Nebraska 2023 HS Midseason Report: More Surprise Teams

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We've reached the midway point of Nebraska's 2023 season. Time to take stock in a few more teams that are surprising us this year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This is a theme we've already explored this fall, but more and more breakout squads have risen to the forefront in recent weeks. So, there's a bit more ground to cover.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Let's do it.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Grand Island</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Grand Island's strong performance at the LPS Invitational was not a fluke. The Islanders have established their frontrunner status with a 15-6 record and the fourth spot on the Class A wildcard standings.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We knew heading into 2023 that GISH had some serious talent, but it has really come together this season to produce extraordinary results. The team still boasts that powerful outside hitter tandem of [player_tooltip player_id='155042' first='Tia' last='Traudt'] and [player_tooltip player_id='104983' first='Haedyn' last='Hoos'], both of whom are now upperclassmen. [player_tooltip player_id='393554' first='Keira' last='Jones'] is another impactful veteran along the net. Ball control elements have also thrived for the Islanders with [player_tooltip player_id='462588' first='Jaysa' last='Wentzlaff'] and [player_tooltip player_id='450530' first='Jaylen' last='Hansen'] performing well at setter and libero, respectively.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This central Nebraska crew has a great chance to disrupt the recent Class A postseason monopoly of Lincoln and Omaha teams.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://x.com/KingsleyATK/status/1703066093512794507?s=20","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/KingsleyATK/status/1703066093512794507?s=20 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Omaha Duchesne Academy</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sure, we've seen Duchesne on the tournament stage several times before. But 2023 has revealed some considerable improvement from the Cardinals, yielding a 9-3 record near the season's midpoint.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A couple of recognizable names are paving the way for Duchesne by exceeding a 0.300 hitting percentage this year. Junior outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='173523' first='Elizabeth' last='Layson'] is one of those, and her 0.342 attacking clip is even more impressive considering she's dropping in nearly four-and-a-half kills per set. She is joined by fellow Nebraska Elite standout [player_tooltip player_id='187792' first='Emily' last='Love'], who is pitching in with 2.5 kills per set. Junior libero [player_tooltip player_id='342558' first='Ava' last='McCarthy'] is guiding the team's defense while also leading the Cardinals in aces.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Yutan</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We're visiting Class C2 for our next breakout team. There's a logjam of dominant teams in this group, and Yutan suddenly finds itself at that tier with a 17-2 record.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Family connections are strong with this group as Emmy, Gabi, and Bella Tederman are all significant contributors to the Chieftan hot streak. Yutan has also leaned on junior setter McKenna Jones, who is quickly becoming one of small-town Nebraska's best distributors. Jones has plenty of other physical options to set along the frontcourt, including Amelia Dieckman and [player_tooltip player_id='492347' first='Maura' last='Tichota']. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's a well-balanced group that has developed a habit of taking down some of C2's most formidable squads.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>West Holt</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Let's linger in Class C2 a little longer. West Holt is another group that has climbed the C2 hierarchy lately. The Huskies of Atkinson, Nebraska, hold a 15-3 record and hope to keep climbing into the postseason discussion in the coming weeks.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Upperclassmen are stepping up at the right time for the Huskies. Senior Lainey Smith is an incredibly deceptive setter who can also take on hitting responsibilities in the front row. She also gets plenty of help from veteran libero Addie Karo. Meanwhile, Abby Davis has emerged as a leader at opposite in the junior class. Other impactful 2025s include middle blocker Makenna Schaaf and outside hitter Ainsley Galyen. This group has the collective firepower and ball control to disrupt the "order" that we're used to seeing in Class C2.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Elgin Public/Pope John</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>On to one of our top Class D1 competitors. Elgin Public/Pope John is starting to churn out wins that reflect the talent on the Wolfpack roster. A 15-2 mark is just the start of Elgin Public/Pope John's upswing, which could result in a November trip to Lincoln.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Wolfpack have an enviable combination of terminal hitters and ball control gems that make them a dangerous unit. Senior outside hitter Ashlynne Charf leads all scorers with nearly four-and-a-half terminations per set this season. Elgin Public/Pope John is also able to achieve balance with juniors [player_tooltip player_id='253912' first='Chloe' last='Henn'] and Sara Bode also putting up big numbers in the kill column.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='253909' first='Baylee' last='Busteed'] is having a career-best season at the setter spot in her senior campaign. The Wolfpack benefit further from the defensive work of junior libero of [player_tooltip player_id='462597' first='Kate' last='Furstenau'], who has compiled over five digs per set throughout the 2023 season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->