Instant Reactions to Kansas’ Final State Tournament Field

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We have our quarterfinalists.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This is a busy, chaotic time on the prep volleyball calendar. I have the privilege of covering my Nebraska homeland and my Kansas neighbors, giving me a double dose of drama to absorb in late October. The Sunflower State is first to the punch in setting a final tournament field, and we have plenty of storylines to cover.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Saturday was the big day. Sub-state groups battled in every corner of the Kansas prep scene, and a few trends have caught our attention.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>So, here's our preliminary primer for a title-deciding week.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Sub-State Cinderellas</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Why not lead with the underdogs?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Any postseason format is bound to produce some surprises, and the sub-state sprint is no exception.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":585302,"width":"201px","height":"auto","aspectRatio":"0.7488130228351797","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","align":"right"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/08/87-Kennedy-Duson.jpg?w=766" alt="" class="wp-image-585302" style="aspect-ratio:0.7488130228351797;width:201px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Duson</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We'll start at the top with Class 6A. The big surprise here is <strong>Blue Valley North</strong>, which tallied wins over Olathe North and postseason frontrunner Gardner-Edgerton to reach the final eight. The Mustangs will step into BluHawk with a 15-19 record, but this squad put its talented lineup together for a sub-state shocker.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The upperclassman scoring duo of [player_tooltip player_id='534823' first='Kennedy' last='Duson'] and [player_tooltip player_id='884437' first='Parker' last='Hu'] consistently delivered through the late-season stretch. These athletic pin hitters impressed us in the [program_tooltip program_id='430200' first='KC' last='Power'] gym this spring, and that has translated to a major triumph on the prep side. Madison Mayo and MaryKate Johnson have emerged as freshmen to follow in the Mustangs' starting rotation.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Class 5A offers another Blue Valley breakthrough for this segment.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Finishing the season below 0.500 did not stop <strong>Blue Valley Southwest</strong> from producing postseason magic in the sub-state round. The Timberwolves nabbed a pair of impressive sweeps over De Soto and Shawnee Heights, propelling BVSW to the final spot in the 5A race.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Look out for the Class of 2028 on this roster. Hayden Houseworth and Kate Hohman have been co-leaders atop Southwest's scoring chart, and [player_tooltip player_id='577799' first='Sienna' last='Fisher'] anchors backcourt operations at libero. The sophomore stable is also stacked, featuring [player_tooltip player_id='1043079' first='Kylie' last='Workizer'] and [player_tooltip player_id='911506' first='Sophia' last='Morris'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Finally, we'll venture to Class 2A to give a nod to <strong>Rossville</strong>. We've covered several Bulldogs throughout the year, and these rising stars scored one of the biggest upsets of Saturday's sub-states. A 2-1 stunner over 39-3 Jefferson County North put Rossville into the final chase, where further opportunities await.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Senior outside hitter Nora Brudiek sets the pace here, but give some credit to Rossville's vast sophomore class. [player_tooltip player_id='753159' first='Avalon' last='Simpson'], Sawyer Bunck, and [player_tooltip player_id='779002' first='Berkley' last='Hubbell'] are making big gains in the frontcourt. Freshman middle blocker Harley Channel has also soared to the top of the blocking ledger.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">The Juggernauts</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For every Cinderella team vying for a title, we also have the seemingly untouchable powerhouses at the top.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Class 6A has plenty of them. 35-0 <strong>Mill Valley</strong> heads up this group, and it's easy to see why the Jaguars have been so exceptional. We've crossed paths with players like [player_tooltip player_id='436201' first='Riley' last='Riggs'], [player_tooltip player_id='808106' first='Sophia' last='Sturdy'], [player_tooltip player_id='536308' first='Haedyn' last='Lynnes'], and Alexa Short plenty of times on the club circuit, and their veteran savvy has made Mill Valley the clear favorite.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>But what about defending champion <strong>Blue Valley West</strong>? 6A is full of Jaguars with title aspirations. We were treated to an out-of-state display when this crew visited Omaha for an in-season tournament. [player_tooltip player_id='480396' first='Peyton' last='Kubik'] was as advertised on the outside, and [player_tooltip player_id='829274' first='Aliyah' last='Harris'] flexed her range at the middle blocker spot. This No. 2 seed is as fierce as any 6A quarterfinalist.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":528129,"width":"341px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","align":"right"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/04/DSC07056.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-528129" style="width:341px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Riggs</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Speaking of defending champions, it's been a long, long time since <strong>Ellinwood</strong> lost a match. This titan of Class 2A rolled to an unblemished record last year, and the Eagles could repeat that feat in 2026. The scary part is that Ellinwood leans on several junior superstars who will all be back next year. [player_tooltip player_id='624612' first='Brynn' last='Widener'], [player_tooltip player_id='556362' first='Mette' last='Maxwell'], and [player_tooltip player_id='809536' first='Ayla' last='Ritchie'] lead that 2028 charge.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We should also put <strong>Centralia</strong> in the "juggernaut" category in Class 1A-DI. Senior terminators [player_tooltip player_id='553784' first='Malayna' last='Becker'], [player_tooltip player_id='809691' first='Josie' last='Haverkamp'], and [player_tooltip player_id='832688' first='Hayden' last='Kramer'] have commanded an offensive explosion for the 41-1 Panthers. Perhaps last year's runner-up finish has inspired Centralia to be one spot better this week.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Next Up</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>What does this postseason stretch mean for the Prep Dig Kansas site? In short, a lot of newness.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We'll have so much film to digest as Kansas' postseason contenders converge at various sites across the Sunflower State. Unlike Nebraska's format, we can't see everything all at once.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>But that won't limit the amount we can learn this weekend. As we've alluded to earlier, we're quickly approaching the next overhaul of our Kansas rankings. There's no time like the postseason to make a lasting impression among your peers. Big moves will be warranted.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Of course, the end of the high school season also put us in pre-club prep mode. Tons of information will require updates before the calendar turns to 2027. We don't want to get too far ahead of ourselves, but we have some big refreshes to address here, too.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For now, we sit back and take in the drama.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->