By Chris Parker
Before I go any further, THESE ARE NOT A HEAD-TO-HEAD RANKING, BUT A RANKING OF DOMINANCE BY CLASS. I am not saying I think the Class 1 schools on this list could beat all the Class 4-5 teams ranked below them or not ranked.
1. Nixa (C5 – 14-1)
Nixa is the area’s best team in the state’s biggest class. The schedule has been brutal and the Lady Eagles have risen to the occasion with wins over Helias Catholic, Fayetteville (Ark.), Kickapoo (twice), Carl Junction, Willard and others. Fayetteville has just two losses on the season and is one of the top teams in Arkansas. It is no surprise that all-state seniors Sydney Golden and Jaycee Fixsen are in the middle of it all. Golden, the single-season record holder for assists in a season in state history, has contributed 455 assists averaging 10.3 assists per set. Fixsen has put down a team-high 177 kills. Allie Billmyer (120 kills), Jena Medaris (105 kills) and Hillary Estes (89 kills) have helped provide Nixa with a diverse attack. Nixa suffered its first loss in a three-set sweep to traditional power Lafayette (Wildwood) out of St. Louis over the weekend. That match let Nixa know exactly what it was going to take to win a state title.
2. Willard (C4 – 15-3)
Willard and Carl Junction are basically inseparable on paper, and they will sort this ranking out on Thursday night when they face off head-to-head. Willard is here because one common opponent between CJ and Willard is Rogersville. Willard beat Rogersville and Carl Junction lost to Rogersville. It is about the only way I could separate these two teams. Willard’s losses are to Nixa, Helias Catholic and Lebanon. The Lebanon loss came nine days after beating the Yellowjackets twice in the same day at the Hillcrest Invitational. Paige Durham (154 kills), Grace Hancock (124 kills) and Lael Brandon (107 kills) lead the attack for Willard with no other player contributing more than 35 kills so far this year. One of the area’s best setters in Paige Gayer orchestrates the attack with 414 assists (9.9 assists per set) on the season.
3. Carl Junction (C4 – 17-4)
As I stated above, the narrowest of margins separate these two teams. Carl Junction is hot right now riding a nine-match winning streak. The Lady Bulldogs have losses to Kickapoo (twice), Rogersville and Nixa on the season. The Lady Bulldogs are led by one of the area’s most talented players in junior setter Logan Jones who has 589 assists on the year averaging 10.7 assists per set. She has an incredible rapport with senior Jessa Hylton who has put down a team-high 215 kills. Basketball stars Destiny Buerge (137 kills) and Kylie Scott (134 kills) give Jones options to set to shift defensive focus from Hylton. The Lady Bulldogs host Willard on Thursday night in a huge COC matchup. Carl Junction will look to remain unbeaten in COC play to keep pace with Nixa.
4. Springfield Catholic (C3 – 21-2)
Three all-state hitters returning from a final four team? Off to a 21-2 start? Catholic has shown it is ready to make another run at a Class 3 final four, and those three all-state hitters are at the center of it all. Junior Grace O’Reilly (180 kills) and seniors Hallie Cook (169 kills) and Cheri Sabini (127 kills) make the Lady Irish one of the deepest teams in the area on the attack. Add in senior Ashlyn Witthar and her 86 kills, and you never know who is about to be set for Catholic. Ava Walters is the architect of the offense at setter with 515 total assists on the season.
5. Strafford (C3 – 14-2)
Strafford had its streak of six consecutive district championships snapped last season. The Indians are positioned to get a new streak going this year. Their two losses are to Springfield Catholic and Class 5 Lebanon, but the Indians got revenge on Catholic in their home tournament. The regular season loss to Catholic was a four-set affair that featured sets that finished 35-33 and 28-26. The Indians have played a quality Class 3 schedule featuring wins over Forsyth, Liberty, Conway, Licking and El Dorado Springs. Christa Duffel has been unstoppable hitting with 222 kills with a 50.7% kill percentage. The junior duo of Sophia Frerking (132 kills) and Ashley Suter (101 kills) are also strong on the attack.
6. Miller (C1 – 13-2)
Last year, Miller went 32-3 and finished third place in Class 2. This year, the Cardinals returned three all-state players from that team AND dropped down to Class 1. Miller’s losses so far this year have come to Class 4 Carl Junction and Class 3 Strafford. This team is poised to run through Class 1 competition once postseason hits. Miller only plays six players regularly, so having three all-state selections on the court at all times at this level is not something a lot of teams can boast. Kaylee Helton leads the team in kills with 111. Alli Mitchell has handed out 310 of the team’s 329 assists. Claudia Hadlock leads the team in serve receptions (149) and is second to Addison Stockton in digs. Last year, Miller was the state’s smallest Class 2 volleyball school. This year, they are one of the biggest Class 1 schools.
