Final Four Preview: Class 1 and Class 2 Semifinals

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Class 1 field has only one team making a return trip to the Final Four: Winona, aiming for its third straight appearance in the title match. Valle Catholic is back for the first time since 2001, while Billings and Rock Port are each chasing the first championship-match appearance in school history.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Class 2 brings together familiar contenders and a history-making newcomer. Defending their place among the state's best, New Covenant Academy returns after finishing third last year. Mid-Buchanan, meanwhile, is headed to the Final Four for the first time in program history.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Class 1 Semifinal 1</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Valle Catholic (28-9-1) vs.</strong> Winona (29-8-2)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Valle Catholic is making its 12th Final Four appearance and its first since 2001, when it finished third. The Warriors swept Gideon in the quarterfinals, 25-8, 25-11, 25-8.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Winona is making its 18th trip to the Final Four after sweeping Lesterville, 25-12, 25-12, 25-16. The Wildcats are hoping to extend their run of title-match appearances to three straight.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Head-to-head:</strong> Valle defeated Winona, 25-15, 25-21, in pool play at the Jackson Tournament. <strong>Common opponents:</strong> Valle went 3-3-1; Winona went 4-3.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Valle Catholic:</strong> In the team's earlier meeting, <strong>Lexie Rayoum</strong> and <strong>Ada Bley</strong> combined for 23 kills while hitting .525, along with three blocks and nine digs. <strong>Reece Weiler</strong>, a 2028, directed the offense with 21 assists and nine digs. Hayden Vaeth, a 2027, paced the defense with 12 of Valle's 44 digs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Winona:</strong> <strong>Sadie Kile</strong> led the Wildcats against Valle with eight kills and 12 digs. <strong>Lauren Martin</strong> added five kills and 11 digs, while 2028 libero <strong>Payton Rodgers</strong> also reached double digits with 11 digs. <strong>Bristol Lay</strong>, a 2028, recorded 17 assists and four digs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Prediction:</strong> Valle's coach recently reached her 950th career win, and the Warriors will have a chance to add another milestone to the season. Behind the strong play of their seven seniors, Valle earns a 3-1 win and advances to the title match.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Class 1 Semifinal 2</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Billings (33-3-1) <strong>vs. Rock Port (35-4-1)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Billings is making its third Final Four appearance after surviving two five-set matches, against Lockwood and then Liberal, last year's fourth-place finisher. Billings beat Liberal, 25-14, 25-27, 25-16, 14-25, 15-12.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rock Port is making its second trip to the Final Four; the Blue Jays finished fourth in 1993. They punched their ticket with a sweep of Osceola, 25-13, 25-14, 25-13.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Head-to-head:</strong> No meeting. <strong>Common opponents:</strong> Both teams swept Osceola. Billings won 2-0; Rock Port won 3-0.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Billings:</strong> In its 25-23, 25-16 win over Osceola, <strong>Alexa Garbee</strong> led the way with 12 kills, 12 assists, and six digs. <strong>Ava Rhoads</strong>, a 2028, added eight kills, 11 assists, and five digs. <strong>Ayrabella Blakemore</strong>, a 2030, led the team with 11 digs, while <strong>Ashlynn Johnson</strong>, also a 2030, contributed five kills and six digs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Rock Port:</strong> <strong>Kinley Lair</strong> led the Blue Jays to a quarterfinal win with 11 kills and a .588 hitting percentage. <strong>Braylyn Wood</strong> added nine kills and 10 digs, and <strong>Stevie Gaines</strong> paced the offense with 13 assists, plus six digs and four kills.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Prediction:</strong> Neither school has reached a state championship match, so nerves could play a part. But Rock Port has been close to the Final Four in recent seasons, including coming within points of the trip last year. The Blue Jays bring a balanced attack, a height advantage, and a core of juniors and sophomores with experience from those close calls. Rock Port takes a five-set match and moves on.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Class 2 Semifinal 1</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Woodland (23-7-2) <strong>vs. Liberty (21-10-4)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Woodland is making its fifth Final Four appearance and first since 1999. The Cardinals advanced by beating Arcadia Valley, 27-25, 25-12, 22-25, 25-20.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Liberty is making its fourth Final Four appearance and first since 2018. The Eagles rallied past Linn, 21-25, 21-25, 25-19, 25-20, 15-12.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Head-to-head:</strong> No meeting. <strong>Common opponents:</strong> Both teams swept Poplar Bluff and lost to Winona. Woodland fell to Winona 0-2; Liberty lost 2-3.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Woodland:</strong> <strong>Keira Melendy</strong>, a 2030, led the Cardinals against Arcadia Valley with 18 kills on .265 hitting, seven blocks, and nine digs. <strong>Makayla Altenthal</strong>, a 2027, added 16 kills and nine blocks. <strong>Addyson Massa</strong>, a 2027, led the team with 17 digs, while <strong>Dezirae Braswell</strong>, a 2028, recorded a team-high 26 assists.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Liberty:</strong> The Tharp sisters powered the Eagles' comeback. <strong>Jayli Tharp</strong>, a 2027, finished with 18 kills and 15 digs, while <strong>Mizzi Tharp</strong>, a 2030, added 16 kills and 20 digs. Libero A<strong>bby Robarts</strong>, a 2027, led the defense with 28 digs, and Nola Hunter, a 2030, chipped in 16. <strong>Jordyn Tune</strong>, a 2028, ran the offense with 46 assists and added 11 digs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Prediction:</strong> These teams look evenly matched and should deliver a close semifinal. Liberty's experience could prove decisive: both teams came up short of the Final Four last season, but the Eagles have the poise to handle the moment. Liberty wins in four sets and advances to the title match.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Class 2 Semifinal 2</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>New Covenant Academy (33-1-1) vs.</strong> Mid-Buchanan (38-1)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>New Covenant Academy is making a return trip after finishing third last year. The Eagles swept Cole Camp in the quarterfinals, 25-14, 25-15, 25-18.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mid-Buchanan earned the first Final Four appearance in program history by winning its second five-set playoff match, defeating Adrian, 25-15, 25-20, 20-25, 16-25, 15-9.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Head-to-head:</strong> No meeting. <strong>Common opponents:</strong> None.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>New Covenant Academy:</strong> New Covenant has been a title contender all season, and its quarterfinal performance showed why. <strong>Kiera Edwards</strong>, a 2029, led the team with 13 kills, followed by <strong>Lexi Burks</strong>, a 2027, with seven kills and 12 digs. The Eagles served 13 aces and recorded eight blocks, including six from 6-foot-2 middle blocker <strong>Gabi Gaumer</strong>, a 2028. <strong>Jenna Jackson</strong>, a 2027 libero, led the team with 13 digs, while <strong>Addy</strong> <strong>Mouery</strong> paced the offense with 21 assists.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Mid-Buchanan:</strong> The Dragons' historic run featured 73 kills spread across five players. <strong>Myia Flinn</strong>, a 2027, led the attack with 22, followed by <strong>Tatum Moss</strong> with 16. <strong>Camryn Atha</strong>, a 2027, added 12 kills and 19 digs; <strong>Devyn</strong> <strong>Admire</strong>, a 2029, had 12 kills and nine blocks; and <strong>Bailey Coman</strong> chipped in 11 kills. <strong>Aspen Wilson</strong>, a 2030, anchored the defense with 17 digs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Prediction:</strong> This feels like a championship-match matchup, but the teams will meet a round earlier. New Covenant brings size and talented pin hitters, while Mid-Buchanan combines height with an attack that has produced across the lineup. Both teams have the firepower to make this a long one, but New Covenant pulls out a five-set win and sets up a title match against Liberty.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->