Class 5 Districts 1 and 3 Previews!
District 1 Prediction: Jackson Champions Semifinals Jackson comes in as the favorite with the top seed and has already handled Poplar Bluff twice. I am going to go with Jackson in a 3-0 sweep to move to the finals. …
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Continue ReadingDistrict 1 Prediction: Jackson Champions
Semifinals
Jackson comes in as the favorite with the top seed and has already handled Poplar Bluff twice. I am going to go with Jackson in a 3-0 sweep to move to the finals.
1 Jackson High School 29-4-1
4 Poplar Bluff High School 8-21-4
Northwest already took a 3-2 win over Seckman back on 9/15/2020 25-19, 18-25, 21-25, 26-24, 15-10 but was still given the #3 seed behind Seckman.
3 Northwest (Cedar Hill) High School 19-5
2 Seckman High School 12-4
Northwest won the previous meeting, 25-19. 18-25, 21-25, 26-24, 15-10. Maureen Mathews 17 kills, Jordan Christopher 14 kills, and Lizzy Vermillon with 11 in the victory. Seckman had 11 from Taylor Beaven and ten from Taylor Neal in the loss. Looking at Northwest to take this match-up 3-1 to move the finals.
Finals
1 Jackson High School 29-4-1
3 Northwest (Cedar Hill) High School 19-5
Jackson has beaten Perryville twice, and Northwest lost to Perryville. Northwest beat Hillsboro and Jackson lost to Hillsboro. Northwest has Maureen Matthews and Lizzy Vermillon on the front line with 217 and 147 kills, respectively. Jackson has Hannah Shinn with 306 kills, Mia Trankler 225, Nadia Wasilewski 177, Olivia Ward 152, and Haylee Quatmann 127 kills. Jackson has played a lot more than Northwest on the year. I’ll take Jackson in 5.
District 3 Prediction: Lafayette for the championship
Here’s the most exciting district in Class 5, in my opinion. You have 2018 Class 4 defending state champion in Eureka with Madison Sheer, Class 3 defending state champion Borgia and their junior class. Then you have Lafayette, the Class 4 powerhouse public school who’s won 6 state titles in the last nine years. Borgia received the #1 seed by winning a 3-1 18-25, 25-18, 25-22, 25-8 over Lafayette. Lafayette received the #2 seed by taking a 3-2 25-16, 22-25, 23-25, 25-19, 15-11 win over Eureka.
Semifinals
3 Eureka High School 7-3
2 Lafayette (Wildwood) High School 13-1
I’m not sure who I’m going to take in this one. These two had battled for years, with Lafayette winning most of the matches when I mattered most. Lafayette is 22-2-1 in the last 25 meetings. Maybe Eureka is due for another win. When it comes to the playoffs, no other Class 5 school does what Lafayette can do. Going to take Lafayette in 5 to move on to face Borgia. Lafayettes’s sophomores outshine Eureka’s kiddie corps as Caitlyn Little, Layne Witherspoon Layne Witherspoon 6'0" | MB Lafayette | 2023 State MO , and Jordyn Lochmann Jordyn Lochmann 6'0" | OH Lafayette | 2023 State MO are too much for the Wildcats handle. Eureka’s Madison Sheer has a stellar match and sophomore Mia Berg and freshmen Emma Parker and Olivia Hasbrook.
1 St. Francis Borgia High School 24-4-2
4 Washington High School 13-12-1
This one should be an easy one for Borgia over crosstown rival Washington. Borgia won the earlier meeting 25-12, 25-7, and should win this one 3-0.
Finals
2 Lafayette (Wildwood) High School 13-1
1 St. Francis Borgia High School 24-4-2
Again Borgia did beat Lafayette 3-1 earlier in the season and Lafayette’s only defeat. Borgia had big matches from juniors Lily Brown with 17 kills, Ella Brinkmann Ella Brinkmann 5'9" | OH St. Francis Borgia | 2022 State MO n with 21 kills. Caroline Glastetter had ten kills, Kaitlyn Patke 7 blocks, Lynsey Batson 5 blocks, Annie Arand Annie Arand 5'8" | DS/L St. Francis Borgia | 2022 State MO 46 assists, and Lauren Nieder 22 digs. Borgia was able to hold Morgan Isenberg to 6 kills while sophomores Jordyn Lochmann Jordyn Lochmann 6'0" | OH Lafayette | 2023 State MO and Caitlyn Little have 12 and 15, respectively.
Unfortunately for Borgia, I don’t see them having that same performance this time against Lafayette. Borgia’s passing and defense are shaky, and Lafayette will exploit it. Lafayette is a playoff team, and playoffs are when the Lancers take off. I see this ending in a Lafayette 3-1 win.