By RICHIE HALL
Sectional 8 is tough in every sport, and this season’s volleyball tournament will be no exception.
In fact, this year the sectional, which is hosted by Westfield, will be a challenge right from the beginning. The first match is between old rivals Hamilton Southeastern and Fishers, both of which are ranked in the top 10 in Class 4A. That contest begins at 6 p.m. Thursday, to be followed by a match between Carmel and Anderson.
The Thursday winners will play the semi-finals on Saturday morning against the two teams that received byes. The host Shamrocks will take on the Royals-Tigers winner, while defending champion Noblesville will play the Greyhounds-Indians winner. The semi-finals start at 11 a.m., with the championship match at 7 p.m.
If one needs proof of how tough the sectional is, take a look at the MaxPreps Class 4A rankings. Four of the teams in Sectional 8 are rated in the top 25: Southeastern is ranked No. 4, Fishers is No. 6, Carmel is No. 11 and Westfield is No. 21.
So, that means the two highest-ranked teams will play each other in the opener. The Royals and the Tigers met back on Sept. 6 for their regular-season match, which Southeastern won in a sweep, 25-17, 25-21, 25-18.
The Royals finished their regular season 25-7 and tied for the Hoosier Crossroads Conference championship with Avon, both teams had 6-1 HCC records. Senior Taylor Shelton has led the HSE attack, with 308 total kills. Junior Grace Hunter is right behind with 286 kills; those are averages of 3.4 per set for Shelton and 2.9 per set for Hunter.
Shelton also leads the way in aces, serving 51 for the season. Sophomore Olivia Phillips has done well setting the ball, dishing out 937 assists, an average of 10 per set.
On defense, sophomore Carly Mills has collected 447 digs. Sophomore Delaney Garner has 69 total blocks (combined solo and assist), with junior Maddie Cole making 46 blocks. Garner also has hit 182 kills on a hitting percentage of .392.
Fishers will come into the match with a 21-4 record and a third-place finish in the HCC with a 5-2 record. The Tigers are on an 11-match win streak, with their last loss to Brownsburg in five sets on Sept. 13. Since then, Fishers has only dropped two sets while winning 29; this includes a four-set victory over 4A No. 3 Avon on Sept. 20 and a three-set sweep of 3A No. 3 Brebeuf Jesuit just last Tuesday.
Sophomores Jada Allen and Camryn Haworth are leading the Tiger hitting. Allen has 197 kills, an average of 2.7 per set, on a hitting percentage of .406. Meanwhile, Haworth has put down 185 kills, or 2.6 per set. Camryn Haworth also has served 39 aces, with senior Audrey Haworth hitting 37 aces for the season.
Senior Rose Duffy has handed out 664 assists, an average of 9.2 per set. Defensively, senior Emma Rosenberg has made 260 digs (4.1 per set), while senior Haley Soper has been a force at the net with 77 total blocks (1.2 per set). Allen has 70 blocks, or 1.0 per set.
CARMEL-ANDERSON
The Greyhounds will come into their first-round sectional match also on an 11-match win streak. Carmel is 23-8 for the season and has not lost since Sept. 8, when it fell to 4A No. 7 Castle in five sets.
The ‘Hounds finished play in the Metropolitan Conference with a 6-1 record, behind only Center Grove’s undefeated 7-0. The Trojans are ranked fifth in 4A and beat Carmel in four sets on Aug. 28.
Senior Elana Brueggemann has been a powerful hitter for the Greyhounds, averaging 3.4 kills per set. (Complete stats are unavailable.) Senior Sophie Oliphant is averaging around 4.5 digs per set, while senior Lauren Van Remortel is handing out 5.1 assists per set.
Anderson is 3-20 for the season. The Indians have wins for the season over Marion, Anderson Prep Academy and Edinburgh.
WESTFIELD
The Shamrocks are 19-14 and finished their regular season with a big win at the Lawrence North Wildcat Invitational. Westfield took down Blackhawks Christian, Roncalli, Lawrence North and Muncie Burris to win the event.
