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 ORDER GAME PHOTOS
The opening week of the high school volleyball season just wrapped up. As we settle in for the long march to state, here’s the teams and players to keep an eye on this year.
CLASS 5A
Winning a state championship is tough and defending that state title is even tougher. The Madison Bobcats will have an uphill battle as they defend their 2022 banner, especially after graduating six seniors and hiring a new head coach, Whitney Howard. The only returning starter for Madison is Ashley Garner, who earned All-State first team and High Country first team honors.
Up north will be Post Falls and Lake City, who both took home hardware from the 2022 state tournament. The Trojans of Post Falls bring back a complete roster with six returning starters and a total of nine returning players. Leading the charge will be the IEL Player of the Year, Kylie Munday. Head coach Willow Hanna expects her squad to be strong and use their experience from a third-place finish at state last season.
Just up the road will be familiar foe, Lake City. Head Coach Michelle Kleinberg is “excited about the athleticism,” the Timberwolves will have this season. Although Kleinberg is replacing all six starters, she says “It’ll be a year of growth and they are up for the challenge.” The Timberwolves return two seniors, outside hitter Ava Johnson and libero Reese Mark. They will be leading a team mixed with juniors and two freshmen. One of those freshmen, Kate Moglia, will be tasked with leading the offense as the new setter coming to the team. Kleinberg says her team “has a bright future and the girls are fiercely competitive, witty, smart and a ton of fun to be around.”
A few teams from southern Idaho who are working towards deep runs in the state tournament will be Eagle, Owyhee, and Timberline. Eagle has four returning players, all of whom earned all-conference honors in 2022. Delany Bub was also voted to an All-state team. Helping Bub lead the Mustangs will be senior setter, Teagan Scott. Head coach Collin Hartman is looking for Scott to “step up and run our court. She has made improvements each year in her skills and leadership.” Fans can expect Eagle to be explosive and attack at a high level this season. Coach Hartman already sees more team unity and expects his team to battle conference powerhouses like Timberline and Centennial.
Owyhee returns a strong six starters in 2023, three of whom earned All-conference honors. Head coach Michelle Dodds will make sure the Storm are ready to compete and push for a deep, late season run.
Timberline finished second at the state tournament in 2022 and bring back the experience and talent of Aly Cox and Ava Brickner. The Wolves will be a strong team in conference and tournament play.
Many coaches feel Centennial might surprise teams at the 5A ranks this season. The Patriots return Eli Tia who is a powerful attacker and can take over any match.
CLASS 4A
It was a familiar scene in 2022 as Skyview dominated at the state tournament. It doesn’t matter if the Hawks are 5A or 4A, they find a way to win. Head Coach Kevin Murphy will return four starters from his championship squad. Leading for the Hawks will be senior Alex Bower, a BYU commit, and Bellamie Beus. Both seniors were first team All-State and All-conference. Melissa Eyer was also first team all-state and second team all-conference. New faces for the Hawks will be freshman Lizzie Bower and sophomore Kensie Seward.
A familiar face from Nampa will be the Columbia Wildcats, who were the runner up at the 2022 state tournament. Head coach Cathy Curtis acknowledges the graduating class left her without a lot of height in the front row and knows her team needs to rebuild. Helping their squad this season will be returning starters, Khalila Salinas and Berlyn Overturf.
The Century Diamondbacks brought home multiple trophies and awards from the 2022 state tournament. They were the Academic State champions, the winners of the Sportsmanship award and earned the third-place trophy. Head coach Meg Fleischman will return three starters and add incoming transfer Matejah Mangum from Pocatello High School. Mangum is a highly recruited athlete and has multiple state track championships. There are a lot of open spots on the Diamondback squad and with the rebuild happening this season, coach Fleischman hopes to surprise some teams.
More southern Idaho teams hope to have a strong season and improve their state finishes from last year. Twin Falls High school and Canyon Ridge will battle it out in the Magic Valley for the top spot. Just as eastern Idaho powerhouse, Bonneville will push their neighboring foe, Blackfoot.
