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Battle Spartans 5-0</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Battle is off to a hot start at 5-0 and has dropped only one set. Big tests are coming with Hannibal on the 12th, Helias on the 16th, and Hickman on the 24th, which will help us better gauge what this Spartan team can do this season. The offense is led by the sister duo of 2028 <strong>Ada Grzella-Skibiski</strong> and 2030 <strong>Lila Grzella-Skibiski</strong>, who have combined for 90 kills, and 2028 middle <strong>Nadine Ira</strong> has added 28 kills. 2027 <strong>Ellie Boyer</strong> and <strong>Tristn Zellner-Evers</strong> are playing great as the libero and setter, respectively.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Ste Genevieve Dragons 6-0-1</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Emme Browne, 2028 <strong>Aleah Filer</strong>, and 2029 <strong>Ally Gegg</strong> are carrying the offense with 99 kills, helping the Dragons jump out to a 6-0-1 start. 2028 <strong>Lilah Nix</strong> leads the defense in digs with 50, and 2029s <strong>Molly</strong> <strong>Grass, Blayre Bauman, Emma Jokerst</strong>, and <strong>Claire Giesler</strong> are making big contributions in the middle. A date with Valle Catholic on the 14th, Farmington on the 24th, and then Potosi on October 1st will help gauge how good this Dragons team will be.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Odessa Bulldogs 4-0</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Odessa has started the season undefeated and has some big contributions coming from 2027 <strong>Kyla Stokes</strong>, who's leading the team with 39 kills. Then you have two really good 2030s making their mark early: <strong>Harper Ray</strong> and <strong>Sophia Makings</strong>, who've contributed 56 kills. 2028 <strong>Maddie Breitling</strong> will lead the team defensively from the libero position as she has 65 digs to start the season. The Bulldogs are young, with only two 2027 players on the roster. The team has several big matches coming up the rest of this month: St. Pius X, Belton, Pembroke Hill, and then Oak Grove.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->