CLASS 6A
 
Defending Class 6A state champion Mill Valley served notice that it won’t relinquish its crown easily with an impressive pool showing Friday at Salina’s Tony’s Pizza Events Center.
 
In arguably the toughest of the two pools, Mill Valley made a heck of a statement. The Jaguars opened the day with a 25-21, 25-22 win over perennial power Blue Valley North in a rematch of last year’s championship match. The Jaguars then blitzed Garden City 25-14, 25-9 to set up a showdown with Sunflower League rival Olathe West in the final pool match with each sitting 2-0 in pool play after the Owls beat Garden City 25-13, 25-17 and Blue Valley North 25-19, 25-19.
 
Just as it had during an undefeated run through league play, Mill Valley topped West, taking a 25-18, 25-14 victory to earn the top seed from the pool.
 
The tourney’s No. 1 seed, Blue Valley West, also had no trouble capturing the top seed in its pool. The Jaguars rolled past Manhattan 25-16, 25-9 and Wichita North 25-19, 25-8 before getting past Washburn Rural 25-19, 25-23 to go 3-0.
 
The runner-up spot from the pool came down to a tiebreaker after Manhattan, Rural and Wichita North all went 1-2. Rural beat North to start the day, 25-14, 25-13, but then fell to Centennial League rival Manhattan 25-21, 25-23. Manhattan then dropped a three-set decision to North, 15-25, 27-25, 25-19, forcing a tiebreaker to decide which team would advance.
 
Manhattan (21-17) won the tiebreaker and will face Mill Valley (35-5) in one 9 a.m. semifinal. The other semifinal pits Blue Valley West (36-4) against Olathe West (33-5).
 
POOL I
 
Washburn Rural def. Wichita North, 25-14, 25-13; Blue Valley West def. Manhattan, 25-16, 25-9; Manhattan def. Washburn Rural, 25-21, 25-23; Blue Valley West def. Wichita North, 25-19, 25-8; Wichita North def. Manhattan, 15-25, 27-25, 25-19; Blue Valley West def. Washburn Rural, 25-19, 25-23.
 
POOL II
 
Mill Valley def. Blue Valley North, 25-21, 25-22; Olathe West def. Garden City, 25-13, 25-17; Mill Valley def. Garden City, 25-14, 25-9; Olathe West def. Blue Valley North, 25-19, 25-19; Blue Valley North def. Garden City, 25-15, 25-9; Mill Valley def. Olathe West, 25-18, 25-14.
 
SATURDAY’S SEMIFINALS
 
9 a.m. – Blue Valley West (36-4) vs. Olathe West (33-5); Mill Valley (35-5) vs. Manhattan (21-17).


CLASS 5A
 
Suffering just two losses in the regular season, defending Class 5A champion Seaman got a chance to avenge one of them Friday at Salina’s Tony’s Pizza Events Center with St. Thomas Aquinas in the Vikings’ pool.
 
Seaman didn’t squander the opportunity. After losing to the Saints in straight sets late in the regular season, Seaman returned the favor with a straight set win in pool play. The Vikings won 25-19, 25-23, spurring them to a 3-0 day and the top seed out of their pool.
 
Seaman didn’t drop a set on the day, easily handling United Kansas Conference rival De Soto 25-13, 25-18 in its opening match and finishing the day with a 25-23, 25-20 win over a Blue Valley Southwest team it had gone three sets with earlier this season.
 
Aquinas finished runner-up in the pool, beating Eastern Kansas League rival Southwest 25-23, 25-18 in the day’s first match and rolling past De Soto 25-8, 25-10 to finish pool play.
 
After not making the semifinals for the first time since 2020, St. James Academy emphatically got back to the final four with a 3-0 showing in the other pool. The Thunder also didn’t drop a set, beating Andover 25-14, 25-19, Great Bend 25-20, 25-17 and Kapaun Mt. Carmel 25-16, 25-19.
 
Kapaun was unbeaten in pool play before the loss to St. James, securing the runner-up spot with wins over Great Bend (25-8, 23-25, 25-12) and Andover (26-24, 25-21).
 
EKL rivals St. James (31-6) and Aquinas (32-6) will meet in the 1 p.m. semifinals while Seaman (40-2) will take on Kapaun (32-8) in the other semifinal as the Vikings look to defend the state title they won a year ago.
  
POOL I
 
St. Thomas Aquinas def. Blue Valley Southwest, 25-23, 25-18; Seaman def. De Soto, 25-13, 25-18; Blue Valley Southwest def. De Soto, 25-14, 25-13; Seaman def. St. Thomas Aquinas, 25-19, 25-23; St. Thomas Aquinas def. De Soto, 25-8, 25-10; Seaman def. Blue Valley Southwest, 25-23, 25-20.
 
