Ratings: Coaches already looking to 2009
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By RON POWELL / Lincoln Journal Star
It was only minutes after Liz Bachmann’s quick attack in the middle secured Lincoln Pius X‘s third straight Class B state volleyball title when Thunderbolts coach Jake Moore started lamenting the graduation of Super-State setter Lauren Cook this coming spring.
“She’s going to be a hard one to replace, holy cow,’’ Moore said just before the medal presentation. “I honestly thought this would be a rebuilding season for us before the year started, but I learned you never underestimate a team with Lauren Cook.”
In terms of operating a diverse, quick-strike offense from antenna to antenna, only setters wearing red-and-white uniforms have done it with the same flair and efficiency in the NU Coliseum as Cook did Saturday night. The 5-foot-8 UCLA recruit and daughter of Nebraska volleyball coach John Cook is a candidate to be named PrepVolleyball.com’s national senior setter of the year, and her performance in the Thunderbolts’ 25-17, 25-21, 25-20 win over No. 2 Northwest in the finals only enhanced her candidacy.
While Cook was the centerpiece of a Bolts squad that finished with a school-record 38-2 mark, there was plenty of help around her. Senior outside hitter Natalie Braun developed into one of the most devastating attackers in the state this season, and the Furman recruit’s power was on display in the finals with 14 kills.
She was one of four seniors who gave Cook possibilities in every rotation, joining fellow outside Kayla Gaden, Bachmann in the middle and Erica Effken on the right side. Next year’s go-to attacker, 6-1 junior Allie Falter, was among the top middles in the state by the end of the season.
The back-row play of Braun, senior defensive specialist Grace Morin and junior libero Elle Ross also made Cook’s job easier.
As good as Pius X was, the best team regardless of class was Papillion-La Vista, which capped off its second straight Class A title and a 41-1 season with a three-set sweep over crosstown rival and tourney surprise Papillion-La Vista South. The Monarchs beat Pius X 26-24, 25-17 in an Oct. 14 triangular that also included Omaha Marian.
With Super-State seniors Gina Mancuso (Nebraska outside hitter recruit) and Chelsey Feekin (Wichita State setter recruit) leading the way, the Monarchs have won 58 of their last 59 matches. Only a five-set loss to Marian in the Omaha Westside Invitational finals on Oct. 18 kept them from being the first undefeated Class A team since 1972.
“When I saw Gina, Chelsey and Joslyn (Bunger) play as eighth-graders at Papillion Junior High and La Vista Junior High, I told some people we might have a chance to win state when they were seniors,” Monarch coach JJ Toczek said. “They were able to do it a year early and again this year, that’s how good they are.’’
It appears coach Gwen Egbert has the Papillion-La Vista South program headed in the right direction after its first state tournament appearance. She guided Papillion-La Vista to three Class A titles (2000-02) and five runner-up finishes before taking over the Titans in the fall of 2003 when the school opened.
“It’s taken a little longer than I thought (six years), but I think we’ve turned the corner,” Egbert said. “We have a really talented eighth-grade class coming in next year, so things look good down the road.”
Things look good for Marian and Lincoln Southwest next season. Marian has just one senior, Creighton outside hitter recruit Lisa Greisch, and brings back versatile freshman hitter and setter Lauren Sieckmann.
The third-place Silver Hawks return both starting outsides (Sarah Faubel and Ashley Leitner), a two-year starter in middle Whitney Mason and their regular right side (Mikki Freese).
Columbus Scotus missed the state tournament last year for the first time since 1989, but on Saturday, coach John Petersen was putting gold medals around his players’ necks for the 13th time in school history and the sixth since 2001.
“Realistically, I didn’t think it would be possible (to win another C-1 title) because there were a lot of experienced teams back loaded with talent. We just hoped to improve enough to get to the state tournament,’’ Petersen said. “The improvement we’ve seen in some of these kids has been phenomenal.’’
Preseason No. 1 Grand Island Central Catholic should earn that spot again in the fall of 2009 with five sophomore starters back.
“We look good on paper, but remember, paper is paper, it doesn’t mean much,” GICC coach Sharon Zavala said. “The girls have to get stronger and develop a wider variety of shots to get to the next level.”
Prep Volleyball Ratings
Class A Pvs.
