Preseason Preview: 5A Teams to Watch
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The 5A OSAA classification is stacked with tons of talents, with some teams bolstering quite the impressive roster. Four teams poised to do very well are Crater High School, LaSalle Prep, West Albany High School, and Wilsonville High School. West…
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Continue ReadingThe 5A OSAA classification is stacked with tons of talents, with some teams bolstering quite the impressive roster. Four teams poised to do very well are Crater High School, LaSalle Prep, West Albany High School, and Wilsonville High School. West Albany High School has been a powerhouse volleyball program since 2011, placing second in the 5A finals, and then winning the State title in 2012 and 2013. The past few seasons they have dominated their way to the State tournament but have not gotten back into the finals. LaSalle Prep placed second in the 5A State tournament back in 2014 and 2015, but have not managed to get that far since then. Wilsonville High School achieved a second place finish in 2019, their first ever appearance in the 5A State finals. Crater High School is the definite underdog, but is a team that is stacked with so much talent, it will be exciting to see how far they will go.
Here is a look at some key players for these high schools, as well as a few top returning athletes to watch as well.
(Teams are listed in alphabetical order, not in order of State finish predictions.)
Crater High School
Although the Crater High School Comets graduated a substantial class last season with loads of talent, they have plenty of athletes still returning with lots of talent. Last season the Comets finished with a 10-3 record, and placed second in the Midwestern League. And they are poised to do well both this season and next with no seniors listed on their current roster. Since her freshman season 2023 Kate Stidham Kate Stidham 5'9" | S Crater | 2023 State OR has been running the offense for the Comets, and doing quite well, receiving Midwestern First Team All-League both seasons. It is a safe bet she will be doing so again for the team. On the pins, they will have both power and height with 2023 6’1” Madison Kocina and 2023 6’2” Kendra Bittle Kendra Bittle 6'1" | MB Crater | 2023 State OR . Previously, the libero position was played by Kylie Anderson Kylie Anderson 5'4" | DS/L Crater | 2021 OR , however, with her graduating, the position remains up for grabs. With plenty of defensive specialists on the roster, the Comets will have lots of talent to choose from, like 2023 Lilliana Reid Lilliana Reid 5'2" | DS/L Crater | 2023 State OR , 2023 Georja Hanover, or 2024 Joslyhn Pope. They also rostered three freshmen, defensive specialist Callie Aplin, and middle blockers Danica Huntoon and Alexa Gugliotta.
The season opener for the Comets is Thursday (9/2) against Churchill High School.
Follow along here.
LaSalle Catholic College Preparatory
The La Salle Catholic College Preparatory Falcons are looking to make another impressive run in the 5A Classification, having a previous record of 10-3 and finishing second in the Northwest Oregon Conference last season. The senior setter Mia McCaffrey Mia McCaffrey 5'7" | S LaSalle | 2022 State OR , a varsity starter since her sophomore year, will look to lead the Falcons as their primary setter. In the middle, again, will be 2024 Hailey Heytvelt Hailey Heytvelt 6'2" | MB LaSalle | 2024 State OR and 2023 Olivia Maulding Olivia Maulding 6'2" | MB LaSalle Catholic | 2023 State #90 Nation OR , who both bring lots of heat and height. On the pins, the Falcons will have lots of options in 2022 Audrey Hibler Audrey Hibler 5'10" | OH LaSalle | 2022 OR , 2022 Peyton Stephens, 2023 Lily Scherler Lily Scherler 5'10" | OH LaSalle | 2023 OR , and 2022 Grace Bienapfl. The libero position was fulfilled by 2022 Amanda Rivera last season, and could very well be this way for this season. However, with the addition of transfer defensive specialist 2023 Mallorie Taylor Mallorie Taylor 5'5" | DS/L LaSalle Catholic | 2023 State OR (formerly at Central Catholic), it will be interesting to see who ends up in that role.
The season opener for the Falcons is Tuesday (9/7) against Wilsonville High School.
Follow along here.