POOL II
 
St. James Academy def. Andover, 25-14, 25-19; Kapaun Mt. Carmel def. Great Bend, 25-8, 23-25, 25-12; Kapaun Mt. Carmel def. Andover, 26-24, 25-21; St. James Academy def. Great Bend, 25-20, 25-17; St. James Academy def. Kapaun Mt. Carmel, 25-16, 25-19; Andover def. Great Bend, 25-18, 13-25, 25-21.
 
SATURDAY’S SEMIFINALS
 
1 p.m. – Seaman (40-2) vs. Kapaun Mt. Carmel (32-8); St. James Academy (31-6) vs. St. Thomas Aquinas (32-6).
 
 
CLASS 4A
 
It wasn’t easy by any means.
 
But Bishop Miege not only survived a brutally tough pool on the opening day of the Class 4A state tournament, but won the pool to take a big step towards its third straight state championship.
 
Coming in as the No. 8 seed with an 18-18 record thanks to a rugged schedule in the toughest large-school league in the state, Miege opened right away with top-seeded Clay Center and it was every bit the battle it was expected to be. Miege took the first set 25-22 but the Tigers bounced back and outlasted the Stags 29-27 in the second set to force a third set. That on was just as tight and needed extra points to decide it as well with Miege pulling out a 27-25 win.
 
With no rest, Miege fought off Hayden 26-24, 25-22 in its next match. Needing only to beat Holton to wrap up the top seed from the pool, the Stags saw the Wildcats put up their best match of the pool, taking the Stags to three sets before Miege survived 25-19, 22-25, 25-23.
 
Clay Center and Hayden each handled Holton in straight sets, setting up a winner-moves-on match in the last match of pool play. Hayden rolled in the first set 25-12 but Clay Center took the second 25-27. Hayden bounced back in the third for a 25-20 win to clinch the runner=up spot and knock the top-seeded Tigers from the tourney.
 
In the other pool, Rock Creek rallied to outlast McPherson 22-25, 25-22, 25-12 on its way to a 3-0 showing. The Mustangs rode the momentum of the thrilling win to dominant wins over Concordia 25-10, 25-17 and Clearwater 25-18, 25-14 to advance to the semifinals for the first time since 2008, when the Mustangs finished at state runners-up.
 
McPherson bounced back from its three-set loss to Rock Creek to upset No. 3 seed Clearwater 25-16, 25-23 in the very next match and then topped Concordia 25-23, 25-20 to secure its second straight semifinal berth. The Bullpups finished runner-up a year ago to Miege.
 
Miege (21-18) will take on McPherson (26-16) in one semifinal while Rock Creek (37-4) will face Hayden (31-11).
  
POOL I
 
Hayden def. Holton, 25-20, 25-23; Bishop Miege def. Clay Center, 25-22, 27-29, 27-25; Bishop Miege def. Hayden, 26-24, 25-22; Clay Center def. Holton, 25-21, 27-25; Bishop Miege def. Holton, 25-19, 22-25, 25-23; Hayden def. Clay Center, 25-12, 25-27, 25-20.
 
POOL II
 
Clearwater def. Concordia, 25-23, 25-17; Rock Creek def. McPherson, 22-25, 25-22, 25-12; McPherson def. Clearwater, 25-16, 25-23; Rock Creek def. Concordia, 25-10, 25-17; McPherson def. Concordia, 25-23, 25-20; Rock Creek def. Clearwater, 25-18, 25-14.
 
SATURDAY’S SEMIFINALS
 
9 a.m. – Bishop Miege (21-18) vs. McPherson (26-16); Rock Creek (37-4) vs. Hayden (31-11).
 
 
CLASS 3A
 
After waiting 33 years to return to the state volleyball tournament, Halstead made sure it didn’t make the appearance a quick one.
 
The top-seeded Dragons went 3-0, playing until close to midnight when their final pool play match went three sets with Beloit. Halstead dropped the first set to the Trojans 25-20, but bounced back to take 25-19, 25-21 wins in the next to set to cap the undefeated day and avoid having the pool’s top seed determined by a tiebreaker.
 
Halstead already had beaten Royal Valley (25-15, 25-21) and Nemaha Central (25-21, 25-23). The Thunder, meanwhile, opened with a 27-25, 25-17 win over Beloit and finished with a 25-21, 25-22 win over Big East League rival Royal Valley to get to 2-1. Beloit, which beat Royal Valley 25-22, 25-23, could have forced a tiebreak with a win over Halstead, but couldn’t quite pull it off.
 