7. Kickapoo (C5 – 17-5)
Kickapoo is going to post a seventh consecutive 20-win season with a 17-5 record so far this year. The Lady Chiefs have three losses to Arkansas schools that all happened in August and two losses to Nixa. Wins over Carl Junction (twice), Helias Catholic, Ozark, Rogersville and Lebanon highlight the schedule. Kickapoo could very well be the area’s second-best team, but in a rankings of dominance by class, Nixa exists which is why the Lady Chiefs are down at No. 7. Sophomore Bella Faria has led the attack with 190 kills followed by senior Lauryn Farish’s 134 kills. Kickapoo uses a two-setter system with Reagan Greenway (333 assists) and Grace Gardner (202 assists).
8. Conway (C2 – 14-5)
Conway has played a tough small-class schedule and held their own. The losses are to Class 3 Strafford, Forsyth, Catholic and Hallsville and Class 2 Stover. None of those teams has more than three losses. Then you look at the wins which include: Skyline, Forsyth, Blue Eye and Houston. The area will likely have a Class 2 representative in the final four, and right now Conway is the favorite in my opinion. Gibby Beckler leads the Lady Bears in kills (224), aces (41) and blocks (21). Conway is not a deep team with just six players playing varsity sets according to its MaxPreps. The Lady Bears volleyball program has never made a final four and hasn’t won more than 14 matches since 2011.
9. El Dorado Springs (C3 – 14-2)
El Dorado Springs has won 28 matches in each of the past three seasons, but have just one district title and no final four appearances to show for it. The Bulldogs are well on their way to another big win total behind their two seniors Reese Schaaf and Tevi Gurley. Schaaf has 192 kills to lead the team with Gurley second at 148 kills. Gurley leads the team in assists with 255 while Schaaf is second with 228. Macie Mays has added 100 kills to give the Bulldogs three players in triple figures. They have lost to Strafford and Class 4 Webb City. The best win on the schedule is a sweep of two-loss Lamar, which will be key for district seeding.
10. Blue Eye (C1 – 10-3)
Blue Eye has won district titles in two of the past three years and are off to a 10-3-1 record this season. All of the losses (Conway, Clever and Reeds Spring) are at least two classes up for the Lady Bulldogs. Twins Riley Arnold (103 kills) and Avery Arnold (256 assists) are at the center of the offense for Blue Eye. Avery also leads the team in digs with 83 and serve receptions with 127.
11. Lamar (C3 – 15-2)
Any time a team can return a conference player of the year, it is a good start. Lamar did just that with Kyleigh Talbott coming back after being named Big 8 West Player of the Year as a junior. She is well on her way to a second straight POY honor with 226 kills and a 60.7% kill percentage so far this year. Lamar’s loss to El Dorado Springs is critical, as the two teams share a district. Miller was the other loss for the Tigers.
12. Forsyth (C3 – 16-2)
Forsyth has been building the past several years going from 6-18-5 in 2017 to 12-12-2, 20-12-2 and 21-6-1 last year. The Lady Panthers are off to a 16-2-1 start this season with the only losses coming to Strafford and Conway. Forsyth spilt with Conway in its home tournament to get back at the Bears. Sophomore Savannah Koen is leading Forsyth’s attack with 197 kills. Senior Emmalea Cook is also in triple digits for kills with 148 while leading the team in serve receptions at 246. Oletha Rich makes the offense go with 419 assists. The Lady Panthers will be the favorite in their district.
13. Lebanon (C5 – 15-5)
Lebanon was the toughest team to place on the list. The range of outcomes is wide for this team. They have two losses to Willard in tournament play, but won a regular season matchup with the Lady Tigers. They lost to Helias and split with Helias in the same tournament. The other two losses came in conference and in class to Central and Kickapoo. Addy Rebmann is leading the team with 219 kills with senior teammate Myah Hough just behind her at 190 kills. Junior Jaidyn Collins (292 assists) and Chloe Shivers (248 assists) are a great setting duo. Lebanon shares a district with Central, which sets up a great rematch.
14. Houston (C2 – 13-2-1)
Houston volleyball is having its best season in a long time. The Lady Tigers have already won 13 matches, which is the first time Houston volleyball has hit that mark since 2011. The two losses for the Tigers came against Conway and Licking, which are bot in-class losses. Houston lost to Licking in the Cabool Tournament, but took the regular season matchup 3-0 back on Aug. 31. Sophomore Angie Smith has put down 148 kills in 45 sets to lead Houston. She also leads the team in aces (30) while sitting second in both digs (191) and serve receptions (126). Hannah Dzurick (116 kills) and Olivia Crites (115 kills) are both also over 100 kills on the season. Dzurick leads the team in assist with 212 while Aliyah Walker has contributed 166 assists. Mali Brookshire leads the team in digs (208) and serve receptions (314).