The ‘Rocks are led on offense by two consistently big hitters. Sophomore Kenzie Daffinee has 334 kills to her credit, an average of 3.3 per set. Senior Kinsey McAfee is next in line with 276 kills, 2.8 per set. Daffinee also leads in service aces with 73 this season.
Sophomore Sarah Weglarz has dished out 823 assists, an 8.5 per set clip. As for the defense, junior Anna Johnsey has 72 total blocks, while senior Bailey Medler has collected 467 digs, 4.9 per set.
NOBLESVILLE
The Millers finished the regular season 11-22. Junior Lexie Almodovar is far and away the leading hitter with 527 kills, a remarkable 4.8 per set. Senior Kayla Thompson has 53 aces, with Almodovar right behind, totaling 46. Sophomores Bella Hines and Ava Nichols both have served 40 aces.
Nichols has done well setting, totaling 1,024 assists, or 9.4 per set. Almodovar has 258 digs (2.4 per set), while Thompson has collected 223 digs (2.5 per set). Hines has made 43 blocks, with freshman Ella Peter right behind at 42 blocks.
OTHER SECTIONALS
Guerin Catholic will open play at Class 3A Sectional 27 at Crispus Attucks Thursday by taking on Cardinal Ritter. The match begins at 7 p.m. with the winner to play the host Tigers in the Saturday morning semi-finals.
The Golden Eagles are 12-13 for the season and played Ritter on Sept. 24, winning in four sets. Guerin’s offensive leader is senior Jasmine Wolfgram, who has put down 187 kills this season, averaging 3.5 per set.
Sophomore Sydney Jachimowicz leads the serving category with 33 aces, followed by junior Olivia McCall’s 31. Junior Ashley Utnage has dished out 575 assists, or 8.0 per set. Senior Catalina Dunasky has made 334 digs (4.5 per set) and junior Izzie McGuinness has 42 blocks.
The Raiders are 11-18 for the season. Senior Grace Armbruster has put down 224 kilsls this season, or 2.5 per set. Another senior, MariClaire Warnock, has hit 53 aces. Two players have shared setting duties: Warnock has 392 assists, while junior Megan Van Gheem has 304 assists.
On defense, junior Linsey Waggoner has collected 269 season digs, with Warnock at 268 digs. Senior Abbey Webb has made 26 total blocks.
Sheridan is playing in Class 2A Sectional 40 at Lapel. The Blackhawks got one of the byes and will take on the winner of Thursday’s Frankton-Elwood match on Saturday morning.
Sheridan is 5-20 for the season. Sophomore Allie Delph has 116 kills for the ‘Hawks, while junior Cheyenne Brooks has served 23 aces. Delph and sophomore Emma Went both have hit 21 aces. Senior Maddie Zola has dished out 90 assists, with Delph handing out 85 for the seaosn.
Senior Olivia Raines leads the defense with 182 digs, an average of 2.8 per set.The Blackhawks have been a strong blocking team: Brooks has 118 blocks (1.7 per set), with junior Becca Merritt making 108 blocks (1.8 per set).
University is hosting Class 1A Sectional 58 this year. The Trailblazers will play Traders Point Christian Academy at 6 p.m. Thursday in their first-round match. The two teams met back on Aug. 13 in the first match of their seasons, with the ‘Blazers getting a three-set sweep. Traders Point is 9-7 for the season.
University, ranked No. 22 in 1A, holds a 15-7 record. Junior Stella Behforouz has hit 197 kills this season, averaging 3.1 per set. Freshman Jillian Sager has been a solid server, hitting 57 aces. Junior Gillian Monroe has handed out 402 assists, a 6.0 average. On defense, Behforouz has totaled 213 digs, while junior Lindsey Syrek has made 44 blocks.
Westfield sophomore Kenzie Daffinee has hit 334 kills for the Shamrocks this season, the most on the team. Daffinee is pictured here at Saturday’s Lawrence North Wildcat Invitational, which Westfield won. The ‘Rocks play the winner of the Hamilton Southeastern-Fishers match-up in Satuday’s sectional semi-finals. (Kirk Green)