CLASS 1A VOLLEYBALL PRESEASON PREVIEW
BY: KERRY SHERMAN
As the 2024 volleyball season prepares to unfurl, the biggest storylines revolve around the four-time defending champions from Merino. The Lady Rams are one title away from tying Platte Valley for the most in state history (15) and another crown this season would give the program its second run of five consecutive championships. They enter the season as the favorite, but there are a number of quality challengers looking to prevent history from being made. For our preview, we’re going to take a look at the top squads, by league.
5280
The latest round of realignment and reclassification has changed the look of the 5280, with Belleview Christian and Flatirons Academy moving to the Mile High League. The last time someone other than those two programs won the 5280 crown was Mile High Academy in 2019.
Rocky Mountain Lutheran (13-10 last year) finished third in the league last season but the Lady Eagles lost several key players to graduation. With their top two hitters from a year ago gone, that leaves Izzy Curtis (77 kills), Eva Vogel (56 kills), and Emma Schlittenhart (51 kills) as the top targets in the attack. Rocky Mountain Lutheran also needs to find a new setter, after also losing the top two from last year.
Denver Waldorf (12-9) did not lose a player to graduation off of last year’s squad that finished fourth in the league. The Lady Spartans figure to be a top contender for the league title this year with all of that experience coming back.
Front Range Baptist (6-14) will likely ride the duo of Karis Boggs and Emma Gerrard this season, as the Lady Falcons were hit hard by graduation. Boggs recorded 45 kills last year to rank fourth on the team, just ahead of Gerrard, who tallied 40.
ARKANSAS VALLEY
Realignment brings a new member to the Ark Valley, with Edison joining the previous six programs in the conference. Springfield (12-10) won the league title last season, finishing one game ahead of Wiley (11-10) in the standings. Bay Ellis, who racked up 180 kills, 122 total blocks, and 148 assists will help keep the Lady Longhorns in contention for another league title this season. She’s also one of two returning players with at least 200 digs last season, as her 236 followed Brody Rosengrants‘ 281.
Wiley was very senior heavy in 2023, with eight key members lost to graduation. Ebony Torrez and Alison Hernandez each saw action in a little more than half of the sets played by the Lady Panthers last year. Along with Rachel Queen, they will form the core of this year’s team.
With all the lack of experience for Wiley, the door could be open for South Baca (8-12) to move up in the standings after finishing third last year. Sarah Elmore finished second on the team as a freshman with 144 kills and was among the leaders in every other category, save assists. That’s another area where the Lady Patriots will have an edge, with both Eliana Gutierrez (173) and Callie Hinds (156) returning. Jorji Ratzlaff could also be in line for a bigger role after playing primarily in the back row last year.
Holly (8-15) had four players with 290 or more digs last year, and three will return. Aureonna Diaz led the Lady Wildcats with 363, followed by Ella Splitter (356), and Josie Kissell was fourth with 293. Walsh (6-15) brings back everyone from last year, including Emily Hume, who led the team with 114 kills, and Ava Alley, who tallied 225 assists as a freshman.
BLACK FOREST
Gone is Simla and the near stranglehold on the league title that the Lady Cubs have had in recent years. They are in 2A now, but the league gains Colorado Springs School (4-18) from the larger classification.
Kiowa (11-12) finished below .500 overall last season, but was just one game back of Simla for the Black Forest title. Kiley Kuhn (186 kills) led the attack last year as a sophomore, but she’ll have a new primary setter. Rylee Wyer had 23 assists as a freshman and is the leading returnee in that category for the Lady Indians.
Sophia Baldwin and Jordan Seto will look to help the newcomer, CSS, contend for the league title. The Lady Kodiaks are coming off a 4-18 season, but should benefit from dropping a classification.
Evangel Christian (11-12) will feature a mix of seniors and sophomores as the Lady Eagles try to build upon last year’s third place finish in the league. They should be right near the top of the standings as they look to bounce back from a rare losing season.
FISHER’S PEAK
La Veta (19-5) picked up another league title last year and the Lady Redhawks are likely to add more hardware this season. Grace D’esposito, Aspen Autry, Isabella Vigil, Marianna Delacruz, and Jaiden Goemmer all played key roles last year. D’esposito tallied 156 kills as the #2 option, and she’ll benefit from consistency at the setter position, where Delacruz (437 assists) and Goemmer (205 assists) both return.
