Class 5 District 1 & 2 Previews

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>District 1</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true,"type":"1","start":1} --> <ol type="1" start="1"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>Jackson 27-6-3</strong></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Oakville 11-12-2</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Seckman 17-11-2</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Lindbergh 10-15-2</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Mehlville 4-11</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Poplar Bluff 9-17-3</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Fox 7-13</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Northwest 2-23</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ol> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Prediction:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Semifinal 1: Jackson</strong> vs. Lindbergh.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jackson has been on fire going 13-0-2 since the Gateway Matchup. Jackson has wins over Oakville (twice), and Lindbergh, and knocked off Eureka 3-2 during the run. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='170028' first='Ella' last='Domian']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='124849' first='Nadia' last='Wasilewski']</strong> are the team's top attackers both with 103 kills. Lindbergh lost to Jackson at the Jackson Tournament 25-15, 25-17 and seven players registered 1 kill each. The Flyers will need big games from <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='170036' first='Bailey' last='Boehm']</strong> and <strong>Marlee</strong> <strong>Steiner</strong> if they wish to pull off the upset.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Semifinal 2: Oakville</strong> vs. Seckman<strong>.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>On the 10^th Oakville nipped Seckman 3-0 thanks to 14 kills from <strong>Addie Czuppon</strong> and 11 from <strong>Sami Simokaitis. Chloe Nicols</strong> had 11 and <strong>Brandalyn Brown</strong> finished with 7 for Seckman in the loss. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='246924' first='Nina' last='Cillo']</strong> sets her team to the 3-1 win to meet Jackson in the finals.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Finals: Jackson</strong> vs. Oakville</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With two wins over Oakville this season, and 5-1 in sets Jackson is on the track to repeat as district title winners. Both teams rely on three hitters to do most of the damage. Oakville has <strong>Addie Czuppon, Sami Simokaitis</strong>, and 2027 <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='467920' first='Evelyn' last='Haarmann']</strong>. Jackson has big guns <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='170028' first='Ella' last='Domian']</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='124849' first='Nadia' last='Wasilewski'],</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='168036' first='Katherine' last='St. John']</strong>. The difference in the game will come down to defense. Will Oakville be able to stop the three-headed monster of Jackson and can Oakville use the big blockers of Jackson to their advantage? Jackson takes the win 3-1 and moves back into the state playoffs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>District 2</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true,"type":"1","start":1} --> <ol type="1" start="1"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>Lafayette 30-2</strong></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Marquette 26-5</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Eureka 24-10</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Cor Jesu Academy 19-6</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Kirkwood 12-11-1</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Nerinx Hall 21-11-3</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Borgia 19-13-1</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Parkway South 11-16-1</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ol> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Prediction:</strong> This is the most talented field in a district I've ever seen. You have three legit contenders and then 2 other dark horses.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Semifinal 1: Lafayette</strong> vs. Cor Jesu</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lafayette moves into the semifinals with an easy win over Parkway South and Cor Jesu knows off Kirkwood in the other quarterfinal. When it comes to the playoffs no other team on this side of the state is more dangerous than the defending Class 5 champions. They are built for a title run again. In the previous meeting, Lafayette hung on for a 25-21, 25-21, 27-25 win and received 24 kills from <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='124222' first='Allison' last='Risley']</strong> and <strong>Maya</strong> <strong>Witherspoon</strong>. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='150037' first='Grace' last='Killion']</strong> <strong>and [player_tooltip player_id='222069' first='Lauren' last='Ortwerth']</strong> had 27 of the team's 35 kills. Lafayette is getting inspired play from <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='475339' first='Shaye' last='Witherspoon']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='207267' first='Kira' last='Dufner']</strong> to block their way to the 3-0 win.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Semifinal 2:&nbsp; </strong>Marquette vs.<strong> Eureka</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Marquette beats Borgia in a sweep to get to the semifinals. Eureka and Nerinx Hall in the other quarterfinal play with Eureka getting the 3-2 win to survive and advance. In the most recent matchup, Eureka put it to Marquette and won rather easily. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='150048' first='Rylie' last='Cepicky']</strong> finished with 10 kills while <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='119227' first='Mia' last='Scanlon']</strong> led Marquette with 11. Eureka won every stat in the match and [player_tooltip player_id='124215' first='Olivia' last='Hasbrook'] was sensational with 27 digs. For Marquette to get the win they will need big play from their middles <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='220349' first='Teagan' last='Pocius']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='207284' first='Jacey' last='Young']</strong>. Eureka gets to the final with a 3-1 win over the Mustangs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Finals: Lafayette</strong> vs. Eureka</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In the first meeting, Lafayette won in 3 close sets. In the last meeting at the Ozark Grand Slam Layette squeaked out the 2-1 win. In the two previous meetings [player_tooltip player_id='475339' first='Shaye' last='Witherspoon'], [player_tooltip player_id='153929' first='Maya' last='Witherspoon'], and [player_tooltip player_id='124222' first='Allison' last='Risley'] combined for 76 kills. For Eureka to knock off Lafayette they will need more help from [player_tooltip player_id='150048' first='Rylie' last='Cepicky'], Loreli Rausch, and [player_tooltip player_id='207288' first='Anna' last='Wieman'] in the offensive. Eureka can hang with Lafayette defensively, but the weapons Lafayette can throw at you can be hard to handle. Lafayette takes the championship keeping hopes alive for a repeat with a 3-1 win.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->