Ratings: Class B's top teams to battle Tuesday
digg it!
Facebook
del.icio.us
Seed Newsvine
Fark It
Reddit
By RON POWELL / Lincoln Journal Star
Perhaps Tuesday night's Northwest at Lincoln Pius X volleyball match should come with a disclaimer — victory does not guarantee future success.
It’s a No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup, like last year, when two-time defending Class B state champion Pius X entered the late-season showdown on top and Northwest was No. 2. A fired-up Northwest team rode the emotion of an enthusiastic home crowd to a four-set victory.
Pius X turned that around with a 25-14, 25-20, 30-28 victory against the then-No. 1 Vikings in the state tournament finals.
State volleyball ratings
(Records through Saturday)
Class A Pvs.
1. Papillion-La Vista (30-1) 1
2. Omaha Marian (26-5) 2
3. Grand Island (27-1) 3
4. Millard North (17-5) 4
5. Lincoln Southwest (21-9) 5
6. Lincoln East (20-10) 6
7. North Platte (15-9) 7
8. Papillion-LV South (17-11) 8
9. Kearney (14-12) 9
10. Omaha Central (17-12) 10
Contenders: Omaha Bryan, Lincoln Southeast, Bellevue East, Millard West, Millard South, Omaha Burke, Elkhorn.
Comments: Everything went according to form last week, so there are no changes. But the potential was there for major shuffling, considering Grand Island overcame a two-set deficit and two Southwest match points to beat the Silver Hawks in the finals of the Heartland Conference Tournament. Lincoln East held a two-set lead over Southwest in the semifinals before the Hawks completed a similar comeback. The ratings do not include Monday’s matches in the Metro Conference Tournament, which affects Papillion-La Vista, Omaha Marian, Millard North, Papillion-La Vista South and Omaha Central (winner of 13 of its last 15 matches). Grand Island plays North Platte and Kearney again this week after beating both in a triangular Saturday. Those three teams are together in the A-7 district.
Class B Pvs.
1. Lincoln Pius X (30-2) 1
2. Northwest (28-2) 2
3. Omaha Gross (18-12) 3
4. Seward (25-4) 4
5. Ogallala (26-4) 5
6. Waverly (22-8) 6
7. Hastings (19-9) 7
8. Aurora (19-9) 8
9. Omaha Duchesne (15-7) 10
10. Omaha Skutt (19-9) -
Contenders: McCook, Nebraska City, Platteview, Alliance, Omaha Mercy, South Sioux City.
Comments: South Sioux City has lost seven straight matches, allowing Omaha Skutt to move in. Omaha Gross, Skutt and Omaha Duchesne are in the River Cities Conference Tournament on Saturday. Waverly’s record doesn’t account for Monday’s match against Elkhorn. The Vikings host a triangular with Gretna and No. 1 Pius X this week. The Greater Nebraska Conference on Saturday includes three ranked teams — Hastings, Class A No. 7 North Platte and Class A No. 9 Kearney.
Class C-1 Pvs.
1. Columbus Scotus (20-2) 1
2. Grand Island CC (26-2) 2
3. St. Paul (25-2) 3
4. Syracuse (26-1) 4
5. Kearney Catholic (20-4) 5
6. Johnson Co. Central (25-1) 6
7. Minden (22-6) 7
8. Wood River (18-7) 8
9. Battle Creek (22-3) 9
10. Norfolk Catholic (18-5) -
Contenders: Gordon-Rushville, West Point-Beemer, Wahoo, Pierce, Wisner-Pilger, Centennial, Hastings St. Cecilia, Ord, Bennington, Lincoln Lutheran.
Comments: West Point-Beemer drops out after losses to Omaha North and Archbishop Bergan in the Bergan Invitational. Recent wins against 24-4 West Point-Beemer and 24-4 Wisner-Pilger put Norfolk Catholic in the top 10. Wood River is not penalized for losses to Grand Island Central Catholic and St. Paul. Battle Creek lost to Class B No. 4 Seward in the finals of the Bergan tourney. Battle Creek and Norfolk Catholic played in the Mid-State Conference Tournament Monday.
Class C-2 Pvs.
1. Ravenna (20-7) 1
2. Aquinas (21-7) 3
3. Sutton (20-6) 4
4. Lutheran High NE (22-4) 5
5. North Platte St. Pat’s (20-5) -
6. Superior (21-4) 2
7. Tri County (18-5) 6
8. Humboldt-TR-S (17-7) 7
9. Johnson-Brock (21-5) 8
10. Dundy Co.-Stratton (22-5) 9
Contenders: Archbishop Bergan, Thayer Central, Wilber-Clatonia, Southwest, Louisville, West Holt, West Point Central Catholic.
Comments: Superior slides after a loss to Class D-1 unranked Wilcox-Hildreth in the Southern Valley Invitational, which was won by North Platte St. Pat’s. Sutton, Superior and Tri County played in the Southern Nebraska Conference Tournament Monday, while Humboldt-Table Rock-Steinauer and Johnson-Brock began play in the Pioneer Conference Tournament, which also includes Class D-1 No. 2 Freeman.
Class D-1 Pvs.