Making its first state appearance since 2018, Hoisington look awfully comfortable in rolling to a 3-0 mark in its pool. The Cardinals opened with a 25-23, 25-16 win over Girard and then beat Frontenac 25-14, 25-21, setting up a showdown for the pool’s top seed with Neodesha, which also swept Frontenac (25-16, 25-22) and Girard (25-21, 25-23).
 
Hoisington took a 25-18, 25-21 win over the Bluestreaks and will take a 40-4 mark into its semifinal match with Nemaha Central (41-6). Neodesha (40-4) earned its first-ever semifinal appearance and will take on No. 1 seed Halstead (41-2) in the other semifinal.
 
POOL I
 
Nemaha Central def. Beloit, 27-25, 25-17; Halstead def. Royal Valley, 25-15, 25-21; Beloit def. Royal Valley, 25-22, 25-23; Halstead def. Nemaha Central, 25-21, 25-23; Nemaha Central def. Royal Valley, 25-21, 25-22; Halstead def. Beloit, 20-25, 25-19, 25-21.
 
POOL II
 
Hoisington def. Girard, 25-23, 25-16; Neodesha def. Frontenac, 25-16, 25-22; Hoisington def. Frontenac, 25-14, 25-21; Neodesha def. Girard, 25-21, 25-23; Girard def. Frontenac, 25-16, 25-19; Hoisington def. Neodesha, 25-18, 25-21.
 
SATURDAY’S SEMIFINALS
 
1 p.m. – Halstead (41-2) vs. Neodesha (40-4); Hoisington (40-4) vs. Nemaha Central (41-6)
 
 
CLASS 2A
 
The day started with an upset at Dodge City’s United Wireless Arena as No. 6 seeded Valley Heights took down No. 3 seed Sedgwick in straight sets, 25-19, 25-17, to start pool play.
 
From there, however, chalk pretty much played out.
 
Top-seeded Inman had no trouble going 3-0 in its pool. The Teutons took straight-set wins over Wichita Central Christian (25-9, 25-22), Oakley (25-15, 25-14) and Maranatha (25-16, 25-21) to improve to 42-2 on the season and advance to the semifinals for the second straight year.
 
Maranatha, the No. 4 seed, had already clinched its spot in the semifinals before falling to Inman, beating Oakley (25-18, 25-19) and Central Christian (27-25, 25-11).
 
Ellinwood, the No. 2 seed, matched Inman with a 3-0 mark that featured straight-set wins over Doniphan West (25-9, 25-15), Valley Heights (25-17, 25-20) and Sedgwick (25-8, 25-10). The Eagles (42-3) will take on Maranatha (39-7) in Saturday’s 9 a.m. semifinal while Inman will face Valley Heights (31-10), which beat Twin Valley League rival Doniphan West 25-17, 25-15 in its final pool match to secure the runner-up spot in the pool.

POOL I

Maranatha def. Oakley 25-18, 25-19; Inman def. Central Christian 25-9, 25-22; Maranatha def. Wichita Central Christian 27-25, 25-11; Inman def. Oakley 25-15, 25-14; Wichita Central Christian def. Oakley 25-23, 25-21; Inman def. Maranatha 25-16, 25-21. 

POOL II 

Valley Heights def. Sedgwick 25-19, 25-17; Ellinwood def. Doniphan West 25-9, 25-15; Sedgwick def. Doniphan West 25-20, 26-24; Ellinwood def. Valley Heights 25-17, 25-20; Valley Heights def. Doniphan West 25-17, 25-15; Ellinwood def. Sedgwick 25-8, 25-10. 

SATURDAY’S SEMIFINALS 

9 a.m. – Inman (41-2) vs. Valley Heights (31-10); Ellinwood (42-3) vs. vs. Maranatha (39-7)

CLASS 1A DIVISION I

Two-time defending champion Little River went through pool play unscathed as it eyes a three-peat at Dodge City’s United Wireless Arena. 

Centralia also went 3-0 in its pool, wrapping up a long night of volleyball at 10:50 p.m. by topping Flinthills 21-25, 25-12, 25-19 after both teams had already locked up their semifinal spots. 

Little River was pushed to three sets by St. John in its first match but pulled out a 25-17, 20-25, 25-21 victory before cruising to a 25-4, 25-20 win over Clifton-Clyde. The Redskins capped their night with a 25-23, 25-13 win over South Gray in a rematch of last year’s state title match. 