CLASS 3A
Rebuilding after a strong season can be daunting and it is the task at hand for the Fruitland Grizzlies. The 2022 state runner up, Fruitland says they are up to the task. Their only loss last season was to Kimberly in the state final, a team which they had previously beaten. The Grizzlies will bring back three athletes from last season with key player, sophomore Brooke Hardy leading the charge. Hardy was the 3A State Player of the Year as a freshman and the SRV Conference Co-Player of the Year. Joining Hardy will be incoming freshman Eva Well, “a powerful, all-around athlete,” says head coach Rena Sitz. “Every position will need to be filled. It’s a rebuilding year for us and we will strive to get better every day,” says Sitz.
Coming off a strong season of their own are the Wolverines from Weiser. Head Coach Michelle Estes only lost three seniors from their third-place finish in 2022. Unfortunately, two of those graduating seniors were key middle blockers, Jasi Yragven and Mattie Shirts. The Wolverines do return eight players, led by Abi Wilkins and Danica Lockett. Strong additions to the front row will be Lucy Hickey, Hailey Eames, and Evie Dolton. Coach Estes says her team “looks to be a powerful force on the front line with an experienced group of girls who can aggressively attack the ball. The back row defense is going to be fun to watch as they play with great intensity and focus.”
A young team ready to make some noise at the 3A level will be the Cougars of South Fremont. The Cougars have five returning players, all with Mountain Rivers conference honors. Senior outside hitter Chantea Lecheminant and senior defensive specialist Karli Bradshaw will lead a competitive squad which boasts a lot of talent and experience. Juniors Kenzley Neville, Tori Hathaway and Allie Hackworth will be joined by sophomores Jerzee Quayle, Ty Conger and Lexxi Inns. Head coach Xavier Miranda says, “The younger talent will come in and pick up where we left off last season.” Miranda has eight of 10 players who compete with high level club teams in eastern Idaho. The Cougars have the pieces to win another district title and want to have another run at the state tournament this season.
Make room for McCall-Donnelly in the SRV conference. Their roster will be returning 1st team all-conference player Gabriela Green and honorable mention selection, Shilah Arnold. Heah coach Amber Green also has some dominating players at the net with Lexi Arnold, Maddie Mutert, and Emma Ornsby in the middle. Although Claire Warren graduated, coach Green says, “Shilah Arnold will fill in brilliantly.” “I have very high expectations for this group. Last year was our most successful season at McCall-Donnely High School with an appearance at state. I would expect these girls to have a great run at making it to state this year as well,” says Green.
Representing southern Idaho will be the defending state champions, the Kimberly Bulldogs. They will be challenged by Buhl and Filer in conference play.
CLASS 2A
The 2022 state runner up, West Side will need to rebuild after losing six seniors and bringing in new head coach Julie Grimm. With three returning players, Grimm has a young team with a lot of positions to fill. The Pirates have “been working hard this summer, and I am excited to see what they will bring to the court,” says Grimm.
The Ririe Bulldogs also have a rebuilding season on their hands, but do bring back key players Viola Hayes and Riley Sickinger. Hayes earned first team all-conference and second team all-state while Sickinger was second team all-conference. Those seniors will be joined by setter Shae Sutton who will lead the dynamic offense. Head coach Hilary Scott has powerful players in Jadyn Nelson, Jaida Evans, and Camree Bond. “Overall, I think we have a great team and they are eager to defend the district championship title for the third year,” says Scott. The Bulldogs finished third at the state tournament in 2022 and are prepared to find their team chemistry and push for another strong season.
One team at the 2A level not rebuilding will be Cole Valley. Head coach Doug O’Brien is returning all positions to his 2023 roster. Four-year varsity players, Hadley Frass and Sam Simonson will be accompanied by fellow seniors Karly Clark and Addison Herbek. The experience of the seniors will be supported by fellow returning players, Cody King at libero, Greta Wilde at opposite and Anna Cooke at middle blocker. “We have a strong 2A conference where we hope our senior leadership will lead us out and bring some wins in close battles. We’re carrying 14 players this year and I’ve been really impressed with how dedicated and complete the new varsity players have been. This is a quality group of kids,” says O’Brien.