1. Elkhorn Valley (17-6) 3
2. Freeman (20-5) 2
3. Giltner (23-2) 1
4. Humphrey (16-9) -
5. Humphrey St. Francis (17-6) 4
6. Exeter-Milligan (17-9) -
7. Leyton (25-2) 7
8. Sandhills/Thedford (25-1) 9
9. Winside (17-5) 10
10. Meridian (15-6) 8
Contenders: Bancroft-Rosalie, Bertrand, Alma, Silver Lake, Deshler, Pawnee City, West Boyd, Overton, Hitchcock County, Eustis-Farnam.
Comments: It was a turbulent week, to say the least. Exeter-Milligan’s win against Giltner knocks the Hornets out of the top spot. A loss to Elmwood-Murdock keeps Freeman from No. 1, allowing Elkhorn Valley to regain its preseason ranking. Humphrey, 11-2 in its last 13 matches, knocked off Humphrey St. Francis in the semifinals of the Cornhusker Conference Tournament. Pawnee City is out after losing to unranked Lewiston. Bertrand drops to contender status after going 2-4 last week.
Class D-2 Pvs.
1. Ewing (26-0) 1
2. Paxton (22-0) 2
3. Clay Center (23-1) 3
4. Chambers (24-2) 4
5. Lawrence-Nelson (18-3) 5
6. Pleasanton (20-2) 7
7. Dodge (22-3) 6
8. Elba (23-4) 8
9. Wynot (16-2) 9
10. Greeley-Wolbach (19-5) 10
Contenders: Falls City Sacred Heart, Pope John, Wallace, Hay Springs, Parkview Christian, Banner County, Brady, Orchard.
Comments: Dodge slips a spot for a loss to Howells in the Cornhusker Conference Tournament semifinals. Ewing and Chambers could meet in the Niobrara Valley Conference Tournament later this week. Elba beat Greeley-Wolbach in the Loup City Invitational, but the two meet again tonight in a triangular at St. Edward.
“I know (Pius X coach) Jake (Moore) watched the tape of that match 100 times, found all of our weaknesses and exposed them the next time we played,” said Northwest coach Diane Rouzee, whose team went 2-2 against the Thunderbolts last season. “I’m sure both of us will try to use tomorrow’s match that same way if we play again at state.’’
From all indications, this could be a preview of the state finals on Nov. 15. The Thunderbolts are 30-2, the only losses coming to Class A No. 1 Papillion-La Vista and Class A No. 5 Lincoln Southwest. Preseason No. 1 Northwest is 28-2, with one of those setbacks coming to Pius X, 25-21, 25-22, in the finals of the Beatrice Invitational on Sept. 6.
With Pius X having to replace its four main attackers surrounding Super-State setter Lauren Cook, the season’s early win against the more experienced Northwest squad seemed like an upset. But with two victories against Class A No. 2 Omaha Marian and four tournament titles this fall (two Beatrice Invitational crowns, Pius X Invitational and Lincoln Northeast Invitational), the Thunderbolts have clearly established themselves as serious state championship contenders.
“I’ve been very pleased with the consistency of this team,’’ said Moore, whose Thunderbolts wiped out a 21-16 deficit in the second set of their win against Northwest last month. “I thought this could be a different year where we might take some losses because of the schedule we play. But Lauren (Cook) and Natalie (Braun) have done a great job of leading and making sure this isn’t a down year.”
With Cook, a UCLA recruit, running the offense, Braun and junior middle Allie Falter have posted huge numbers. Braun has 341 kills, with a .378 hitting efficiency, while Falter has hit .422, with 244 kills and 47 ace blocks.
“Defensively, Pius doesn’t let the ball hit the floor and they serve tough,’’ Rouzee said. “With Lauren Cook, if they’re in system, their offense is very hard to stop.”
Northwest has an 18-match winning streak since losing to Class C-1 No. 2 Grand Island Central Catholic in the finals of the GICC Invitational on Sept. 13. The Vikings have only dropped one set during that stretch, beating Class C-1 No. 1 Columbus Scotus in the finals of the Northwest Invitational.
Once again, Rouzee’s daughter, senior setter/right side Jenna Rouzee, is the Vikings’ focal point. The Nebraska-Kearney recruit leads the team in kills (180, .447 hitting efficiency), assists (480), ace serves (63) and ace blocks (60).
She ignites a balanced and efficient attack that has five players with 100 or more kills. Senior middle blocker Shayna Schacher is hitting .477 with 173 kills. Senior outside hitter Katie Rauert has 130 kills, junior middle blocker Taylor Johnson has 122 and senior right side Melissa Costello has 107 kills to go with 140 assists.
“Northwest has options all over the place and all of their players are versatile, they can play multiple positions,” Moore said. “You’ve got to be ready to adjust when they move people around.’’
Offense has come easy for the Vikings. As a team, Northwest has a .348 hitting efficiency. Northwest had to replace some primary passers and defensive players from a year ago, a process that’s been ongoing.
“I think we’re playing at a higher level this year,’’ Coach Rouzee said. “We’re running a quicker offense and we’re more aggressive at the net. We’ve brought our defense up to where it was a year ago.’’
Reach Ron Powell at 473-7437 or rpowell@journalstar.com.
Post Your Comment
Standards and RulesYour posted comment will appear after it has been approved.
Frequently asked questions about story commenting.