1. Papillion-La Vista (41-1) 1
2. Papillion-LV South (25-13) 7
3. Grand Island (31-2) 3
4. Lincoln Southwest (26-10) 5
5. Omaha Marian (34-8) 2
6. Millard North (24-8) 4
7. Lincoln East (25-11) 6
8. North Platte (17-13) 10
9. Kearney (17-14) 8
10. Lincoln Southeast (21-14) 9
Comments: Papillion-La Vista South winning over Grand Island and Omaha Marian to reach the finals was one of the biggest Class A state tournament surprises in recent years. Southwest helped itself with wins over Millard North and Omaha Marian to finish third at state. The Silver Hawks, however, can’t jump Grand Island since the Islanders were 3-0 against Southwest this season. North Platte, 5-1 against Kearney and Lincoln Southeast this season, is rewarded for beating the Bearcats at districts. Southeast gets the nod over state tournament wild-card qualifier Omaha Bryan for No. 10 based on the Knights’ wins over Papillion-La Vista South, Millard North and Lincoln East earlier in the season. The Knights can’t be higher than 10, however, because of an 0-3 October record against Kearney and North Platte.
Class B Pvs.
1. Lincoln Pius X (38-2) 1
2. Northwest (32-4) 2
3. Omaha Gross (25-13) 3
4. Aurora (24-11) 7
5. Seward (27-6) 4
6. Ogallala (31-5) 5
7. Hastings (23-12) 6
8. Omaha Skutt (23-12) 8
9. Waverly (24-11) 9
10. McCook (19-14) 10
Comments: Aurora’s postseason wins over Seward and Ogallala account for the only ratings changes, otherwise everything else went to according to form.
Class C-1 Pvs.
1. Columbus Scotus (27-2) 1
2. Grand Island CC (32-4) 2
3. Syracuse (33-2) 4
4. St. Paul (31-4) 3
5. Kearney Catholic (25-5) 5
6. Johnson County Central (28-3) 6
7. Battle Creek (28-4) 9
8. Minden (24-8) 7
9. Wood River (19-8) 8
10. Bennington (28-6) —
Comments: Syracuse and St. Paul switch spots after Syracuse beat the Wildcats for third place at state. A St. Paul victory in the third place match would have landed them at No. 2 based on a win over GICC in the district final. Battle Creek moves up two spots for pushing Syracuse to the limit at state. Pierce’s sub-district win over previous No. 10 Norfolk Catholic allows state tournament qualifier Bennington to move in.
Class C-2 Pvs.
1. Ravenna (28-7) 1
2. Cambridge (20-12) —
3. Sutton (25-9) 4
4. Aquinas (25-8) 2
5. Thayer Central (19-12) —
6. Tri County (21-6) 3
7. Superior (25-7) 7
8. Wilber-Clatonia (18-11) —
9. Humboldt-TR-S (20-8) 8
10. Johnson-Brock (27-8) 9
Comments: Cambridge and Thayer Central made a shambles of the final regular-season ratings at districts and state. Cambridge beat No. 4 Aquinas, previously No. 7 North Platte St. Patrick’s and No. 10 Johnson-Brock on its way to the state final. Thayer Central won a subdistrict that included No. 6 Tri County, No. 8 Wilber-Clatonia and No. 9 Humboldt-Table Rock-Steinauer. Wilber-Clatonia, one of five Southern Nebraska Conference teams in the final rankings, toppled H-TR-S in subdistricts just four days after the Titans beat Johnson-Brock in the Pioneer Conference tournament final. Johnson-Brock gets the nod over North Platte St. Pat’s for No. 10 based on Johnson-Brock’s first-round state win over previously No. 6 Lutheran Northeast.
Class D-1 Pvs.
1. Giltner (31-2) 2
2. Bertrand (24-8) —
3. Sandhills/Thedford (32-2) 9
4. Exeter-Milligan (20-10) 4
5. Elkhorn Valley (23-7) 1
6. Humphrey (18-10) 3
7. Pawnee City (22-9) 6
8. Humphrey St. Francis (17-9) 5
9. Freeman (22-8) 7
10. Leyton (29-5) 8
Comments: Bertrand’s run to the finals, which included a first-round win over previous No. 1 Elkhorn Valley, caused the rest of the top 10 to move down. Sandhills/Thedford also vaults up for finishing third at state and toppling Pawnee City in the first round. Exeter-Milligan was the only D-1 team to beat state champion Giltner this season.
Class D-2 Pvs.
1. Ewing (36-0) 1
2. Chambers (29-5) 4
3. Paxton (29-1) 2
4. Clay Center (29-3) 3
5. Pleasanton (24-3) 6
6. Lawrence-Nelson (20-4) 5
7. Dodge (25-4) 7
8. Wallace (16-5) —
9. Greeley-Wolbach (24-8) —
10. Elba (26-5) 8
Comments: Pleasanton beat Lawrence-Nelson in the subdistrict tournament and consequently switches spots with the Raiders. Wynot is out for losing to Coleridge, while Hay Springs loses its top 10 spot for falling to Banner County. Greeley-Wolbach moves in for its win over Elba in the subdistrict. Four of Wallace’s five losses are to Paxton, the other came to Dundy County-Stratton, a C-2 school that finished 25-7.
Reach Ron Powell at 473-7437 or rpowell@journalstar.com.
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