Class 2 District 1-8 Previews

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With the playoffs starting this week, the previews will emerge more. I'm previewing Class 1 District 1-8. Most of the districts have a clear-cut winner already, so here are my picks for the winners in districts 1-8.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>District 1</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>1. Portageville 27-4-2</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2. Malden 13-16-1</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>3. East Prairie 13-9-1</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>4. Senath 11-14-2</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>5. Twin Rivers 7-16-2</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>6. Caruthersville 3-11</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Prediction:</strong> Portageville is the queen of this district. They have rolled everyone in the district this season but only lost one set to Senath at the beginning. The 2026 class for the Bulldogs is strong, with <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='735534' first='Gloriaha' last='Farmer'], Maggie Priggel</strong>, and <strong>Taryn Irby</strong> combined for 730 of the team's 1078 kills on the season. Portageville sweeps through Malden to win the district title again.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>District 2</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>1. Scott City 18-10-3</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2. St. Vincent 18-8-5</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>3. Woodland 12-13</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>4. Puxico 11-14-1</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>5. Charleston 3-23</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>6. Kelly 2-26</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Prediction:</strong> This one will come down to Scott City and St. Vincent. St. Vincent should win this one on paper, but first, they must get past Woodland again. St. Vincent will take down Woodland and advance to the finals against Scott City. The Rams lean on 6'0” middle <strong>Lilyan Landis</strong> and an outstanding libero in 2027, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='485634' first='Layla' last='Estes']</strong>. St. Vincent has an incredible 2026 class with <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='225325' first='Kate' last='Rubel'] and Alaina Cates</strong> on the offense and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='225326' first='Brie' last='Rubel']</strong> taking care of the defense. This one will come down to St. Vincent's ability to score out of the middle and play great defense. St. Vincent wins this one 3-1 over the Scott City Rams.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>District 3</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true,"start":1} --> <ol start="1" class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>Arcadia Valley 15-14-2</strong></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>West County 11-16-3</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Greenville 9-15-1</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Clearwater 6-25</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Kingston 3-25-2</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Grandview 3-19-1</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ol> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Prediction:</strong> This is one of the weaker districts in Class 2. Arcadia Valley will win the district in sweeps led by <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='737619' first='Kayla' last='Sumpter'] </strong>and <strong>Paige Newstead-Adams.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>District 4</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true,"start":1} --> <ol start="1" class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>Jefferson 17-8</strong></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Lift for Life Academy 13-10</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Bishop DuBourg 9-6</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Med-Bio 13-11-1</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>McKinley 8-14</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Valley Park 7-20-2</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ol> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Prediction: Jefferson walks through the district, barely giving up more than 15 points in any set. I can't see any other teams in the district coming close to Jefferson. [player_tooltip player_id='493032' first='Megan' last='Wood'] has been on fire this year, and in the last 11 games, she finished with double-digit kills.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>District 5</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true,"start":1} --> <ol start="1" class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Duchesne 8-12-3</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Montgomery County 3-16</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Whitfield 7-12</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Metro 22-8-1</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Lutheran North 7-9</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Sumner 2-11</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ol> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Prediction</strong>: I watched Duchesne play the opening weekend and was impressed with them then. Don't be fooled by the record. Every loss this season has been to bigger schools.<strong> Claire Burks</strong> and <strong>Mia Piskulich </strong>are the offensive leaders. Whitfield will knock off Montgomery County in the semifinals to face Duchesne. Duchesne sweeps Whitfield for the chance to move on into the playoffs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>District 6</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true,"start":1} --> <ol start="1" class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Hermann 15-16</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Fatima 7-19-3</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Tolton 12-13-5</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Linn 20-6-2</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>North Callaway 13-13-2</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>New Bloomfield 0-21</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ol> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Prediction:</strong> I will never bet against Hermann and won't start now. Hermann plays a grueling schedule each season and will rack up a lot of losses, but come late October, they always rise to the occasion. This year will be no different. Hermann takes on Fatima in the finals after Fatima slips by Tolton in the semifinals in 4. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='493022' first='Kennedie' last='Witthaus']</strong> does her thing in the backcourt and helps Hermann win another district title. Hermann over Fatima in 3.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>District 7</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true,"start":1} --> <ol start="1" class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Stover 23-5-2</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Cole Camp 16-12-1</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Eugene 15-14-1</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Sacred Heart 6-14-1</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Russellville 16-11-1</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Calvary Lutheran 9-10-1</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ol> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Prediction:</strong> Stover seems to always be in the mix in late October, and the best player in the district is <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='493061' first='Ashlyn' last='Pinzke']</strong>. Cole Camp will be a tough team to beat, as they just knocked off Stover before districts. <strong>Marilyn Hesse, Mandy Goosen,</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='485624' first='Andrea' last='Dieckman']</strong> will make some big plays down the stretch for Cole Camp to squeak out a five-set win over Stover.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>District 8</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true,"start":1} --> <ol start="1" class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Licking 16-14</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Belle 18-8</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Bourbon 16-11</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Steelville 8-10-3</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Conway 9-18-2</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Dixon 3-16</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ol> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Prediction:</strong> Licking hasn't had the season I thought they would have, but they are still the favorite to win districts. With <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='195385' first='Linzie' last='Wallace'] </strong>running the offense and feeding hitters, <strong>Jadyn Barnes, Zoey Dawson</strong>, and <strong>Allie Hock </strong>Licking should cruise to the district title. Belle will make the finals thanks to the play of <strong>Lydia Jones </strong>and <strong>Chloe Jones</strong>, but Belle's youth against the physical players from Licking will be the downfall for Belle. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->