Top Five In Class 1A: Senior Leadership

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's that time of year. With about two weeks remaining in the regular season, leaders need to rise up and take over for a solid run into and through October. The five teams listed below have more than exemplified this fact, with a pair of seniors leading the way they way they can.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">#1: Trinity Lutheran (14-6)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I can hear the hateful typing now. "My team has a better record!!!" Relax, folks, and take a step back from the keyboard. The Cougars are, far and away, the class of 1A. Their strength of schedule is among the 20 toughest of ALL 300+ schools in the state, and I personally watched them dismantle 4A powerhouse Center Grove in four sets. All phases of the game are solid, from first contact to last. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='378035' first='Laura' last='Roeder'],</strong> an IU Indianapolis commit, is the anchor of both serve receive and defense. Here's a tip---don't serve her, you're going to lose that point. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='157945' first='Carson' last='Bowling'],</strong> a steal for NAIA IU Southeast, can attack from anywhere, and is part of a balanced offense that hits at nearly a .300 clip. In short, this team is primed for a deep playoff run each and every year, and this one might be their best. Expect to watch the Cougars in Worthen in early November.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">#2: Lafayette Central Catholic (14-5)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Our playoffs are split into North and South halves, so it goes without saying that a northern half team should occupy this spot. The Knights are more than capable of holding the #2 spot, and with all of their solid ball control and smart play, they should. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='557018' first='Carley' last='Barrett']</strong> is a well-rounded senior that brings three kills and three digs per set to the fray, along with solid leadership. Libero <strong>Grace Bordenet</strong> is an exceptional defender and serve receive artist that should not be served to under any circumstance, lest you lose that point. Lafayette-area kids are well-trained and have a high volleyball IQ, and the Knights are a perfect example.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">#3: Tri-County (23-1)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Cavaliers are putting together one of the best records in the entire state, with their lone loss coming to volleyball power Benton Central back on August 19. Since then, 19 in a row have gone the way of Tri-County, and I doubt they'll lose another before the end of the regular season. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='261049' first='Sara' last='Zarse']</strong> is the clear lead attacker here, what with her five kills per set while hitting over .400 and leading the team in blocks. She's an undersized but springy middle that has learned a ton under Boiler Juniors. I also like setter <strong>Lyzzy Bahler,</strong> who not only runs the offense but is an above-average defender for her position. Both of these seniors lead well, and should carry a lot of the load for the Cavaliers to go deep into October.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">#4: Faith Christian (19-2)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Did I mention Lafayette kids are well-trained? This might be the first time I have three in a row that have Boiler Juniors products on their roster, but it fits. The Eagles' two losses are to the two Lafayette-area teams ahead of them on this list, and have mowed down most of the competition on the rest of their schedule along the way. I'm a fan of the two-headed attacking monster known as <strong>Molly Miller</strong> and <strong>Anna Riley.</strong> These two pin attackers have combined for 8 kills and 3 digs per set, while hitting a combined .270 on the season. As primary attackers go, there aren't too many other pairs of outsides that can boast those numbers in 1A. In order to get past the two 1A teams in front of them in October, however, those two seniors will need a little help from their teammates.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">#5: Daleville (16-3)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Moving east a bit into Delaware County and the Mecca of Indiana volleyball, the Broncos have quietly put together a solid campaign of their own. No, they won't win their conference, that belongs to 2A powerhouse Wapahani. However, with not a lot of tough teams remaining on their schedule in the regular season, this is a 20-win program waiting in the wings for a deep run into October. <strong>Trishell Johnson</strong> leads the way offensively with an impressive stat line---5 kps, .350, 2 dps and second on the squad in blocks. She's a hammer from anywhere, and needs to be accounted for at all times if you wish to defeat the Broncos. <strong>Cassidy Rees</strong> distributes a very consistent ball, with her tempo and location better than most in this class. These two seniors, along with a solid supporting cast, will give teams fits in October.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->