If someone is going to keep La Veta from claiming a league championship, it will be Primero (16-7) with the best shot. Jaleysia Atkins and Isabella Maldonado return to power the attack, while Jocelyn Rivera is back after recording 466 assists. Isabella Shaw had a very good defensive season as a sophomore, leading the Lady Panthers with 365 digs.
HIGH PLAINS
The toughest challenge to Merino’s dominance just might come from the High Plains, where McClave (23-4) will be seeking another state tournament appearance. The Lady Cardinals went 1-2 at state last year, suffering half of their season’s losses in one day. Abrielle Gomez enters her junior campaign with 561 career kills, and will be featured in the attack along with Avery Hemphill and Ashlynn Steinbrunn, who combined for 330 kills last year. That trio, plus Emily Melgoza, were the top four diggers for the Lady Cards last season.
Cheraw (20-6) is also coming off a state appearance and the return of Delaney Bond (256 kills) will bolster its bid for another trip to Denver. Adi Miell and Lili Ontai both added 104 kills as sophomores. Miell is also the top returning setter after turning in just over 300 last year.
Kit Carson (14-12) will have to replace more than 500 kills that walked out of the building at graduation, but Avery Johnson, who was third on the team with 100 as a freshman, and Shay Rady (88) should both see their numbers soar as they become bigger factors this year. Rady serves double duty, as she racked up 570 assists last year.
Granada (14-9) was fourth in the league and will feature a young nucleus of sophomore setter Kinsley Williams (370 assists), along with junior hitter Emersen Hernandez (99 kills) and sophomore Dayzriana Quintana (81 kills).
Eads (12-11) (used a three-pronged attack last year, with Kara Wilson (183), Anna Wollert (171), and Tailee Weeks-Johnson (100) all registering at least 100 kills. The Lady Eagles also played strong defense, with Bailey Sierra (414 digs), Wollert (342), and Alessandra Paez (306) combining for more than 1000 digs. Paez also tallied 518 assists.
Proving the depth of the league, Cheyenne Wells (12-11) also made the postseason last year. The Lady Tigers will lean on seniors Savannah Worley (168 kills) and Paige Ryser (165 kills), but also have a third member of the attack returning in junior Aubry Carroll (122). That trio, along with Aliyah Muth, all had at least 189 digs.
LOWER PLATTE
Members of the LPAA have combined to win all eight titles in Class 1A and 2A over the past four years. As noted earlier, Merino (27-1) owns all four in 1A. The Lady Rams will have to replace last year’s leading hitter, but they return four players with at least 120 kills. Jaylyn Lynch leads that group with 222, followed by Jadelynn Powell (175), Kya Piel (154), and Veronica Baray (121). Piel tacked on a team-high 503 digs. Brooklyn Sutter’s 889 assists were the fewest in her three-year career, but still has her only needing 43 to reach 3000 in a Merino uniform.
Caliche (7-15) and Akron (0-23) are the only other 1A members in the LPAA. The Lady Buffs return a nice duo in Hallie Lewis (140 kills) and Ava Hernandez (431 assists). Akron has a very solid sophomore class that features Kashlee Randel (228 assists), AnnaMarie Stahn (69 kills), and Mikenna Weers (25 total blocks). Classmate Mackenzie Fincher is the top returnee in digs.
MILE HIGH
As noted earlier, Belleview Christian and Flatirons Academy have been shifted from the 5280 into the mixed Mile High league this cycle. They are the only 1A schools in the conference.
Belleview Christian (16-8) returns Alivia Cox, who finished last season with 334 kills. That’s a number that puts her fifth among the returning 1A players. She has help from Jolie Johnson, who tallied 114 kills a year ago. Cox showed her versatility last season by finishing second on the Lady Bruins with 363 digs and 279 assists.
Flatirons Academy (14-10) won the 5280 last year, as the Lady Bison dropped a single set in league play. While graduation hit the roster hard, Flatirons does return two of its top four hitters from last season, Brylin Gomer (161) and Josie Pascal (123). Those two combined for 112 blocks and 260 digs. Bailey McCaslin is also back after leading the team with 246 assists.
