Unfinished Business: Class C1 Teams Poised for Postseason Return

Class C1 has an interesting medley of teams that should make for a fun Unfinished Business feature.   We're keeping up our preview of last year's tournament teams that have a shot to make a return trip to Lincoln in 2022. Class A and Class B are already covered. Now, we address a Class C1 field that always seems to produce some postseason surprises.   Last year, Lincoln Lutheran flexed its all-around dominance and stormed through the C1 bracket to claim another state championship. This feature checks out a few teams who can make a push to become the next top team in the class.   Here's the overview.     Grand Island Central Catholic   Let's state the obvious right away: GICC is always in the title hunt.   The Crusaders always seem to reload, and I'd expect the team to do the same in 2022. We still can't discount the team's challenges heading into the season, as some departing players will be difficult to replace. The graduation of Chloe Cloud and Alyssa Wilson will leave some voids in the frontcourt, while Jenna Heidelk was a consistent defense leader who departs after an impactful career.   As with any other team on these features, there's plenty of cause to be excited about what GICC is returning this fall. Experienced outside hitters are usually the focal point of a successful team, and the Crusaders bring back a good one in senior [player_tooltip player_id='59214' first='Gracie' last='Woods']. The Northwest Missouri State commit took more swings than any other player on GICC's roster last year, and she's poised to take even more attacking volume this fall. Woods' powerful arm will be among Class C1's best.   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2022/08/IMG_3216-scaled-crop-1530x1005-1660368809.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-216161" width="405" height="266" /><figcaption>Maser runs the GICC offense at the 2021 state championships.</figcaption></figure>   At the setter spot, junior [player_tooltip player_id='104674' first='Carolyn' last='Maser'] has proven herself at every stage of her career. She just finished up another standout year with Nebraska Juniors and can now bring some upperclassman leadership to the GICC lineup. Maser's combination of physicality and finesse will always keep her at the forefront of the state's top 2024s, and this setter hopes to add a championship to her credit, too.   [player_tooltip player_id='103091' first='Lucy' last='Ghaifan'] is another veteran who will keep producing highlight moments for GICC. Her wide-ranging impact has been felt at the middle blocker spot for the past couple of years, and 2022 should offer that same kind of dominance from this multi-sport star.   Other emerging frontcourt hitters, like [player_tooltip player_id='256658' first='Tristyn' last='Hedman'] and Avery Kelly, will also have a huge say in how far the Crusaders go this year. In any case, I expect to see GICC back in Lincoln this November.     Kearney Catholic   There are two sides to the equation when discussing Kearney Catholic's 2022 team.   First, there are high-profile departures. Ashley Keck was one of the most dominant scorers in the entire state last fall and would be difficult for any program to replace. Her 647 kill total in 2021 was astonishing, and it will take a total team effort to make up for that lost production.   Sydney Conner has also graduated and left quite a legacy with the Stars. She made her presence felt as both a setter and an opposite in the Kearney Catholic lineup, and that kind of versatility is not common. The trio of departing seniors is complete with Josie Denney, who carried a vital backcourt role throughout her career.   That feels like a lot to overcome. However, there's the other side of the equation: Kearney Catholic had a ton of underclassman contributors during last year's run to the Class C1 state title match. In particular, that 2024 class is strong.   [player_tooltip player_id='393536' first='Margaret' last='Haarberg']'s stock rose significantly after we watched her shred defenses at the state championships last fall. Aside from her attacking prowess, Haarberg brings some nice defensive skills that will come in handy during her junior campaign. And, when she's not making the defensive plays, fellow junior [player_tooltip player_id='393555' first='Maleigha' last='Johnson'] will gladly step in and make a splash in the backcourt.   Another major 2024 contributor is middle blocker [player_tooltip player_id='393535' first='Callie' last='Squiers'], who appeared in every set that Kearney Catholic played last season. Unsurprisingly, this long athlete led the team in total blocks and is poised to do the same in 2022.   Lastly, don't lose sight of [player_tooltip player_id='172601' first='Aibrey' last='Mandernach']. This versatile attacker was third in the Stars' kill tally last year behind Keck and Haarberg, and Mandernach has shown a high ceiling in some big moments. I'm curious to see where she fits in the starting rotation alongside a large pack of strong junior attackers.   Last year's top-seeded team is not going away this fall.     Pierce   Here's my wildcard pick.   Pierce returns a few athletes that I'm excited to feature once we get the high school season started. The small school in northeast Nebraska broke through to the eighth seed in last year's state championships, and there's some good talent lurking on the Bluejay roster.   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2022/08/IMG_3214-scaled-crop-1386x910-1660368445.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-216157" width="405" height="266" /><figcaption>Waccholtz swings for Pierce at the 2021 state championships.</figcaption></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='152099' first='Brielle' last='Unseld'] is the senior signal-caller to follow for Pierce. Her distribution from the setter spot was fun to watch, and she can be aggressive at the net when needed. Small-town Nebraska has had its share of talented setters before, and Unseld will cement her place in that club before her career is over.   It also helps to have some reliable hitters on your side, and there are a couple I wanted to highlight for the Bluejays. [player_tooltip player_id='152902' first='Jaya' last='Wachholtz'] led Pierce in kills and hitting percentage as a sophomore, so her aggressive attacking style is catching on quickly. If Wachholtz's efficiency keeps trending upward, the Pierce offense is going to be tough to stop.   [player_tooltip player_id='492328' first='Maggie' last='Painter'] also returns to the fold for the Bluejays. She put together some clutch performances leading up to the state tournament last fall, and that experience will be valuable as she takes on a bigger role.   So, as we start to scout some small-town teams during the season, this is one group I already have circled.

Class C1 has an interesting medley of teams that should make for a fun Unfinished Business feature.