15. Republic (C5 – 11-4)
Republic volleyball has not finished above .500 since the 2016 season. The Tigers are well on their way to that mark this year off to an 11-4 start. Three of the losses are in class to Lebanon (twice) and Kickapoo with the other loss coming to Carl Junction. The Carl Junction match really told me the most about this team. The Tigers took the first set 25-18 before getting swept 25-23, 25-20 and 25-22. They showed they can compete with the best in the area in that match. This team is led by underclassmen with just one senior in the regular rotation. Juniors Kailey Manes (155 kills) and Kaemyn Bekemeier (112 kills) and sophomore Rilynn Finley (107 kills) lead the attack. Junior Payge Plank has 448 of the team’s 515 assists on the year. Republic still has Nixa, Willard and Ozark to go on the regular season schedule.
16. Ozark (C5 – 13-7)
Ozark was another tough team to place since 11 of their 20 games have come against teams from out of the area. Locally, the Lady Tigers have in-class losses to Kickapoo (twice), Nixa and Rogersville. Their out of area losses came to Ft. Smith Southside (Ark.) twice and Mater Dei (Ill.). I am giving them this spot because of the traditionally strong Crossroads Classic. Ozark went to the tournament in Illinois and came away with a 4-1 record. The four wins came over teams who currently have a combined 62-33 record with the loss coming to a Mater Dei squad that is 17-2. The offense goes as senior Hanna Vorhies does. She has put down 205 kills so far this season, which is 34% of Ozark’s total kills as a team. Carl Junction, Willard and Republic along with the Ozark Grand Slam all lie ahead for the Tigers.
17. Rogersville (C4 – 7-7)
The record isn’t impressive right now, but the quality of the schedule Rogersville has played cannot be overlooked. Those seven losses have come to Republic, Willard, Nixa, Bentonville West, Olathe East and Kickapoo. Only Willard is in class, all the other area teams are in Class 5 and the two out of area teams each have enrollments of more than 1,800 that would make them very large Class 5 schools in Missouri. Now, to examine the wins. Rogersville has beaten Carl Junction and Ozark for two its seven wins. Those cannot be ignored. The sweep of Carl Junction came via scores of 25-19, 25-14 and 25-21, which amounts to a pretty dominant victory. The Wildcats have a balanced attack with five players averaging between 1.6 and 2.4 kills per set. Look out for Rogersville when post-season rolls around. This program is always a threat for a run to the final four.
18. Skyline (C2 – 13-5)
Skyline has reloaded nicely after losing two all-state players to graduation and another to injury from last year’s 27-win district championship team. The Lady Tigers have faced a tough schedule with losses to Forsyth, Conway, Stover, Catholic and Adrian. The first four teams on that list have a combined 10 losses on the year. Jadyn Foster (156 kills), Grace Edge (143 kills) and Chayla Tuning (120 kills) lead the attack that is run by Lexie Curtis (453 assists).
19. Camdenton (C5 – 13-6)
Camdenton doesn’t have any signature wins yet, but the Lady Lakers also have no bad losses either. The six losses have come against Willard (twice), Fayetteville, Lebanon, Republic and Rock Bridge. Of the 13 wins, only four have come against teams currently over .500. The Mt. Vernon Tournament this weekend along with regular season matches against Kickapoo, Central and Lebanon await in October. They get this last spot due to the proven ability of their seniors to rise to the occasion in the post-season. Last year, Camdenton won a district title and came up just short of a final four appearance with a five-set loss to eventual state runner-up Parkway West. Seniors lead the team this year with five seniors having played in all 55 sets. Seniors Payton Kincaid (164 kills) and Mya Hulett (142 kills) along with classmates Sarah Holmes (224 assists) and Elle Turner (221 assists) run the offense. Hulett leads the team in aces while Kincaid leads the team in blocks and serve receptions. Senior Charlotte Kurtz leads the Lady Lakers in digs. With so many seniors leading key categories, it is hard not to envision another strong October for the Lady Lakers.
20. Central (C5 – 12-4-2)
Last year, Central won the program’s first district title since 1978. The Lady Bulldogs have followed up that success by jumping out to a 12-4-2 record. Last year, Central won the district title while posting a 12-15 record, so this team is already pacing ahead of that one. The last time Central posted a winning record was 2017. The best win on the schedule so far was a 3-1 win over Lebanon on Sept. 16. They are currently 3-1 in the Ozark Conference with both Camdenton and Kickapoo still to go on the schedule. Senior Arden Below is averaging 2.2 kills-per-set with 124 total kills on the season. Sophomores Coco Buschhorn, Meghan Grone and Mili Sylvester have been key contributors. Buschhorn leads the team in assists (297) and aces (37). Sylvester leads the team in blocks with 37. Grone leads the team in digs with 171.