No. 7-seeded Clifton-Clyde opened with a 25-17, 21-25, 25-22 loss to South Gray. The Eagles later bounced back from the Little River loss to beat St. John 25-12, 25-13 and found their way into the semis. 

Centralia beat Greeley County 25-20, 25-21 to start the tournament before taking a 25-16, 21-25, 25-16 win over St. Francis and capping the night with the come-from behind win over Flinthills. 

All three of top-seeded Flinthills’ matches were dramatic, with the Mustangs outlasting St. Francis 23-25, 25-8, 25-20 in their opener before taking a thrilling 24-26, 25-23, 25-22 victory over Greeley County and closing with the tough loss.

In Saturday’s 1 p.m. semifinals, No. 3-seeded Little River (38-6) will face Flinthills (39-3) while No. 4-seed Centralia (37-7) will meet Clifton-Clyde (26-16). 

The Centralia-Clifton-Clyde match will be a rematch of last year’s third-place match, which Centralia won. Little River and Flinthills met in the 2022 championship match that the Redskins won in three sets. 

POOL I

Centralia def. Greeley County 25-20, 25-21; Flint Hills def. St. Francis 23-25, 25-8, 25-20; Centralia def. St. Francis 25-16, 21-25, 25-16; Flinthills def. Greeley County 27-25, 25-22; ; Greeley County def. St. Francis 27-25, 25-22; ; Centralia def. Flinthills 21-25, 25-12, 25-19. 

POOL II 

Little River def. St. John 25-17, 20-25, 25-21; Clifton-Clyde def. South Gray 25-17, 21-25, 25-22; Little River def. Clifton-Clyde 25-4, 25-20; South Gray def. St. John 25-21, 25-14; Clifton-Clyde def. St. John 25-12, 25-13; Little River def. South Gray 25-12, 25-13.

SATURDAY’S SEMIFINALS 

1 p.m. – Centralia (37-7) vs. Clifton-Clyde (26-16); Little River (38-6) vs. Flinthills (39-3) CLASS 1A DIVISION II
 
After meeting in the state championship match each of the past three seasons, Hanover and Lebo positioned themselves to a fourth go-around for the state title with strong performances on Friday at Emporia’s White Auditorium.
 
Top-seeded Hanover cruised through its pool with little trouble. The Wildcats’ toughest match came in their opener against Twin Valley League rival Linn, taking a 26-24, 25-20 victory. Hanover followed with a 25-21, 25-16 win over Wheatland-Grinnell and then closed out pool play with a 25-19, 25-10 win over Argonia.
 
Lebo, the two-time defending champion, has a little tougher time in its 3-0 pool showing. The Wolves were dominant in wins over Otis-Bison (25-11, 25-16) and Victoria (25-13, 25-10) to start the day, but then had their hands full with Ingalls in the final match of pool play.
 
It looked like Lebo would roll again, cruising 25-11 in the first set. But Ingalls fought back for a 25-19 win in the second set to force a third, which Lebo won 25-18.
 
Hanover (40-1) will take on Ingalls (37-4), which finished runner-up to Lebo after beating Victoria (25-21, 25-11) and Otis-Bison (25-16, 25-16) in one 9 a.m. semifinal. In the other semifinal, Lebo (42-3) will face Argonia (39-7), which took second to Hanover after winning a tiebreaker with Linn and Wheatland-Grinnell after each went 1-2 in pool play. Argonia lost to Wheatland-Grinnell 13-25, 32-30, 25-16 in the opening match of the day, but beat Linn 25-16, 25-16 and then saw Linn beat Wheatland-Grinnell 25-20, 25-19.

POOL I
 
Wheatland-Grinnell def. Argonia, 13-25, 32-30, 25-16; Hanover def. Linn, 26-24, 25-20; Argonia def. Linn, 25-16, 25-16; Hanover def. Wheatland-Grinnell, 25-21, 25-16; Linn def. Wheatland-Grinnell, 25-20, 25-19; Hanover def. Argonia, 25-19, 25-10.
 
POOL II
 
Ingalls def. Victoria, 25-21, 25-11; Lebo def. Otis-Bison, 25-11, 25-16; Ingalls def. Otis-Bison, 25-16, 25-16; Lebo def. Victoria, 25-13, 25-10; Otis-Bison def. Victoria, 24-26, 25-12, 25-23; Lebo def. Ingalls, 25-11, 19-25, 25-18.
 
SATURDAY’S SEMIFINALS
 
9 a.m. – Hanover (40-1) vs. Ingalls (37-4); Lebo (42-3) vs. Argonia (39-7)