NORTH CENTRAL
Briggsdale (20-7) won the NCL a year ago, but has to replace Jenna Krise, who led all of Colorado (regardless of classification) with 586 kills. The Lady Falcons will turn to Kayl Klem, who tied for 30th in the entire state last year with 344 kills. She’s the fourth leading returnee in 1A. Claire Brown likely steps into the #2 role after finishing last year with 61 kills. Briggsdale will have the comfort of returning the top setter in 1A, as Libby Slinger is back following a junior campaign that saw her finish second in the entire state with 1005 assists.
Fleming (12-12) saw its incredible run of 17 consecutive final four appearances snapped last season as the Lady Wildcats slid to third in the NCL and failed to advance past regionals. It was a stretch that saw the Lady Wildcats win seven titles. The good news is that Fleming played a ton of freshmen and sophomores, as the roster only included one senior. Ashley Bornhoft and Ciana Lousberg both went over 200 kills as sophomores, and classmate Quincy Stull was close to 150. Lousberg also had 234 digs, second to Brooke Schaefer’s 388, and a team-leading 397 assists. Hayley Chamberlain added 299 assists as a freshman.
Weldon Valley (18-10) rode Annie Onufrak to a second place finish in the league and a state tournament appearance. Onufrak was second in 1A, and 10th in all of Colorado, with 452 kills. She leads the pack of returning players in the classification. Kyra Keating is also back after registering 259 kills. Those two, along with Hayden Houser, give the Lady Warriors their top three in digs back for another year. One area that could be a concern is setting, where Weldon Valley lost Jaci Sanders, who recorded more than 2200 assists in her career. Helping offset that loss is the return of Skylar Scott (150 assists).
Prairie (5-16) struggled with consistency last season, also playing a very young roster. Hannah Kugler led the Lady Mustangs with 116 kills as a freshman and Tanna Bailey was third as a sophomore with 87. Prairie lost its top three diggers to graduation, leaving Hadlie Robinette as the top returnee with 111. The Lady Mustangs will have experience at setter, with Nicole Ludgate (353 assists) back for her junior season.
SAN JUAN BASIN
Dove Creek (26-4) has not only been the top 1A team in the San Juan Basin for quite some time, but the Lady Bulldogs have been the atop the league standings many times in the last decade. Since 2017, they have not lost more than two league games in a season. Ralynn Hickman should help Dove Creek fight to keep that streak intact, as she’s back after a 411 kill junior season. However, the Lady Bulldogs will need to find more weapons, as the next three hitters on the roster from last year are gone. A new setter will be needed as well. Hadley Hatfield should help with the attack, and Allex Williams is the top returning setter with 28 assists.
Nucla (7-16) and Norwood (5-16) will both need to see significant improvements across the board to challenge Dove Creek on the 1A side as neither won a set against the Lady Bulldogs in four combined match-ups. Ouray has not fielded a varsity program since 2020.
SOUTHERN PEAKS
Sangre de Cristo (14-10) has not lost a league contest since 2019, and only lost one match per season in each of the three years prior to that. That supremacy could be in danger this year, with Sargent (17-8) dropping from the 2A Southern Peaks. The Lady Farmers split a pair of matches with the Lady Thunderbirds last season, falling in five and winning in four.
Last year was a bounce back season for Sargent, who suffered a rare sub-.500 campaign in 2022. The Lady Farmers return their top six hitters from last year, led by Makayla Brown (215). Kandace Pargin (141) and Kimmy Pargin (93) combined for 234 kills as freshmen. Reese Anderson gives them their top back row defender (270 digs) and setter (585 assists).
Antonito (7-14) started off 0-6 before getting on track and finishing second in the league behind Sangre. Creede (7-11) and Sierra Grande (4-16) finished with 2-3 league records to take third and fourth, respectively.