A fellow 2A team hungry for some wins will be the Declo Hornets. All the starters return for head coach Zenna Heward in 2023. The Hornets also picked up a Sugar-Salem transfer, Tayla Ewel, who will fill in at the libero position. The four returning seniors will be Brynn Silock, Lilly Mallory, Ellie Erickson, and Rachel Nebeker. Two more strong players coming back for the Hornets will be juniors Jordan Taylor and Jakobi Nebeker. “These girls have been playing together for years and are the perfect combination,” says Heward. “I have a group of girls who want to work and give everything they have this year. To say I am excited to coach this group of athletes is an understatement!”
CLASS 1A DI
Same story, same characters in 1A Division 1. Troy came out as state champions in 2022, defeating Genesee. These two schools are perennial favorites at the state tournament and in 2023 the outlook is the same.
Genesee returns five starters and will have Kendra Meyer taking over as their new setter. While junior Chole Grieser will be the Bulldogs’ primary option as a hitter, head coach Peter Crowley likes how his squad is shaping up “as they bring a lot of experience, especially defensively.” “We have enough offensive weapons to compete against good teams,” says Crowley. The competition in the White Pine league is always tough and fans can expect Troy and Genesee to battle each other for districts and the state title.
2022 was an exciting season for the Patriots of Liberty Charter High School as it was their best season in school history. Head coach Elizabeth Belknap hopes to “continue that momentum.” Belknap will rely on returning setter Aspen Davis to take the helm. Davis and four other starters will be joined by an athletic freshmen class, as they build a strong team.
The defending Scenic Idaho Conference champions, Wallace, are also returning a strong core of players. All-conference players Britany Phillips and Tia Hendrick will lead the five returning players for the Miners. Head coach Katie Bauer does have to replace a talented libero, Kynadee Gilmore, and is hoping for new defensive specialists, Anna Rehnborg and Amie Strange to step in. The Miners’ offense will be run by sophomore setter Aubrey Birdsell. Coach Bauer expects Phillips and Hendrick to “have a tremendous impact” as they are joined by Bethany Phillips and Megan Hull as offensive threats.
CLASS 1A DII
If you want to be a state champion in volleyball at the 1A Division II level, you better be prepared to overtake the back-to-back defending state champions, Horseshoe Bend. That might be a tall order this season, considering the Mustangs didn’t lose a single player from their 2022 roster. Head coach Sharsti Moore returns the 1A DII State Player of the Year and Conference Player of the Year, Annelie Wilson. Accompanying Wilson are fellow all-state and all-conference award winners Abby Howerton, Olivia Bauer, Aliyah Meyer, and Torey Tschida. This dynamic group of seniors and juniors are “very driven, focused and hungry for another championship,” says Moore. The Mustangs know there is pressure to have repeated success, but “they know what it takes and they aren’t going to let anything get in their way,” says Moore.
Knocking on the championship door will be the Rockland Bulldogs. They return their own core of players, with first team All-State setter, Calyn Permann leading the offense. Permann will be dishing out assists to middle blocker Autumn Farr who was a second team All-state selection in 2022. More threats on the front row will be opposite hitter Alexa Permann and outside hitters Kodee Rupe and Sydney Freeman. There will be some rebuilding as the Bulldogs need to replace twin sisters Taylor Wilson and Adelaide Wilson, as well as Emma Jensen. All three were top hitters and leaders on their 2022 squad which finished as the 2022 state runner up. “The young Bulldogs still possess weapons and experienced players to maintain a high level of competition,” says head coach Suzanne Wilson. Wilson hopes her team “can work hard and gel as a team, to compete in our district and return to the state tournament.”
Up north, Kendrick has scheduled a tough season in hopes of preparing them for a grueling state tournament. The Tigers return six starters, led by Hailey Taylor who earned second team All-State honors and was voted the White Pine Co-Player of the Year in 2022. Fellow seniors Harley Heimgartner, Ruby Stewart and Morgan Silflow will lead a strong core for Head coach Molly Olson. “We are excited to get back after it this year,” says Olson.
Fellow north Idaho teams, Deary and Clark Fork, will battle this 2023 season for a trip to the state tournament as well and hope to dethrone the Mustangs of Horseshoe Bend.
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