Are Mustangs National Title Contenders After Winning Millard North Invite?
Millard North libero Emma Altman prepares to serve in a match against Western Christian of Iowa earlier this year. (Photo by Berk Brown) It’s funny how quickly things can change when we’re talking about high school sports. About a month…
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Continue ReadingMillard North libero Emma Altman prepares to serve in a match against Western Christian of Iowa earlier this year. (Photo by Berk Brown)
It’s funny how quickly things can change when we’re talking about high school sports. About a month ago, there was quite a bit of talk – by me and others – about how a team from Nebraska could potentially win a national title in volleyball this fall.
Back then it wasn’t Millard North that was being talked about that way, but it sure is now.
The Mustangs improved to 13-0 on the season by winning the Millard North Invitational over the weekend and giving itself a real shot at being in the conversation about a national title. I didn’t see it coming – heck, I had Millard North at #2 in Class A to open the year. I had concerns that the Mustangs had lost too much back row presence. I wasn’t convinced that Millard North’s setting and attacking would be consistent enough.
I was wrong about all of that.
After sweeping Omaha Duchesne, Millard West and Lincoln North Star in its pool on Saturday, Millard North went out and defeated St. James Academy of Kansas 18-25, 25-21, 25-15 to win the title. Millard North now finds itself ranked #17 in the nation by PrepVolleyball.com and #20 by MaxPreps. St. James Academy came into the match ranked #21 by PrepVolleyball.com.
The Mustangs have also swept #63 Papillion-LaVista, beat #77 Western Christian of Iowa 2-1 in the Bellevue West Invite and beat #85 Papillion-LaVista South 2-1.
Millard North’s strengths were on full display in the win over St. James Academy on Saturday as the Mustangs spread the ball all over the place, hitting .230 as a team with five players taking at least nine swings but no player getting more than eight kills. McKenna Ruch was the team-leader at eight kills while Paige Holdsworth had seven, Allie Kerns had five, Emmy Grant had four and Izzy Lukens and Molly Plahn each had three.
Millard North’s block helped hold the Thunder to a hitting percentage of .161 as the Mustangs out-blocked St. James 13-2 behind 3.5 blocks from Grant and three each from Plahn and Ruch. Lukens had 27 assists and nine digs and libero Emma Altman had a match-best 14 digs and 15 serve receptions.
For the season, Millard North is hitting .240 as a team, is serving at more than 91% and gets 2.3 blocks per set. It’s a team that, so far, has separated itself from the pack in Class A, posting a set record of 23-2 against opponents from Nebraska while posting wins over teams ranked #2, #3, #4 and #5 in Class A.
Things don’t ever really get easier for Millard North, though, as seven of its eight dual (3-of-5 matches) on the remaining schedule are ranked, including a showdown tonight at #3 Papillion-LaVista South. The Mustangs must also navigate the Lincoln Pius X and Omaha Westside Invitationals to go along with the Metro Conference tourney.
There is a lot – and I mean A LOT – of volleyball left to be played, but right now it’s Millard North that has the look and the swagger of a team capable of being in the national title conversation for the foreseeable future.