CLASS 4A
 
AT SPORTS ARENA, HUTCHINSON
 

 
ANDALE
 
Coach: Kaylie Bergkamp
 
Record: 27-10 (No. 5 seed)
 
Pool-play matches: vs. Eudora (4: 23-8), 3:30 p.m.; vs. Clearwater (1: 35-3), 6:30 p.m.; vs. Bishop Miege (8: 19-17), 7:30 p.m.
 
Sub-state results: beat Buhler, 25-18, 25-14; beat Clay Center, 25-17, 23-25, 25-18.
 
Key Players: Hayden Grimes, so., OH; Grace Rowland, sr., OH; Ella Eck, jr., MH; Eva Preister, sr., L; Abbi Winter, fr., S; Taya Orth, jr., S.
 
Worth noting: Andale making sixth straight trip to state and have played in the state championship match each of the past four years. … Indians won the state title in 2021 and took second in 2019, 2020 and 2022. … Bergkamp won her 200^th match at Andale this season and is 219-31 in six years. … Andale won title at Goddard Invitational and took second at the Newton Invitational. … Six of nine losses came to 5A or 6A schools and three came to fellow 4A qualifiers Clearwater (twice) and Circle. … Indians have three wins over fellow 4A qualifier McPherson and also beat 6A qualifiers Garden City and Maize, 5A qualifier Andover and 3A qualifier Cheney. … Indians graduated 9 players off last year’s runner-up team and only two of this year’s players were on last year’s state roster. … Grimes was libero last year before moving to outside hitter this year where she has 355 kills and 72 aces, both team highs. … Rowland has 332 kills after also moving to outside hitter spot this season. … Orth has 374 assists and Winter has 303. … Eck leads team with 60 blocks. … Grimes also leads team with 350 digs and Preister has 241.
 

 
BISHOP MIEGE
 
Coach: Lindsay Zych Franco
 
Record: 19-17 (No. 8 seed)
 
Pool-play matches: vs. Clearwater (1: 35-3), 4:30 p.m.; vs. Eudora (4: 23-8), 5:30 p.m.; vs. Andale (5: 27-10), 7:30 p.m.
 
Sub-state results: beat Tonganoxie, 25-16, 25-18; beat Chanute, 25-8, 25-17.
 
Key Players: Ava Martin, sr., S; Lauren Lopez, jr., OH; Trinniti Stevens, jr., MH; Gabby Anderson, sr., L; Georgia LeMay, fr., OH; Kirston Verhulst, jr., RS/OPP.
 
Worth noting: Miege is most decorated program in state history, winning 27 state championships. … Stags were Class 4A state champions last fall, beating Andale 25-22, 32-30 in the title match. … Title was second straight for Zych Franco, who also led Lansing to 5A state title in 2021. … Miege has qualified for state 44 out of 47 years since winning first state championship in 1977. … Stags won the Ottawa Invitational, beating 5A qualifier Maize South in the finals despite missing two starters who were out with injury. … Stags also took second at Blue Valley North to the tourney hosts, who are 6A’s No. 1 seed. … Zych Francos recorded her 100^th career win this season. … Stags have two sets of sisters on team – Trinniti and Olivia Stevens and twins Georgia and Finley LeMay – and have five freshmen on roster. … Martin, a San Jose State commit, has 369 assists and 150 digs this season despite missing three weeks with a foot injury. … She also recorded her 2,000^th career assist this year. … Lopez also missed nearly three weeks with an injury and has team-high 275 kills, hitting 1,000 in her career this season. … LeMay has 265 kills while Stevens has 174 and Verhulst 154. … Anderson has 275 digs, 74 assists and 33 aces.
 

 
CIRCLE
 
Coach: Shelly Nibarger
 
Record: 33-5 (No. 2 seed)
 
Pool-play matches: vs. Holton (7: 25-15), 4:30 p.m.; vs. Louisburg (6: 24-14), 6:30 p.m.; vs. McPherson (3: 29-9), 8:30 p.m.
 
Sub-state results: beat Chapman, 25-6, 25-9; beat Pratt, 25-9, 25-14.
 
Key Players: Jacqueline Corcoran, sr., OH; Reagan Smith, sr., S; Mia Fox, sr., MH; Katelyn Paul, jr., OH; Taylor Russell, jr., RS.
 
