Border Battle Matchups of Minnesota vs. Wisconsin
Welcome to the “Border Battle” between some of the top Minnesota and Wisconsin high school volleyball programs. The beauty of my role at Prep Dig is being able to see teams from all over, and this season I’ve seen the top teams from both states in all classes play live. There are plenty of sites out there with stats upon stats, but nothing can replace seeing these teams play in the gym.
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Lakeville North (MN) vs. Arrowhead (WI)
These two school mirror each other in many ways. Both are some of the larger high schools in their respective states and just absolute powerhouses in a variety of sports. You could scale football rosters across the country and see names from Lakeville North and Arrowhead on plenty. Same goes for volleyball this year. Lakeville North is the defending AAA state champion (large class in MN) and Arrowhead is ranked #1 in Division 1 (Wisconsin’s large class). Lakeville North features an extremely athletic, physical lineup with Elizabeth Juhnke on the outside, a South Dakota commit and Tori Thompson in the middle who has committed to South Dakota State. Arrowhead is led by a crew of Junior pin hitters with Aubrey Hamilton, Josie Salzman, and Elise Schneider. Hamilton is a 6’2 powerful threat that is heading to Notre Dame where Schneider is going to Wofford, an NCAA Division 1 school in South Carolina. Each team is a draw in Junior liberos in Halle Wolfe of North and Emily Larson at Arrowhead.
Lake Country Lutheran won the D3 state title in Wisconsin in 2017.Mayer Lutheran (MN) vs. Lake Country Lutheran (WI)
These two teams are a little bit opposite of their playing style, but I thought having two of the top Lutheran schools in their respective states would be a great battle. Mayer Lutheran, forty minutes West of Minneapolis are the defending Class AAA (Minnesota’s smallest class) state champions while Lake Country Lutheran are the defending D3 (Wisconsin’s second smallest class) state champions, but have graduated Iowa State recruit Brooke Anderson. That doesn’t leave the cupboard bare for the Lightning who have Senior, Jennifer O’Keefe who can play anywhere in the frontrow, all around player Alayna Ritter who already has close to 600 assists on the season and a pair of defensive players in Rylee Vaughn, and Adriana Studer who is a top defensive player in the Class of 2022. Mayer Lutheran has Olivia Tjernagel, a 6’2 middle blocker who is extremely dynamic and athletic, she has committed to play at Northern Iowa. That’s not all, there are seven more athletes at 5’10 or taller. This would be a battle of athletic defense vs. a lot of height (with athleticism too).
Kasson-Mantorville (MN) vs. Waunakee (WI)
Kasson-Mantorville is the second ranked team in AA in Minnesota with 600 students in their school and Waunakee is a Division 1 team with probably double the enrollment of KM. However these two teams have a lot of similarities that I feel would provide a really solid match up. Peyton Suess headlines KM, being part of the USAV national championship 17s team for Northern Lights this past summer, Suess is able to hit from any position in the front row with a wide variety of shots with a short roll, deep roll, and an absolute laser. Waunakee is a well balanced team that is led by a talented group of Seniors starting with Kianna Schmitt who will be going to Creighton next year along with outside Kaleigh Roepke and libero Sarah Malone. Milla Malik is the cannon on the outside that swings with plenty of velocity and can chip shot into the open area as well.
Burlington was the D1 state champions in Wisconsin in 2017Eagan (MN) vs. Burlington (WI)
Both of these teams are highly decorated in their own way, but one constant is that you can see them at their state tournaments year after year. Eagan is led by Minnesota recruit Ellie Huseman, a middle blocker that is heading to Minnesota. Oh, and they have one of the top Class of 2021 athletes in the nation with Kennedi Orr who has been setting for the junior national team, won a national championship with Northern Lights, and has committed to Nebraska. Knowing Burlington, and seeing them year after year at the state tournament they pride themselves on solid ball control. Their defensive line consists of Maddie Berezowitz who is committed to Kentucky, Sam Naber heading to Marquette, and setter Kaley Blake is a UW-Milwaukee recruit. Well coached, incredibly scrappy, and when they are on top of their game they are tough to beat.
