Class 4 Quarters 1-2 Preview: Two Spots at Stake

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Class 4 quarterfinals bring two compelling matchups, with teams arriving after hard-fought district runs and upsets. Festus faces a Rockwood Summit team that has grown stronger throughout the season, while St. Joseph's Academy gets another shot at St. Dominic after losing their earlier meeting.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Quarterfinal 1:</strong> Festus 20-10-1 <strong>vs. Rockwood Summit 25-9-1</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Festus beat Affton 3-0, edged Hillsboro 3-2 and upset top-seeded Farmington 3-1 to win its district. Rockwood Summit had to work for its wins after opening with a dominant victory over Gateway. The Falcons beat Nerinx Hall 3-2 and then slipped past Ursuline Academy, also in five sets.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Common opponents:</strong> Festus went 3-4; Summit went 5-1-1. <strong>Head-to-head:</strong> No previous meeting.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to watch</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Festus:</strong> Rylee Lawrence averages 4.2 kills per set and leads the Tigers with 352 kills, hitting .225. Paisley Landholt has 204 kills, 26 blocks, and a .300 hitting percentage. Ella Jo Jokerst has 169 kills, 40 aces, and 384 assists. Lauren Whitehead has 441 assists and 186 digs, while Maggie Drury has 367 digs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Rockwood Summit:</strong> Jayla Williams has 289 kills, 74 blocks, and a .351 hitting percentage. Lucy Vanderheyden has 221 kills. MacKenzie Pancer averages 5.4 digs per set and has 581 total digs. Delaney Pye has 451 assists, while Zoey Zwiefiel has 188 kills and 73 blocks. Morgan Pyles has 350 digs, and Grace Gieseler has 224.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Prediction:</strong> I've seen Summit a few times this season, and each time the team has shown improvement. The defense stood out in its district semifinal win over a strong Nerinx Hall team. Summit has one of the best liberos in the 2029 class in Pancer, plus two strong defensive specialists in Pyles and Gieseler.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Falcons have two setters with different strengths: one is a stronger defender, while the other mixes up the sets well. Both middles are solid, but Williams needs to get the ball often. Summit's pins are effective in different ways, and Maya Davis and Avery Long will need to finish their chances.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I haven't seen Festus in person this season, but on video the Tigers rely heavily on Lawrence—and for good reason. Maggie Drury has stepped into the libero role with ease. Kylan Drury leads the team with 53 blocks, and both setters defend well and know when to turn to their biggest offensive weapon.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I'm picking Summit after seeing the Falcons multiple times and getting a feel for what they can do. Williams and Zwiefiel will need strong middle games to keep the pins open, and Williams should get plenty of opportunities. Summit keeps its season alive with another five-set win.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Quarterfinal 2:</strong> St. Joseph's Academy 20-14 <strong>vs. St. Dominic 22-9</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>St. Joseph's Academy moved through its new district with sweeps of McCluer North, Clayton and MICDS in the championship match. St. Dominic swept St. Charles and Holt before outlasting last year's Class 4 third-place finisher, Hannibal, 3-2. The Crusaders won the deciding set 15-9.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Common opponents:</strong> St. Joseph's Academy went 8-5; St. Dominic went 9-4. <strong>Head-to-head:</strong> St. Dominic won the previous meeting 25-14, 25-11, 27-25.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to watch</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>St. Joseph's Academy:</strong> Emma Donovan leads the team with 255 kills. Remy Stack has 240 kills and 319 digs. Sophia Kaburakis has 112 kills and 38 blocks. Frankie Vonderahe has 333 digs, and Lila Schaeffer has 166.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>St. Dominic:</strong> Maddy Mannebach has 305 kills and 156 digs. Shelby Knittle has 195 kills, while Olivia Roberts has 153 kills and 52 blocks. Emily Frazier leads the defense with 410 digs. Charlotte Bland has 727 assists and 200 digs, and Celia Wunderlich has 182 digs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Prediction:</strong> From what I saw during St. Joseph's district-title run, the Angels lean on their pins and have a strong left-handed opposite who played well in the final. They also have plenty of defensive depth. Vonderahe, KK Riordan and Annie Lough are all reliable defenders and passers, while CeCe Bittle was effective in the middle, getting numerous touches and recording three blocks.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Both setters, Schaeffer and Sydney Kraudel, are young but smart. The Angels' key is their pins: 2030 Emma Donovan, six-rotation player Remy Stack, and Lilly Ringhofer. All three had nine kills in the district championship. If they're on, St. Joseph's is tough to beat.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I've only watched St. Dominic for about a set, but the Crusaders have a strong lineup. Frazier is a standout defender, and Mannebach hit .294 with 16 kills in the previous meeting with St. Joseph's. Bland added five kills and 30 assists, while Caroline Cornett hit .250 with seven kills. The difference last time was St. Dominic's tough serving: the Crusaders had nine aces, had only three receiving errors, and finished with 16 more kills.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Vonderahe didn't play in that earlier match, which could affect St. Joseph's ball control. Still, St. Dominic won the net battle. I'm picking the Crusaders in four, with Mannebach leading the attack and Frazier keeping the ball off the floor to give her more chances to finish.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->