UNION PACIFIC
Another mixed league, the Union Pacific saw Stratton (23-4) claim the crown with an unbeaten run last year. The Lady Eagles rode a senior-laden rotation all the way to the state semifinals before bowing out in four sets to runner-up Simla. Sophia Isenbart steps in as the primary weapon in the attack after finishing third on the team with 176 kills last season. Clare Miltenberger is the next top returnee with 35. Libero Hanna Notter returns after recording a team-leading 505 digs, and Miltenberger was well over 300. A big key to making another deep run will be developing a setter, as the current roster recorded just under 60 assists a year ago.
Genoa-Hugo (10-12) and Flagler (10-13) are expected to challenge Stratton as the top 1A team in the UP after finishing in the middle of the pack last season. Rylee Corn flirted with 200 kills as a freshman for the Lady Pirates and as the #1 option this season, that target should fall. Kate Kissell and Amy Pinon registered 363 and 270 digs, respectively, and Rhegan Sitzman tallied 569 assists. Flagler will be without last year’s top two hitters, leaving Sydnie Berry (90) and Lexi Witt (74) as the returning kill leaders. Those two combined for 550 digs, so the Lady Panthers should once again be solid on the back row, and Witt brings experience at the setter position after leading the team with 284 assists last year.
WEST CENTRAL
The West Central only has four teams this season, with two calling Class 1A home. Of those two, Cotopaxi (14-9) looks to have the best shot at competing for a league title after finishing second last season. The Lady Pirates had the same league record as Cripple Creek-Victor (3-12), but took the higher position because of a 3-0 sweep in the head-to-head match-up.
Kelsey Teter (119) and Hayden Eggleston (98) combined for more than 200 kills and should lead the Lady Pirates’ attack this year. Gone are four of the top five in digs, with only Eggleston (194) returning. Violet Jacoby is the top returning setter, with nine assists last season.
WESTERN SLOPE
Just three of the 11 teams in the Western Slope are in Class 1A, and one of them just dropped from 2A. Plateau Valley (25-4) made the 2A state tournament last year and posted a 2-2 mark. The Cowgirls return Emaline Ealey who tallied 331 kills to lead that run. Along with Payton Wilkerson, Ealey gives Plateau Valley two of its top defenders back, as the duo combined for more than 400 digs.
De Beque (15-9) is loaded up front, with Ava Vines (294), Ally Sandidge (185), and Avery Rigsby (167) back after leading the Lady Dragons in kills last year. Each member of that trio had at least 160 digs, and Ileeyah Herrera added 152. Sandidge and Rigsby both had 120 or more assists as secondary setters
YWKC
As many as five teams out of the YWKC league could again make the final 32, and it’s hard to go away from the tradition of Otis (19-8) as the leading contender. The Lady Bulldogs have only lost two league matches dating back to 2007. Bringing back their 1-2 punch of Maddie Willeke (363 kills) and Aedyn Tribelhorn (208) should bolster their chances of remaining atop the league standings. Layce Perry (100) gives them three returnees with at least 100 kills. The defense will be helped by returning three of the top four in digs, with Perry (374), Tribelhorn (318), and Lydia Willeke (252) combining for more than 900 last season. A new setter will be needed.
Idalia (19-6) has been the primary challenger to Otis and the Lady Wolves bring back a lot of talent. Jaylyn Kechter (237), Addyson Juhnke (214), and Krista Wieser (123) will supply the firepower at the net, and they are part of a rotation that returns seven players with at least 100 digs. Juhnke was tops on the team with 338. Brigette Kite (276), Callie Richards (260), and Natalie Helling (229) were all over 200. The Lady Wolves also have experience at setter, with Kite recording 600 assists.
Hi-Plains (15-8) will ride Dejah Haymore (159 kills, 58 blocks), Serenity Hernandez (228 digs, 289 assists), and Addison Henschel (78 kills, 217 digs). Arickaree (11-12) returns its top three hitters in Raeya Schrock (154), Ja’Niya Smith (137), and McKenna Jesse (73). The Lady Bison will find themselves in need of a new setter.
Lone Star (10-12) should be solid at that position, after Grace Cochran led the team with 136 assists as a freshman. She’ll have young hitters to work with, as Jade Kuntz and Peytyn Kuntz combined for 100 kills as the third and fourth options. Helping the chances of the Lady Longhorns is Paityn Forry, who was limited to back row duties last season after recovering from knee surgery. She still had more than 200 digs.
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