Worth noting: Circle back at state for the third straight year and fourth time in past five years. … T-Birds finished third a year ago, falling to Andale in semifinals before beating Louisburg for third. … Finish matched a program best, tying thirds from 1993, 2002 and 2019. … Circle also took fourth in 2006 for five top-four finishes in 14 trips overall. … Circle returned five starters from last year’s team. … T-Birds won home tournament and also claimed title at the Wamego Invitational. … Circle were co-champs of the Ark Valley Chisholm Trail III, giving program a third straight league title and 16^th overall. … Nibarger won 900^th career game at state last year. … Corcoran has 338 kills this season and is all-time kills leader at Circle with 1,159. … Smith has 855 assists and is the career record-holder for assists at Circle with 2,791. … Fox has 167 kills, 70 blocks and 30 aces. … Paul has 167 kills and 37 aces. … Russell has 82 kills and 31 blocks.
 

 
CLEARWATER
 
Coach: Abbee Schultz
 
Record: 35-3 (No. 1 seed)
 
Pool-play matches: vs. Bishop Miege (8: 19-17), 4:30 p.m.; vs. Andale (5: 27-10), 6:30 p.m.; vs. Eudora (4: 23-8), 8:30 p.m.
 
Sub-state results: beat Augusta, 25-13, 25-14; beat Abilene, 25-15, 25-12.
 
Key Players: Kenzy McArtor, jr., OH; Madison Williams, jr., OH; Alli Clevenger, MB; Justine Berlin, MB; Elizabeth Tjaden, DS; Kaylee Hampton, S.
 
Worth noting: Indians had breakout year in Schultz’s first year as head coach, nearly doubling their win total after going 18-16 last season. … Indians earned first state berth since 2020 and 12^th overall in program history. … Lone state title for program came in 1994 and Indians posted six top-four finishes since 1995. … Clearwater won Ark Valley Chisholm Trail IV title and took titles at home tournament and Chaparral Invitational. … Indians handed 5A No. 1 seed Andover Central its only loss of season. … Indians also have wins over fellow 4A qualifiers Circle and Andale. … Lone losses came to Andover Central, Clay Center and Wichita Collegiate. … McArtor leads team with 386 kills and 91 aces and also has 33 blocks and 196 digs. … Williams has 233 kills and 115 digs. … Clevenger has 109 kills and 49 blocks. … Berlin has 143 kills, 57 aces and 53 blocks. … Hampton has 832 assists, 105 kills, 63 aces and 140 digs. … Tjaden has 161 digs and 45 aces.
 

 
EUDORA
 
Coach: Brooke Hopper
 
Record: 23-8 (No. 4 seed)
 
Pool-play matches: vs. Andale (5: 27-10), 3:30 p.m.; vs. Bishop Miege (8: 19-17), 5:30 p.m.; vs. Clearwater (1: 35-3), 8:30 p.m.
 
Sub-state results: beat Fort Scott, 25-16, 25-15; beat Baldwin, 25-11, 25-22.
 
Key Players: Rayah Foltz, sr., OH/DS; Adalyn Hemphill, jr., OH/DS; Parker Long, sr., L; Ellie Subdr, sr., S/OPP; Madison Karten, sr., MB; Harper Andrews, sr., MB; Indigo Pruitt, jr., MB/OPP; Cameron McCormick, jr., DS.
 
Worth noting: After losing in sub-state semifinals last year, Cardinals earned first state appearance since 2019, downing perennial power and Frontier League rival Baldwin in sub-state finals this year. … Hopper in first year as head coach after previously coaching at Parsons the past three years. … Eudora won 4A state title in 2006. … Cardinals won the Wellsville Invitational and took second at the Baldwin Invitational. … Five of eight losses came in league play and two came to two-time reigning 3A state champion Olathe Heritage Christian. … Foltz leads Cardinals with 316 kills, while Hemphill isn’t far behind with 249 kills. … Suber has 710 assists this year and recorded her 1,500^th career assist this season in just over two years as Cardinals’ primary setter. … Long has 269 digs. … Suber also has 79 kills and 48 aces and Hemphill has 46 aces. … Karten, Andrews and Pruitt each have at least 50 blocks and 59 kills. … McCormick has 108 digs and 26 aces.
 

 
HOLTON
 
Coach: Kristal Bontrager
 
Record: 25-15 (No. 7 seed)
 
Pool-play matches: vs. Circle (2: 33-5), 4:30 p.m.; vs. McPherson (3: 29-9), 5:30 p.m.; vs. Louisburg (6: 24-14), 7:30 p.m.
 
