Kansas Substate action is here! Classes 6A and 5A

Kansas gets going with substate play on Saturday, October 21st. We will give a brief overview of what we expect to take place, with a more exhaustive look at the state tournament next week.   6A West   Liberal Site   Washburn Rural is the overall top seed and shouldn't have much of a problem in their bracket with Junction City. They then get the winner of Derby and Wichita Heights. I anticipate Heights getting the win and Rural heading to state to defend their state title. [player_tooltip player_id='201027' first='Jada' last='Ingram'] is averaging close to six kills per set.   Garden City is the overall second seed and like Washburn, should roll through their bracket after taking down Wichita-Southeast. [player_tooltip player_id='173378' first='Piper' last='Harris'] leads the team in kills and digs. Haysville Campus gets Topeka High in the other match. The seven-seed Haysville gets the win. Garden City advances.   Third seed Wichita North enters 20-12 and will face Lawrence Free-State. Even though Free-State only has 8 wins and comes in as the 14-seed, I like the teams they were defeated by more than the teams North beat, so going with a big upset, Free-State over North. We like Maize over Liberal in the other match behind [player_tooltip player_id='119696' first='Jordyn' last='Bird']. Since we picked Free-State in one upset, may as well do it twice and see a 10-win team in the state tournament.   Manhattan and Wichita Northwest will be the 4 vs. 5 match we expect to see in the finals. Both teams have been solid this year but we think the schedule Manhattan put together prepares them for this moment and they move on to state.   6A East   Shawnee Mission Northwest Site   Blue Valley North has been stellar this season. They have three losses with them coming pretty close to each other. [player_tooltip player_id='154041' first='Logan' last='Parks'] and [player_tooltip player_id='119693' first='Janelle' last='Green'] will lead this team to state with wins over Olathe North and Shawnee Mission Northwest   Second seed Mill Valley has had a year we didn't see coming. They have some big wins on their resume and should keep that momentum going through the sub-state advancing to the finals. The only team that stands in their way is Blue Valley Northwest, though the record is not eye-opening, played some tough competition.   Shawnee Mission East has seen a season that saw them make my [program_tooltip program_id='430200' first='KC' last='Power'] 15 rankings late in the season. They have a lot to be proud of but the season will come to an end when third seed Olathe Northwest gets them in the bracket finals. [player_tooltip player_id='119707' first='Skyler' last='Pierce'] and [player_tooltip player_id='119724' first='Jillian' last='Huckabey'] are just too much.   Blue Valley had a rebuild year after their deep tournament run a year ago. Olathe West and Blue Valley West will be the most compelling match in all of 6A this weekend. The two teams looked very good at times. Olathe West made a name for themselves a year ago. Blue Valley West has been a team on the rise for a few years now after capturing their state title. This is tough to pick. The setter will be the difference with many things equal and I like [player_tooltip player_id='173372' first='Lily' last='Wedman'].   5A West   Goddard-Eisenhower site   Andover Central is the top overall seed and will have no problem with their first match. The 8 vs. 9 match is an intriguing one with Bishop Carroll and Emporia. Both teams have 25 wins. We like Emporia in this one. Andover Central, with one loss, won't get to two until state and advance behind [player_tooltip player_id='152835' first='Hayden' last='Snodgrass'], [player_tooltip player_id='261107' first='Gretta' last='Stover'], and [player_tooltip player_id='221517' first='Jordyn' last='Washington'].   Maize South will be the second seed and with their 33 wins should stroll through the first match over Salina-South. Topeka West and Valley Center in the 7/10 have two teams with more than 20 wins. Valley Center played a tougher schedule and held better wins we like Valley to get the win. Maize South with [player_tooltip player_id='153936' first='Jillian' last='Gregory'] and [player_tooltip player_id='119709' first='Gracie' last='Morrow'] scoring points to advance.   Skipping the theatrics, Great Bend and Andover in the finals. Great Bend has a couple of wins over 6A Garden City who should advance to state. Andover has 27 wins and played some tough teams. We think Great Bend can get it done and move on.   Four teams above 500 are in the last bracket in the west. Topeka Seaman is the 4th seed, while Kapaun Mt Carmel will be the 5th. Both teams have over 30 wins on the year. Their opponents will be Goddard-Eisenhower and Newton. Seaman is a team with what I consider no bad losses. Their defeats are to teams arguably some of the strongest in the state in their classes. Mt. Carmel, you can say the same, a couple of losses to Andover Central aren't too shabby. McCoy Phister is leading the team in assists. Eisenhower and Newton have quality wins on their resumes as well. I expect a Seaman/Mt. Carmel final, however, with Seaman getting over the hump and advancing.   5A East   Bonner Springs site   I expect little fireworks on the East side of things. Top seed St. James is running smoothly on all cylinders right now and with the way [player_tooltip player_id='154039' first='Reese' last='Messer'] and [player_tooltip player_id='119694' first='Mya' last='Bolton'] are playing, expect them to make a return trip to state.   Lansing with coach Julie Slater back in the saddle will return back to state in our estimation. Anna Lainz is pulling 4 kills per set. They will probably face neighbor Leavenworth in the finals.   Spring Hill made multiple week appearances in my KC Metro Power 15 and will take the next step, advancing to the state tournament. Every loss was to a team capable of advancing to the state tournament. [player_tooltip player_id='493461' first='Sydney' last='Buscher'] and [player_tooltip player_id='119712' first='Shannon' last='Frakes'] have kept the offense running in the 6-2.   The only drama out East we expect to see in this bracket. 4th overall seed St. Thomas Aquinas is still your defending state champion and has been playing well as of late behind Alea Gooslby and [player_tooltip player_id='119691' first='Kelsey' last='Schenck'] They did lose their last time out to Olathe Northwest, but also beat St. James the match before that. Blue Valley Southwest has been phenomenal this year. They have some big wins to boast about, beating Aquinas a few weeks ago behind strong play from [player_tooltip player_id='222092' first='Willow' last='Weninger']'s 17 kills and [player_tooltip player_id='173381' first='Hadley' last='Porter']'s 23 digs. When you look at their losses, two to Olathe East in the last month after East had a rough stretch to end September is hard for me to shake. Aquinas has been in big matches and we think they get it done.

Kansas gets going with substate play on Saturday, October 21st. We will give a brief overview of what we expect to take place, with a more exhaustive look at the state tournament next week.