Minneota (MN) vs. Clayton (WI)
I really can’t think of a more similar style in regards to everything with this match up. Minneota is a small town in Southwest Minnesota with a population right around 1,300 and under 200 students in their high school where Clayton is in Northwest Wisconsin and has just over 100 students in their high school. Minneota is ranked number one in the small class for Minnesota and the same can be said about Clayton in Wisconsin. Minneota has a team with one athlete at 5’10, middle blocker Lydia Sussner who can hit from any spot with any shot from setter Morgan Kockelman. Clayton is led by middle Selena Levendoski who was a 2nd Team All State Selection (All Classes) who can get on top of a ball and have it land inside the ten footline. Both teams are so solid on defense and just are gritty when things get close. They do have one common opponent in Northfield (MN) who defeated Minneota 2-1, going 18-16 in the third set while Clayton lost 2-0.
Wayzata (MN) vs. River Falls (WI)
There is actually a chance these two teams could face each other this upcoming weekend at the St. Michael – Albertville tournament which will have some top teams from Minnesota along with River Falls (WI). Both of these teams are having a great year, but next year could really be “The Year” as well. Wayzata has a lineup full of six foot plus athletes starting with Junior right side Elizabeth Helmich who has such a tough lefty swing to defend. Sophia Jesewitz is a 6’3, long outside who is gaining interest from Power 5 conference schools. River Falls has much of the same with Junior outside Emily Bannit who is one of the best athletes in the state and Sophomore middle/right side Anna Wolf who has committed to Minnesota. River Falls has setter Maddie Kealy and outside Halle Olson who also have Division 1 potential as well. The battle at the net is going to be pure power!
Marshall (MN) vs. Sun Prairie (WI)
Both of these teams play with such intensity. Marshall is always a perennial power in Class AA where Sun Prairie, just outside of Madison is a solid power in plenty of sports, volleyball being one of them. The Cardinals of Sun Prairie have a group of underclassmen led by KJ McNabb who is an outside hitter committed to Loyola in Chicago. Marshall has a group of all around athletes who can do a little bit of everything on the court. They have Setter/Right Side Logan Sherman, a 5’11 Junior and a scrappy libero in Mia Schniable who is a Junior as well.
Champlin Park has five Division 1 athletes currently on their roster.Champlin Park (MN) vs. DSHA (WI)
This would be a very interesting matchup with Champlin Park full of Division 1 talent which includes Lauren Clark (Penn State), Izzy Ashburn (Wisconsin), Emma Schmidt (Northern Iowa), and Kaitlyn Weimerskirch (Illinois State) against Divine Savior Holy Angels out of Milwaukee, which is an all girls Catholic school that has a tradition of success in everything (Arike Ogunbawale of Notre Dame who made the game winning shot in the NCAA Women’s National Championship is an alum). The Dashers of DSHA are so well balanced and play solid all around defense and have setter Anna Myklebust, a 6’1 setter/right side who can hurt the opponent in so many ways. A team of two different styles, but a matchup that would be really electric.
BBE (Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa) (MN) vs. Waterloo (WI)
Two schools that are some of the better small school teams in their state with some really good talent in the Class of 2021. Waterloo has Brooke Mosher who is the top prospect out of the Class of 2021 in Wisconsin who has committed to Illinois as a setter, but in high school she will set and swing along with fellow Sophomore Joslyn Wolf. BBE has a really athletic, Sophomore setter in Karsee Kampsen and Senior outside hitter Abby Gruber.
Prior Lake (MN) vs. Brookfield Central (WI)
Two of the top pin hitters for the Class of 2022. Brookfield Central has Freshman, Mckenna Wucherer who committed to the University of Minnesota as an 8th grader and Prior Lake has Julia Hanson, a 5’10 outside who can just fly!
Other Notables:
Southwest Christian (MN) vs. Wisconsin Lutheran (WI)
Concordia Academy (MN) vs. Kettle Moraine Lutheran (WI)
Belle Plaine (MN) vs. East Troy (WI)
New Prague (MN) vs. Appleton North (WI)
Stewartville (MN) vs. Mukwonago (WI)
Lakeville South (MN) vs. Waukesha West (WI)
WEM (MN) vs. Stratford (WI)
Willmar (MN) vs. Stevens Points (WI)
Minnetonka (MN) vs. Oconomowoc (WI)
Watertown-Mayer (MN) vs. Watertown (WI)
Wabasso (MN) vs. Newman Catholic (WI)
Northfield (MN) vs. Sheboygan North (WI)
New Prague (MN) vs. Sussex Hamilton (WI)
Hutchinson (MN) vs. Cedarburg (WI)