A little more than a week into the 2024 girls volleyball season, Valor Christian is already picking up where it left off.
The two-time defending Class 5A state champions followed up an impressive victory over 4A defending champion Palmer Ridge in its season opener with seven victories in the High Sierra Tournament last weekend in Reno, Nev. The Eagles (8-0) dropped only one set in the tournament, eventually winning the Gold bracket with a 25-18, 25-10 sweep of Ripon (Calif.).
In 3A, Eaton – one of the perennial favorites from a Patriot League that has crowned four different champions in four years – opened with five consecutive victories, including triumphs over Palmer Ridge and a Windsor team that reached the quarterfinals a year ago.
Simla, the 1A runner-up last November, has moved up to 2A and is off to a 5-0 start that includes a victory over defending 2A champion Wiggins. Sedgwick County, the 2A runner-up last fall, jumped out to three consecutive victories to start the season.
The season will begin to heat up this week with a full slate of non-league competition around the state. Here is a quick look back at the first week, along what lies ahead:
Class 5A
Valor Christian isn’t the only team off to a strong start. A pair of Continental League foes, Chaparral and Mountain Vista, got off to a combined 10-0 start.
The Wolverines, a state semifinalist last fall, graduated a pair of first-team all-state talents. But a 6-0 start to 2024 has seen the team upend 4A power Lewis-Palmer to open the season, and a pair of hard-fought, five-game victories last week over Rock Canyon and Pine Creek. Senior Kai Kofoed has notched 70 kills in 17 sets, going for 24 kills in each victory over the Jaguars and Eagles.
Mountain Vista won its first four matches after downing Cheyenne Mountain on Tuesday night. That included a five-set thriller over Lewis-Palmer where the Golden Eagles dropped the first two sets before taking the final three. Bridget Malone, who made second-team all-state as a junior, recorded 25 kills and sophomore Rileigh Dixon added 18. Joey Laterza had 22 digs.
Chatfield and Arapahoe both started 5-0 on the season.
Game of the (last) week: 5A Mountain Vista def. 4A Lewis-Palmer 17-25, 19-25, 25-20, 26-24, 15-11
Game of the (upcoming) week: Cherry Creek at Chaparral, 6:30 p.m., Sept. 6
Class 4A
Thompson Valley saw its bid for a three-peat fall one set short last November, but the Eagles are wasting no time establishing themselves as a favorite again in 2024.
The team opened the season with impressive victories over Cheyenne Mountain and Lewis-Palmer going into Tuesday night’s bout with Wellington. The team had four juniors earn all-state honors a year ago, with Tatum Sharp and Ashlyn Tafoya taking first-team bids, and Avery Gibbs and Kayla Kaufman making the second team.
Cheyenne Mountain and Lewis-Palmer got off to rough starts, but figure to bounce back quickly. The Red-Tailed Hawks have all-state talents back in Anna Blamires and Makena Parthen, while the Rangers have Madi Crowe back, and senior Brooke Gennerman has 52 kills in her first three matches.
Palmer Ridge graduated Player of the Year Corrie Anderson, but return Amelia Hansen, who was second-team all-state.
Game of the (last) week: 5A Mountain Vista def. 4A Lewis-Palmer 17-25, 19-25, 25-20, 26-24, 15-11
Game of the (upcoming) week: 4A Palmer Ridge at 5A Pine Creek, 6 p.m., Sept. 10
Class 3A
Not a lot has changed in the 3A landscape, other than University moving up to the 4A ranks. The Patriot League still reigns supreme, and the league is off to a strong start against behind the likes of Eaton (5-0), Platte Valley (2-0) and Sterling (2-0). Defending champion Resurrection Christian opened its season Tuesday, though a massive early-season showdown with Platte Valley looms Sept. 10.
Speaking of the Broncos, reigning Player of the Year Karsyn Fetzer is back for her senior season after leading Platte Valley to the semis last fall with 398 kills and 373 digs. Lauryn Uyemura made second team all-state as a junior setter.
Lamar picked up a big victory in its opener Aug. 24, defeating Centauri 3-1. Senior Brooklyn Robbins, who earned a first-team all-state nod last fall, notched 26 kills and nine aces.
Game of the (last) week: Lamar def. Centauri 25-18, 32-34, 25-18, 25-12
Game of the (upcoming) week: Platte Valley at Resurrection Christian, 6:30 p.m., Sept. 10
Class 2A
Simla is off to a fast start, though that early run will be put to the test Saturday against defending 1A champion Merino. The Cubs return three all-state players in sophomore Carlee Cox (first team), senior Meadow Nusbaum (second team) and senior Kyle Maranville (honorable mention).
Wiggins and Sedgwick County have combined to win the past four 2A crowns, and the Cougars have been in all four of those title games. Sedgwick started 3-0 and have senior Abigail Dille (first team all-state in 2023) and junior Lainee Nein (second team) back.
Wiggins endured a tough schedule the first week, with the Tigers (3-2) dropping contests to Simla and 3A power Platte Valley. Wiggins graduated 3A POY Tyleigh Fehseke, but Kennedy Kerr was a first-team all-state pick as a junior and Riley Hunt made the second team.
Game of the (last) week: 2A Sedgwick County def. 1A Fleming 25-13, 25-20, 13-25, 15-25, 15-7
Game of the (upcoming) week: 1A Merino at 2A Simla, 1 p.m., Sept. 7
Class 1A
A rematch of the 1A title game is on tap for Saturday when Merino (4-0) travels to Simla. The Rams graduated POY Makenna Sutter, but bring back all-state setter Brooklyn Sutter and second-team outside hitter Jaylyn Lynch to a squad that was 27-1 in 2023.
McClave, which was the No. 3 seed a year ago, started 5-1 with the only loss coming to Wiggins. Abrielle Gomez earned all-state honors as a sophomore. The Cardinals get a good test at Idalia on Saturday.
A Primero team that won 16 games a year has already hit the nine-win mark. The Bulldogs have been led early by sophomore Jayleysia Atkins, who was honorable mention all-state as a freshman.
Game of the (last) week: 2A Sedgwick County def. 1A Fleming 25-13, 25-20, 13-25, 15-25, 15-7
Game of the (upcoming) week: 1A Merino at 2A Simla, 1 p.m., Sept. 7
