Division 3 quarterfinal breakdowns & predictions
Division 3 is the only division where we know we will have a new state champion in 2019. That make this week very intriguing as eight teams look to replace Bronson atop the D3 hill. Here’s a breakdown of the…
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Continue ReadingDivision 3 is the only division where we know we will have a new state champion in 2019.
That make this week very intriguing as eight teams look to replace Bronson atop the D3 hill.
Here’s a breakdown of the four quarterfinals taking place on Tuesday and our picks for the winners.
Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest vs. Saginaw Valley Lutheran – At Burton Bendle
The Lutheran Northwest volleyball team is a nice story, as the Crusaders are making their first quarterfinal appearance since 1994. They weren’t on the radar of many this year, but have really looked strong throughout the postseason and are playing like they could be the spoiler this week. Sabrina Gottschalk has had a great year, earning All-MIAC Blue honors this year as part of a very competitive conference. She tallied 14 kills in the regional championship win over Liggett. Natalie Nelson and Madelyn Vitu also had conference honors this year while Nicole Shore has a difficult serve to handle. Lutheran Northwest collides with Valley Lutheran, a team that ended the regular season No. 10 in our D3 rankings. The Chargers had a tough four-set match with Brown City in the regional final, overcoming a big deficit in the fourth set to close things out. Kelsey Vittitow has been the foundation of the squad as a senior libero that earned All-State honors in 2018 and has continued to play at a high level this year. Sydney Krause has also played great at setter to give the Chargers vital leadership at the key positions. Peyton Bartnikowski and Ashlyn Martin are Valley Lutheran’s power arms that will be able to go swing-for-swing with Lutheran Northwest. I look at the key to this match being the ability to pass and avoid errors. I think Valley Lutheran has the edge in that department.
Prediction: Valley Lutheran over Lutheran Northwest in four
Western Michigan Christian vs. Schoolcraft – At Hudsonville Unity Christian
Andelyn SimkinsSchoolcraft has been our top-ranked team in Division 3 all year and the Eagles put an end to four-year run of Bronson atop D3 in last week’s regional semifinal sweep. The big question for Schoolcraft is now, can they finish the job, or will they take the foot off the gas after finally getting past Bronson? Andelyn Simkins is one of the best players in the state regardless of division and she may be the most dominant player this week if things work out to Schoolcraft’s liking. She has the power, the accuracy, the footwork and the athleticism to do it all on the court. Simkins has a great connection with setter Kayla Onken that has allowed her to put up incredible stats this year. Kelby Goldschmeding is the unsung hero of the squad, as her play at libero has really taken Schoolcraft from being a good team to a great team. Western Michigan Christian stands between Schoolcraft and Battle Creek. The Warriors lost a pair of sets to the Eagles very early in the 2019 season, but they are a different team now after winning their first regional championship in program history. A top-five team in our D3 rankings, WMC can’t be overlooked. A roster comprised of eight seniors features a lot of balance with its attack. Leading the way are junior Alisha Leffring and sophomore Kyla Wiersema. Senior libero Grace Vanbeek and senior setter Chloe Mitchell are captains for the team and will keep the Warriors calm for Tuesday’s big match. They will look to test Goldschmeding and the Schoolcraft passers with their serving, but it’s Schoolcraft’s ability to consistently stay in-system that makes them the favorite this week. The Eagles have challenged themselves all year, facing the best in Division 1 and Division 2. Those matches should pay off on Tuesday.
Prediction: Schoolcraft over Western Michigan Christian in three
Hudson vs. Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central – At Adrian Madison
Mikayla HautSMCC was the last team other than Bronson to win a state championship in Division 3/Class C and the Kestrels would love to replace the Vikings as the champs this year. Hudson is a great story, as the Tigers hadn’t won a district championship since 1997. Now, they find themselves one win away from Battle Creek after topping Vandercook Lake in a five-set regional final. Junior Callie Bauer is approaching 700 kills for the year and is hitting an impressive .389 with a high-volume of swings. She has a promising partner at the net in freshman middle Keely Hinzman, who has put up over 100 blocks this year. The key to Tuesday will be senior libero Summer Walker, as she will have to face some big SMCC hitters. The Kestrels are coming off a hard-fought four-set win over Charyl Stockwell Academy in the regional final. Junior Mikayla Haut is one of the most powerful hitters in the state and is certain to be among the 2020 Miss Volleyball finalists. She leads the SMCC attack, which also includes juniors Anna Dean, Abbie Costlow, and Kylie Barron. Junior Grace Lipford and senior Sarah Reicker are the two setters that feed this offensive machine and keep things running smoothly. SMCC only has losses to non-D3 teams, so I expect the Kestrels to use their plethora of arms to get past Hudson on Tuesday.
Prediction: SMCC over Hudson in four
Traverse City St. Francis vs. Beaverton – At Houghton Lake
Kaylin PooleSt. Francis got to Battle Creek a year ago and the Gladiators are a win away from returning despite losing some key pieces. Junior Kaylin Poole has had a breakout year for St. Francis as an outside hitter and has a nice compliment in Maddie Connolly at the net. Hannah Sidorowicz is an experienced setter that shows a lot of great on-court leadership and has helped the Gladiator hitters improve throughout the season. Looking to keep St. Francis from a return trip to Battle Creek is Beaverton. The Beavers had a perfect run in the Jack Pine Conference and it has led to a 12-1 set record in the postseason, culminating with its first regional title in program history by sweeping Manton last week. Molly Gerow caught the eyes of many in 2018 and now the junior outside hitter is really establishing herself as a standout in the Class of 2021. She put up an impressive 24 kills in the three-set regional final. Becca Wirt and Faith Danielak are complimentary hitters to Gerow, and setter Mady Pahl has been consistent with her feeds and keeping the offense rolling. The big question for Beaverton is how will the Beavers handle the pressure of the quarterfinal. St. Francis knows what to expect this week, but Beaverton is experiencing it all for the first time. Despite that, I like what Beaverton has been able to do throughout the year. The Beavers have the look of a Battle Creek squad and I think they find a way past St. Francis in a very competitive quarterfinal.
Prediction: Beaverton over St. Francis in five