Five Takeaways from the Missouri Volleyball State Championships

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another Missouri high school volleyball season is in the books, and what a finish. Five classifications crowned champions, familiar programs added to their trophy cases, and a few teams made history.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>From a five-peat in Class 5 to a first-ever championship in Class 1, there was plenty to take away from a weekend in St. Joseph. Here are five things that stood out to me from the state tournament.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">1. Lafayette: Five Straight. And They're Not Done Yet.</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>At some point, you have to stop being surprised by Lafayette. The Lancers captured their fifth consecutive Class 5 state championship, continuing a run that has established them as one of the premier programs in Missouri volleyball.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This season wasn't without its challenges. The midseason return of [player_tooltip player_id='475339' first='Shaye' last='Witherspoon'] gave Lafayette a significant boost, bringing one of its top players back into the lineup at a critical point in the season. Her return added another dimension to an already talented group and made the Lancers that much more difficult to prepare for.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>But this championship was about more than one player's return.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Aubrey Toti has developed into an absolute force on the outside. She delivered one of the best individual performances of the tournament in the championship match, finishing with 35 kills and 21 digs against Lee's Summit West. [player_tooltip player_id='776733' first='Peyton' last='Dolly'] provided a presence at the net, while [player_tooltip player_id='272167' first='Hailey' last='Lowery'] and [player_tooltip player_id='729577' first='Gigi' last='Foley'] helped keep the offense running smoothly with 28 assists apiece.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>And then there was the championship match itself.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Down two sets to Lee's Summit West, Lafayette found a way to respond. The Lancers took the third set 27-25, survived a 29-27 battle in the fourth, and then controlled the deciding set to win 15-9.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>That's what championship programs do. They don't panic when things aren't going their way. They find another gear.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Five straight state championships is an incredible accomplishment, and with the talent Lafayette continues to develop, I wouldn't be surprised if we are talking about another run next season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">2. Oak Grove: I Told Ya!</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I'll admit it. I have been high on Oak Grove all season, and I've been pretty consistent about saying this was a team capable of winning a state championship.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Well, I told ya!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Panthers finished the season 32-3 and put together a dominant run through the Class 3 state tournament, sweeping both Nevada and St. Francis Borgia without dropping a set.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The championship match wasn't particularly close, either. Oak Grove handled Borgia 25-12, 25-19, and 25-9 to capture the first state championship in program history.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>What made this team so impressive was its balance. [player_tooltip player_id='883474' first='Emmy' last='Brown'] continued to orchestrate the offense, recording 36 assists in each of the two state tournament matches. The Hudson sisters, Piper and Paisley, gave the Panthers plenty of firepower on the outside. In the championship match, Paisley finished with 17 kills, while Piper added 15.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Keiyana Lamell also provided another offensive option, giving Oak Grove the ability to put pressure on opponents from multiple positions.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I liked this team from the beginning because of its combination of talent, offensive balance, and ability to put teams in difficult situations. They didn't need one player to carry them every night, and that became even more evident on the biggest stage.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Oak Grove didn't just win a state championship. It made a statement, and the best part for Panthers fans is that this program has established itself as a team to watch moving forward.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">3. Lee's Summit Volleyball: Two Teams, One City, and a Whole Lot to Be Proud Of</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lee's Summit had quite a weekend in Class 5. Lee's Summit West and Lee's Summit North both represented the city at the Final Four, and while only one could bring home a championship, both programs left St. Joseph with something to be proud of.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The semifinal between the two schools was one of the most entertaining matches of the tournament. West eventually pulled away in five sets, winning 15-7 in the deciding set after North battled back from a 0-2 deficit in the rubber match. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lee's Summit West then took on Lafayette in the championship match, and for a while, it looked like the Titans might be the team to finally end the Lancers' championship streak.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>West took the first two sets, including a dominant second-set performance, before Lafayette mounted its comeback.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='446328' first='Tori' last='Massengill'] put together a tremendous final performance, finishing with 21 kills and 22 digs. [player_tooltip player_id='729510' first='Andi' last='Gardner'] was outstanding defensively, recording 43 digs, while [player_tooltip player_id='733125' first='Hallie' last='Ganga'] added seven blocks. Those are the kinds of performances that give a team a chance to win a state championship.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>West came up just short, but finishing as the Class 5 runner-up is another significant accomplishment for a program that continues to compete with the best in Missouri.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For Lee's Summit North, the semifinal loss was tough, but the Broncos responded the next day with a straight-set victory over Incarnate Word Academy to claim third place.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Two teams from the same city reaching the Final Four, playing each other in a semifinal, and finishing second and third in the state is something the Lee's Summit volleyball community should celebrate.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>West and North have built programs that expect to be playing deep into November. This weekend was another example of that.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">4. St. Dominic: Ending a Historic Run to Make History of Its Own</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sometimes the best stories come from the team that finally gets over the hump.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For St. Dominic, that meant taking down a Helias Catholic program that had been unbeatable this year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Helias entered the championship match with an undefeated record and a 54-match winning streak. The Crusaders had established themselves as the team to beat in Class 4, and they had every reason to believe another state championship was within reach.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>St. Dominic had other plans.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Crusaders came out firing, taking the first two sets 25-13 and 25-19. Helias responded in the third, but St. Dominic closed the door in the fourth, winning 27-25 to secure its first Class 4 state championship.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Senior [player_tooltip player_id='843615' first='Maddy' last='Mannebach'] was a big part of the story. The Southeast Missouri State commit delivered a strong performance, including five kills during a critical stretch in the second set. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For Helias, the season ends with a 35-1-1 record and a remarkable run that shouldn't be overshadowed by one loss. Aubrie Bernskoetter helped give the Crusaders a presence in the middle, including a productive third set as Helias tried to extend the match.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>But this was St. Dominic's moment.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After six trips to the Final Four, the Crusaders finally brought home the championship trophy. Sometimes getting there is the hardest part. Now they know what it takes to finish the job.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">5. Rock Port: Sometimes You Just Know When You're Watching Something Special</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I had an opportunity to watch Rock Port earlier this season at the Hy-Vee Arena tournament and again at the Bishop LeBlond tournament. There were a few things that stood out to me, and one of them was the way this team competed.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rock Port wasn't a team that needed everything to be perfect to score points. They had an offensive weapon in [player_tooltip player_id='913132' first='Braylyn' last='Wood'] who could find ways to put the ball away from different areas of the court. Whether it was an off-block shot, a crosscourt attack, or simply taking a big swing, Wood was fun to watch.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I remember coming away from Hy-Vee impressed with what I saw, and the Blue Jays continued to show that same confidence as the season progressed.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Fast forward to St. Joseph, and Rock Port is now a state champion.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Blue Jays defeated Billings in the semifinal before facing Valle Catholic in a five-set championship battle. Rock Port eventually prevailed 15-11 in the fifth set, capturing the first volleyball state championship in school history.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wood was once again the centerpiece, finishing the championship match with 32 kills and 19 digs. Kinley Lair added 12 kills, while sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='912721' first='Stevie' last='Gaines'] contributed 10 kills and led the team with 34 assists.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>That's a pretty impressive way to finish a season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>What makes this story even better is that Rock Port returns nearly its entire roster. Wood and Lair are juniors, Gaines is a sophomore, and the team has plenty of opportunity to build on what it accomplished this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There is something special about watching a team develop throughout the year, recognizing its potential, and then seeing it deliver when the biggest opportunity arrives.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I enjoyed watching Rock Port earlier this season, and I certainly enjoyed watching them bring home a state championship.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->