CHSAA releases Volleyball poll rankings

Alamosa, Del Norte and Sangre de Cristo enter preseason ranked in top ten

ALAMOSA — Volleyball teams were eligible to commence practice on Monday. Teams will be eligible for scrimmage on August 17th and their first contest on the 22nd. The valley will be bustling with fall sports very soon.

Three local teams were able to make the top ten in CHSAA’S Preseason Volleyball Coaches Poll.

In the 3A class two of the three top spots went to last year’s champions, Lutheran, and last year’s runners-up Colorado Springs Christian. Before the season starts Alamosa will begin competition as the No. 4 team with 46 points from votes. Last year the Moose went a sterling 25-0 through the regular season. They would enter the post season a little cold going down 2 sets in their opening match to Resurrection Christian. They would follow that by tying things up in the next two and taking the fifth set advancing 3-2 to the next round. Alamosa would suffer two consecutive losses in the double elimination tournament to Colorado Springs Christian and Lutheran respectively.

This year Alamosa will look to replace their most productive attacker in Sylvie Caton. While Caton held the title for most kills on the team the Moose will likely pick up right where they left off. Emily DePriest, Terese Chavez and Taylor Motz all combined for 481 kills a season ago, accounting for more than half of the total team kills. Barring unforeseen circumstances all three will look to keep the Mean Moose moving forward.

Defensively the top three spot holders in blocks go to DePriest, Motz and Jordan Mobbley all three were juniors last year. Meaning the defense seems to be in good shape as well.

Although, Alamosa will be looking to replace their starting setter in Amy Lopez. Alamosa will host Del Norte to start the season August 30th at 3:30 p.m.

Del Norte also earned consideration when it came to the poll rankings. With 29 points the Tigers are considered the No. 7 talent in the 2A class. 

Last year Del Norte went 23-1 to get to the postseason. At Denver Coliseum Del Norte would go 1-2 at the double elimination tournament.

This year the Tigers will have a few more holes to fill in the roster. Offensive and defensive talent Lacie Jones will be donning the green and black of the ASU Grizzlies this season. Also graduated was fellow attacker Kiela Madrid.

Statistically speaking the team’s most productive non-senior from last year was Myka Glover who was second in kills, first in assists and first in total blocks enough to be named Co-Player of the Year of the 2A Southern Peaks league.

Although, with seven seniors on the roster last season it will very much be a great opportunity for some fresh faces to make themselves known. Del Norte will start the 2019-20 season on the road against Hoehne on August 24th at 12 p.m.

Sangre de Cristo will open the season at the No. 6 spot of 1A volleyball having collected 42 points in the polls from voting. With a 17-8 record Sangre de Cristo would also punch their ticket to the Denver Coliseum last season. Unfortunately, they would produce the same result as their fellow SLV teams going 1-2 in tournament play.

It should be a pretty strong turnaround for the Thunderbirds as the lone graduating senior from last year was Jessica Slane. While Slane held the title of most kills on the team with 284, every other major stat was held by an underclassman that would figure to return.  Total blocks went to Mackenzie Rogers with 42, assists went to Avery Palmgren with 58 and the offense looks to be in safe hands as Kylee Christensen and Palmgren were tied for second in kills with 189 apiece.

The T-Birds will start things off this season with a home match against Sargent at 5 p.m. on August 30th. Elsewhere, Centauri picked up votes but missed the top ten in the 3A class earning 4 points in the polls. For the complete Volleyball Coaches Poll ranking be sure to visit CHSAANow.com.