West Albany High School
Had the 5A State tournament happened last season, the West Albany High School Bulldogs would have been an exciting team to watch compete, and probably would have gotten themselves into the finals. This team went undefeated in league play and only dropped one match, against a 6A South Salem team. Having graduated five very talented seniors last season you would think this might be a rebuilding year for the Bulldogs, however, they are stacked with talent, plenty of whom saw court time last season. Ready to dominate on the outside, are sure to be returners 2022 Hailey Heider Hailey Heider 5'9" | OH West Albany | 2022 State OR and 2024 Kendyl Arnett Kendyl Arnett 5'10" | OH West Albany | 2024 State #81 Nation OR . Also on the pin will be 2022 Cadence Crumal Cadence Crumal 5'9" | MB West Albany | 2022 State OR , though most likely playing on the right side. Another player that will be fun to watch is 2022 setter, Sydney Harrington Sydney Harrington 5'10" | S West Albany | 2022 State OR . She has been on the roster since her freshman season but had been behind Elijah Sanders Elijah Sanders 5'10" | S West Albany | 2021 State OR (current LBCC freshman), so she has not had a chance to truly shine. It is safe to assume she will take on the brunt of the setting duties this season. In the middle, the Bulldogs have lots of options with 2022 Grace Nealy Grace Nealy 6'0" | MB West Albany | 2022 State OR , 2022 Gracie Boeder Gracie Boeder 6'0" | MB West Albany | 2022 State OR , and 2023 Tessa Zimmerman. Plus the addition of 2024 Jenna Konzelman. The libero position is up for grabs, having previously been fulfilled by Madie Dowel (current LBCC freshman). 2022 Chloe Wallace and 2022 Maddy Hellem both have a good chance of sporting this jersey for the Bulldogs.
The season opener for the Bulldogs is Thursday (9/2) against South Albany High School.
Follow along here.
Wilsonville High School
The Wilsonville High School Wildcats are another team that showed a lot of promise last season, only dropping one match to La Salle Prep, and finishing first in the Northwest Oregon Conference. Although the Wildcats lost Clarissa Klein Clarissa Klein 6'1" | OH Wilsonville | 2021 State OR (current St. Mary’s College freshman), they are still poised to do pretty well this season. They will be returning powerhouse varsity starter and six rotation outside attacker 2022 Ashli Edmiston Ashli Edmiston 5'8" | OH Wilsonville | 2022 State OR , who will bring explosiveness to the offense. Setting will be returner 2023 Makenna Wiepert Makenna Wiepert 5'11" | S Wilsonville | 2023 State OR , however, the question will be if she is running a 5-1 or a 6-2. Last season 2022 Hannah Holman jumped in to set, and Wiepert does an exceptional job attacking and blocking on the right side. In the middle, the Wildcats will have options. 2022 Tatum Lubisich has been in the middle the past seasons, but is listed on the roster as a middle blocker/outside attacker, so she might see a new role this season. Also in the middle could be 2022 Sydnie Bierma, 2023 Kaylee Dresser, and 2023 Emma Alewine. All of these athletes could also play on the right side and are listed as such on the roster. The only libero listed is senior Sophia Klecker, and being the returning libero for the Wildcats, it is safe to assume she will step back into this role.
The season opener for the Wildcats is Tuesday (9/7) against La Salle Prep.
Follow along here.
Below is a list of some other athletes to keep your eyes out for, that are not a part of the high schools mentioned above, but are sure to dominate for their team:
2022 Jenna Albrecht Jenna Albrecht 5'10" | OH Ridgeview | 2022 State OR , OH, Ridgeview High School
2024 Alexis Haury Alexis Haury 5'10" | S Silverton | 2024 State #9 Nation OR , S/RS, Silverton High School
2022 Madison Heagney Madison Heagney 5'9" | S Cresent Valley | 2022 State OR , S, Crescent Valley High School
2022 Sierra Noss, S, Crescent Valley High School
2024 Jaydn Puncochar Jaydn Puncochar 5'11" | OH Forest Grove | 2024 State OR , OH, Hillsboro High School
2023 Ella Smith Ella Smith 6'2" | MB Corvallis | 2023 State OR , MB, Corvallis High School
2024 Dani Street, DS, Crescent Valley High School