Prep Dig Arkansas Teams of the Week(6A,5A,4A)

As we settle into the rhythm of the season, most teams are playing a couple of matches each week and we are starting to get a better feel for where everyone stands. This week, I'm breaking down my Teams of the Week by classification, starting with 6A, 5A and 4A. I'm still gathering stats and results for 3A and 2A and will have more on those classifications soon.   6A Team of the Week: Bentonville West | 8-2, 3-1 6A-West   You have to give it to the Wolverines. Bentonville West put together an impressive week, battling past a talented Shiloh Christian squad in five sets before handing Springdale Har-Ber its first loss of the season. Two quality wins against two of the better teams in the state make West an easy choice for my 6A Team of the Week.    Leading the way for the Wolverines is the setter duo of Hamm and [player_tooltip player_id='997579' first='Elin' last='Neal']. The pair combined for 39 assists in three sets against Har-Ber and 57 assists in the five-set thriller against Shiloh Christian.   Hamm continues to show why she is one of the top setters in the state. She has great hands and plenty of weapons around her. She can shoot the ball to either pin, get her middles involved with the quick game and does an excellent job reading the defense. Her ability to distribute and keep blockers guessing is a big part of what makes the West offense so difficult to defend.   Stats for the Week: 8 sets | 4 aces | 22 digs | 49 assists | 6.1 assists/set   Season Total: 31 sets | 7 aces | 61 digs | 183 assists | 5.9 assists/set     While the setters start the offense, the hitters for Bentonville-West finish it. There aren't many groups as talented and lethal as the Wolverines. Claire is the definitive leader of the group, but [player_tooltip player_id='743939' first='Audrey' last='Calva']<a href="https://prepdig.com/player/audrey-calva/"></a> , [player_tooltip player_id='1020442' first='Claire' last='Hammond']<a href="https://prepdig.com/player/claire-hammond/"></a> , [player_tooltip player_id='836585' first='Noelle' last='Hammond']<a href="https://prepdig.com/player/noelle-hammond/"></a> , [player_tooltip player_id='999622' first='Anna' last='Kate Davis']<a href="https://prepdig.com/player/anna-kate-davis/"></a> and [player_tooltip player_id='1006134' first='Emma' last='Thompson']<a href="https://prepdig.com/player/emma-thompson-7/"></a> give the setters a wide selection of options.   Claire is one of the best in the state. She can play any spot you need and vocal leader on the floor.   Stats for the week: 8 sets | 35 kills | 4.5 k/s | 4 aces | 4 blocks | 15 digs | 3 assists   Season Total: 31 sets | 107 kills | 3.5 k/s | 11 aces | 24 blocks | 52 digs | 7 assists    5A Team of the Week: Russellville | 4-0   This was a tough call with several 5A teams putting together strong weeks. Marion, Benton and Farmington all had a case, but this week I'm going with the Cyclones. Russellville took care of business with a 3-0 sweep over Pottsville, then followed it up with a five-set banger against Morrilton. The Cyclones came out on top and handed the Devil Dogs their first loss of the season. Two quality wins and a big test in a five-set match earn Russellville my 5A Team of the Week.    Herring had a great two games last week. The 5'10" junior hit .346 against Pottsville and added a couple of blocks. The pins were active this week for the Cyclones and they had great setting from senior Madison Wallace and junior Maggie Magill. This allowed the offense to flow and for Russellville to improve to 4-0 on the young season. Entering 5A play the Cyclones are going to need a little more consistency from Herring with her hitter percentage. She's had two really great games at .529 and .346 sandwiched around two games under .200 (.250 for the year). She is aggressive and that is good, it's early, but if she can cut down on the errors, Russellville will be tough to beat.   Stats for the week: 8 sets | 28 kills | 3.7 k/s | 2 blocks | 8 s/r   Stats for the Year: 15 sets | 52 kills | 3.5 k/s | 2 blocks | 14 s/r     Hovis delivered her best statistical performance when the Cyclones needed it most. She led Russellville with 17 kills against Morrilton and was a big part of the Cyclones pulling out the five-set win. Back-to-back double-digit kill performances made it a strong week for Hovis.   Like Herring, the next step is improving her efficiency. Hovis handles her share of out-of-system balls and has been aggressive taking swings, so the hitting percentage doesn't tell the entire story. She isn't afraid to attack in tough situations. Hovis and Herring give Russellville a pair of pins with the potential to do some real damage as they get into 5A play.   Stats for the Week: 8 sets | 28 kills | 3.5 kills/set | 1 ace | 2 blocks | 4 digs   Season Total: 15 sets | 42 kills | 2.8 kills/set | 1 ace | 7 blocks | 10 digs    4A Team of the Week: Brookland | 10-1-1   This one was a little easier. The Bearcats have stepped up and played strong competition throughout the young season, and this week was no different. Brookland picked up a 3-1 win over Harmony Grove before sweeping Wynne 3-0 to improve to 10-1-1 and earn my 4A Team of the Week.   What makes the start even more impressive is that Brookland has done it while adjusting to the loss of [player_tooltip player_id='806194' first='Kinley' last='Hammett'], one of its top players, who suffered an injury early in the season and is out for the year. The Bearcats have responded by getting contributions throughout the lineup and haven't missed a beat.    Seyler has really stepped up following the loss of Hammett. She was already a proven offensive weapon after putting down 326 kills last season, but her game has taken another step forward in 2026. Most notably, she has raised her hitting percentage by 60 points.   Seyler is a precise hitter with a high volleyball IQ. She understands how to beat defenders to spots and does a great job finding the floor. At 5'8", she may be a little undersized for the pin, but she makes up for it with a strong vertical, quickness and an ability to see the court. She has also taken on a bigger leadership role for the Bearcats. Seyler saved her best two-match stretch of the season for last week, averaging nearly six kills per set while also making a major impact defensively.   Stats for the Week: 7 sets | 41 kills | 5.85 kills/set | 6 aces | 32 digs   Season Total: 30 sets | 111 kills | 3.7 kills/set | 15 aces | 3 blocks | 90 digs     Schuermann has been a stalwart in the back row for Brookland. After finishing last season with 308 digs, 35 assists and 33 aces, she is on pace to surpass those numbers in 2026.   Her value starts with first-ball contact. Schuermann keeps the Bearcats in system and gives the offense a chance to run at full speed. She can also step in as a secondary setter when needed, adding another layer to her game. Defense has been a major part of Brookland's strong start, and Schuermann, along with middle Lilly Gillbow, has helped set the tone.   Stats for the Week: 7 sets | 4 aces | 36 digs | 38 serve receptions   Season Total: 34 sets | 10 aces | 107 digs | 169 serve receptions    -Robert Birch, Lead Scout-Prep Dig Arkansas. Reach out to me at <a href="mailto:bdsrecruiting10@gmail.com">bdsrecruiting10@gmail.com</a> or connect with me on X (@predigRob) and Instagram(@prepdigarrob

As we settle into the rhythm of the season, most teams are playing a couple of matches each week and we are starting to get a better feel for where everyone stands. This week, I'm breaking down my Teams of the Week by classification, starting with 6A, 5A and 4A. I'm still gathering stats and results for 3A and 2A and will have more on those classifications soon.