Season Preview: 6A Volleyball

Olathe Northwest returns ranked in the KVA preseason rankings No. 2 behind Blue Valley West after losing to the Jaguars in the state championship game. With both teams returning so much of their talent, it makes sense to give the nod to the reigning champs.

But the Ravens are hoping their youth-driven roster will take a big leap after getting postseason experience for a talented group of freshmen-turned-sophomores.

Skylar Pierce, the team’s 6-foot-1 spiker at outside hitter already led the team in kills her first season with 384. Jillian Huckabey and Julia Headley were not too far behind her with 291 and 211 respectively.

The trio can say the same in many other categories. Headley led the team with 40 blocks while Pierce and Huckabey ranked second and third. Pierce led the way with 48 aces, but Headley had 39 and Huckabey had 31.

Except for the graduation of setter Courtney Jackson, the Ravens return most of their firepower from a 29-3 season where the team’s only losses came during the state tournament. Olathe Northwest dropped another match against Blue Valley West in pool play, where they also lost to Washburn Rural.

The Ravens got their revenge on Rural in the semifinals by winning 25-9, 25-14, but could not duplicate that result against the Jaguars as they lost the finals in a pair of 25-14 sets.
Blue Valley West will not be easy to dethrone.

The Jaguars will need to replace the output of outgoing seniors Makenna Holland and Alyssa Miller. But with the senior trio of Morgan Colangelo, Taylor Stockman and Brooke Leiker, expect that transition to go smoothly.

Rural will also look to return to the final four teams in Class 6A, bringing with it the All-State first teamer in Brooklyn DeLeye. The junior outside hitter will be flanked by an All-State second team selection in senior rightside hitter Taylor Russell and All-State honorable mention in sophomore setter Zoe Canfield.