4A Preview: #5-8

<p>Our preview of Indiana high schools continues with a scan of #5-8 in Class 4A. This series of articles isn’t possible without the help of fellow volley dork, Zach McCrite. He is the sole administrator for the website IndianaPrepVolleyball.com, and also a former coach and current ref, just like me. If you’re at all interested in Indiana high school volleyball, go check his site out, you won’t be disappointed.</p> <p>I’ll also include the MVR, or Most Valuable Returnee, for each team listed.</p> <p><strong>#8: McCutcheon, 32-2</strong></p> <p>When the two losses on the season are to the two state finalists, you’re doing something right. I am concerned, however, about their strength of schedule. #25 may win you your sectional, but to get through the northern half of Class 4A in Indiana, you still have Carmel, HSE, Yorktown, New Castle---just to name a few. To compete with those powerhouses, you have to play more of them. They did own wins over Penn (4A #13), Brownsburg (4A #10), Crown Point (4A #7) and Munster (4A #9), but there are too many 2A and 3A schools in their schedule to have me place them higher in these rankings. It’s one thing if you’re New Castle. NC is in the heart of volleyball Mecca in Indiana. They don’t have to travel far to play the best in the state, and Munciana is practically down the street. McCutcheon is in the Lafayette area; not exactly the greatest competition surrounding them.</p> <p><strong>MVR: [player_tooltip player_id="85895" first="Chloe" last="Chicoine"], ’23, 5-8, OH, Prep Dig #1</strong></p> <p>The Mavericks’ success starts and ends with Chloe. Recently named to the US Youth National Training Team roster, the freshman averaged 4.6 kills per set while hitting almost .400 as a six-rotation OH. The loss of their setter and libero to graduation won’t help, but a ton of youth coming up, plus more kids playing club, should help Miss Chicoine keep her arm from falling off. Will it be enough?</p> <p><strong>#7: Crown Point, 30-6</strong></p> <p>Five of the Bulldogs’ six losses are to the top 16 in Class 4A. The 6th? Mother McAuley from Chicago, in five. MaxPreps has them as the #3 team in all of Illinois. THIS is how to schedule. The problem remains, who will replace the graduations? <strong>Maddie Banter</strong> is off to Grand Canyon (D1) to play beach. <strong>Hannah Wold </strong>goes just up the road to play at Purdue Northwest (NAIA). Those are your top two attackers. Libero <strong>Savana Chacon </strong>goes to Purdue. One of the setters in your 6-2 will play at Indiana. That’s a TON of volleyball talent that’s graduated. </p> <p><strong>MVR: [player_tooltip player_id="102846" first="Kendall" last="Schara"], ’22, 5-8, OH</strong></p> <p>If there’s one kid that the Bulldogs need to step up and fill the void left by the ladies above, it’s Kendall. This Epic United-trained kid is a six-rotation OH that finished #3 in digs and #2 in aces and, frankly, should have received the ball more last fall. Expect two things: (1) more Kendall, and (2) her name in the rankings in August.</p> <p><strong>#6: Center Grove, 29-7</strong></p> <p>The state semifinal appearance was tempered a bit by having to play New Castle. It was their third attempt, and all three were losses, each more painful than the previous. Another loss was to Mercy, the #2 team in all of Kentucky. Eight seniors are gone due to graduation, and there are no slouches in this group. Setter <strong>MJ Hammill </strong>is already on campus at Wisconsin. Libero <strong>Ashley Eck </strong>is at Indiana State. <strong>Jamie Brown, </strong>#2 in kills last season, is also at Indiana State. Where, oh WHERE, will the physical and emotional leadership come from?</p> <p><strong>MVR: [player_tooltip player_id="85806" first="Katie" last="Egenolf"], ’22, 6-1, OH</strong></p> <p>I had the pleasure of reffing Center Grove a few times in the fall of 2019. A solid, senior-led squad that was disciplined and hard-working. Katie, at the time, was still figuring out how aggressive she could be. Fast-forward to the state semifinal against New Castle, and is was a one-v-one battle between Miss Egenolf (28 kills, .284) and <strong>Mabry Shaffmaster (’21, 6-1, OH, North Carolina commit), </strong>who finished with 35 kills, hitting .352 in a four set New Castle victory. I believe we can safely say that this is Katie’s team, and that includes Butler commit <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="85701" first="Grace" last="Boggess"] (’21, 6-3, MB/RS) </strong>on the roster.</p> <p><strong>#5: Mount Vernon (Fortville), 27-5</strong></p> <p>To those who do not do their homework against the Marauders, you’re in trouble. Just because Mount Vernon is not among the popular volleyball names in the state does not mean they lack talent. There’s a ton, and it’s been in place since Eric Bulmahn took over as coach a few years ago. Frankly, no one else wanted the job---he initially stepped in because his daughters were in the program, and wanted to see them trained well. Daughter #1 is currently a pin attacker at Valparaiso. Daughter #2, <strong>Victoria Bulmahn (5-10, S), </strong>just signed with Valpo. There’s a third daughter, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="102847" first="Cecilia" last="Bulmahn"] (’22, 5-8, OH), </strong>who’s carving her own niche and has been in a gym with a ball in hand for as long as I can remember. Yorktown, New Castle and Delta, all volleyball powerhouses, are in their CONFERENCE, and they still finished third.</p> <p><strong>MVR: [player_tooltip player_id="85686" first="Claire" last="Ertel"], ’21, 5-10, DS/OH, Florida Gulf Coast commit</strong></p> <p>Having an older sister play ball in the very same position show you the way is a great way to get introduced to the sport. Injuries limited Mary Grace at the University of Indianapolis (D2), but the volley dork in the family is still strong. Claire is #2 in kills, #1 in aces and #2 in digs on a team that asks her to do more than what she’ll need to do in club and at the next level at FGCU. Aside from Cecilia and Claire, however, they’re going to need more to get over the hump of New Castle.</p>