Class A State Volleyball Preview: Head-to-Head Matchups and Team Analysis

Entering November in Nebraska signals the approaching end of high school fall sports. While football is well underway, with the top teams establishing their dominance, volleyball presents a much tighter margin for error this year.

(8) Lincoln North Star vs. (1) Papillion-La Vista South

The Titans finished their regular season with just five losses, securing their top-seeded position. Consistently ranked in the top two in both the MaxPreps and coaches’ polls throughout the year, they are the clear favorites heading into the tournament. These two teams met once earlier in the season in a tournament format, where the Titans confidently swept the match 2-0, allowing only 17 points in the first set and 19 in the second.

Statistically, the ‘Gators are led by a strong sophomore core, headed by Lauren McKernan, who ranks first in hitting percentage (0.264) and total blocks (51), and is in the top third for kills with 253. Their offensive plays are orchestrated by Alex Kroll, who has tallied 950 assists, while Delainey Volkmer, with 330 kills, stands as their top finisher.

The Titans, as expected, boast an all-around strong performance across every category. Sophomore Lyric Judson is a standout player, leading the team in kills (302), kills per set (3.1), and blocks (83), while ranking in the top three for most other stats. Junior Kami Dyrstad, a Rutgers commit, anchors the defense with 424 digs, placing her seventh in Class A. Many project Papio South to dominate again, but this could be a potential trap game, as they’ve previously faced unexpected losses to lower-ranked teams.

(5) Millard West vs. (4) Lincoln Southwest

There’s no doubt this is the game to watch: last year’s state champions, Lincoln Southwest, face off against a Millard West squad that’s been consistently upsetting top-ranked teams. When these two teams met on October 4 at Millard West, it was a surprising showing from Lincoln Southwest, as they struggled to put points on the board. Although Southwest managed to take the second set 28-26, the other sets were challenging, with scores of only 15, 16, and 18. In that match, senior and former Gretna East transfer Hayden Hart delivered an impressive 21 kills, while her classmate and San Jose State commit Halle Kerkman added 19.

For Millard West, this is their year to claim a volleyball title. They boast three Division I commits: Libero Sierra Pokharel (South Dakota), Outside Hitter Hayden Hart (Oral Roberts), and Outside Hitter Halle Kerkman (San Jose State). Additionally, they have Malia Fichtl (Morningside) and Laynee Baker (Concordia), meaning almost half of their starters are committed to prominent Midwest programs. While the Silver Hawks don’t have as many commits, they remain a formidable defensive team.

The biggest gap between the two teams lies in attacking versatility. Both Hart and Kerkman from Millard West have over 300 kills, whereas Shelby Harding (334) is the only Silver Hawk to surpass that mark, leading the offense for Southwest. Statistically, Millard West holds a slight edge in nearly every category except total blocks, leading many to believe this could be the best game of the first round.

(7) Grand Island vs. (2) Omaha Westside

This matchup should be very interesting, as both teams have shown inconsistency throughout the season. The Warriors have experienced ups and downs but manage to maintain control, often finding ways to come back within a set or game. The key face-off in this game is between Warrior Senior Outside Hitter and Creighton commit Ashlyn Paymal, and Islanders Outside Hitter and UNLV commit Tia Traudt, who are second and third in Class A for most kills (Traudt with 546, Paymal with 422).

One concern for Grand Island is their strength of schedule. They've mostly either swept opponents or been swept, raising questions about who else can step up to support Traudt. Senior Jaysa Wentzlaff leads the state in assists with 953, pairing effectively with Traudt, but volleyball is a team game. On defense, the two teams are more evenly matched. Westside has a higher total block count (61), but the Islanders boast over 100 more digs, thanks to Senior Reagan Ashby (559) compared to Warrior Junior Jane Kubat (445).

Both teams excel in attacking play, which should make this game a nail-biter, with close sets likely early on that could carry into the final score. It’s hard to imagine either side sweeping the other unless one’s defense falls apart. In the end, it may come down to who can play cleaner and outscore their mistakes.

(6) Elkhorn South vs. (3) Fremont

This matchup is particularly intriguing as both teams have been steadily climbing the rankings. Fremont surged into the third seed, while Elkhorn South narrowly edged out Grand Island for the sixth seed. Statistically, Fremont leads in every category compared to the Storm, a concerning factor if you’re rooting for Elkhorn South. Junior Blair Boehlke ranks fourth in blocks for Class A with 84, North Dakota commit and senior Matthea Dalton has dominated in kills with 651, senior Kate Denker holds the sixth-most assists at 884, and junior McKinzie Brandt ranks fourth in aces with 64. This formidable Fremont team has the potential for a deep tournament run, having split two games with fourth-ranked Lincoln Southwest and seventh-ranked Grand Island.

For Elkhorn South, watch for senior Isabel Junior, the team leader in digs (358), and her classmate Julia Ringenberg, who leads in aces (49), assists (850), and hitting percentage (0.356). To pull off an upset against such a high-caliber Fremont squad, Elkhorn South will need to be more aggressive on the attack. Juniors Cosette Bartling and Chloe Rauner are the only players on the team with over 200 kills, which is a notably low figure. While the path to victory may be challenging, it’s not impossible if the Storm can pressure the Tigers and score points quickly.

Less than 24 hours away, this year’s tournament promises a slate of exciting and closely contested matchups. While Papillion-La Vista South may be the favorite, every team has a legitimate shot regardless of their seeding, thanks to the incredible depth of talent in Nebraska high school volleyball.