Sub-state results: beat Parsons, 19-25, 25-20, 25-15; beat Rock Creek, 25-21, 25-17.
 
Key Players: Cora Miller, sr., L; Renn Deters, sr., OH; Elizabeth Schuster, jr., MH; Tinley Wilson, fr., OH.
 
Worth noting: Wildcats earned first trip to state since 2017 with upset run through sub-state, knocking out higher seeds in both matches including No. 1 overall east seed Rock Creek in sub-state finals. … Wildcats took fourth in 2017 and trip is just sixth overall for program, also taking fourth in 2004 and 2011. … Wildcats took second at Sabetha Invitational, falling to Nemaha Central in three sets in the finals. … Holton took third in Big Seven League. … Miller, a Jamestown signee, missed part of season with concussion, but averages 14 digs per set and hit 1,000 in her career this year. … Deters leads team in kills with 295. … Schuster has team-high 80 blocks and is second in kills with 252. … Wilson has 241 kills and, 253 digs and 38 aces.
 

 
LOUISBURG
 
Coach: Leana Willer
 
Record: 24-14 (No. 6 seed)
 
Pool-play matches: vs. McPherson (3: 29-9), 3:30 p.m.; vs. Circle (2: 33-5), 6:30 p.m.; vs. Holton (7: 25-15), 7:30 p.m.
 
Sub-state results: beat Paola, 25-22, 25-18; beat Independence, 25-17, 25-20.
 
Key Players: Madelyn Williams, sr., OH; Hailey Sword, sr., OH; Megan Quinn, sr., S; Adelyn Moore, fr., S; Delaney Nelsen, so., MB; Caileigh Kilgore, so., OPP; McKenna Lohse, so., OPP; Izzy Moreland, sr., MB; Ashlyn Berck, sr., L.
 
Worth noting: Wildcats are fixture at state tournament with 20 trips overall, including 11 of last 14 seasons. … Highest finish is second place, which has happened six times, the last coming in 2018. … Wildcats also have four thirds and six fourths. … Louisburg won Frontenac Invitational and took second at home tournament and Atchison Invitational. … Sword leads team with 274 kills, just ahead of Williams’ 263 kills. … Williams leads in digs with 274 and aces with 40 despite missing a week with an injury. … Sword is four kills from 600 in her career and has 113 career aces. … Quinn has 479 assists and went over 1,500 for her career in sub-state play. … Moore has 400 assists. … Nelsen has 113 kills, 143 digs and 38 aces. … Kilgore has 137 kills. … Berck has 196 digs and 40 aces.
 

 
MCPHERSON
 
Coach: Christy Doile
 
Record: 29-9 (No. 3 seed)
 
Pool-play matches: vs. Louisburg (6: 24-14), 3:30 p.m.; vs. Holton (7: 25-15), 5:30 p.m.; vs. Circle (2: 33-5), 8:30 p.m.
 
Sub-state results: beat Rose Hill, 18-25, 25-21, 25-11; beat Ulysses, 25-13, 25-17.
 
Key Players: Alex Romero, sr., S; Haely Hagemann, jr., OH; Brooke Doile, so., MH/OH; Ava Romero, so., MH/OH; Addison Chapman, jr., OPP/S.
 
Worth noting: After missing out on state a year ago, McPherson earned its 20^th overall state appearance with mild upset of No. 4 seed Ulysses in sub-state finals. … Bullpups have 10 top-four finishes in previous 19 trips, including a state title in 2012 and runner-up showings in 2011 and 2015. … McPherson finished fourth in 2020. … Coaching staff added Melissa Segovia this season, a former head coach at Rose Hill and Valley Center who led Rockets to pair of state titles. … McPherson won its preseason Invitational with wins over 5A qualifier Andover. … Bullpups also have wins over 6A qualifier Garden City and 4A qualifier Circle, splitting with the T-Birds. … Six of nine losses have come to state qualifiers including three to fellow 4A qualifier Andale. … Three players have at least 200 kills with Ava Romero leading the way with 241, just ahead of Hagemann’s 222 and Doile’s 210. … Alex Romero has 790 assists and 43 blocks. … Doile leads team with 337 digs and Ava Romero has 293 and Chapman 277. … Hagemann has 52 aces, two ahead of Ava Romero, who also leads team with 53 blocks.