Class A volleyball squads have one final step to take on the journey to the state tournament next week in Rapid City. As last week’s regions proved, postseason matches can be very hard to predict as numerous lower seeds knocked off higher seeds to scramble Tuesday’s SoDak 16 matchups.
There are four local squads still in the hunt for a state tournament berth. Here are short previews of each of those contests.
No. 12 Dakota Valley (18-10) vs. No. 5 Aberdeen Roncalli (20-5), 6:30 p.m. at Great Plains Lutheran
Something will have to give here.
Aberdeen Roncalli is the fifth seed and has lost to just two Class A opponents all season. The Cavaliers, who last played in a state tournament in 2018, will be looking for its fifth trip to the state tourney in school history.
Dakota Valley is far from your average 12th seed. Don’t let the Panthers’ 18-10 record fool you. Dakota Valley, which finished the season rated second in the Class A poll, lost three times to top-rated Class A Sioux Falls Christian, and once to top-rated Class AA Harrisburg.
The Panthers have played in 10 state tournaments, winning state championships in 2013 and 2016, and finishing runner-up four other times. Roncalli won the state title in 2002.
No. 14 Lennox (18-10) vs. No. 3 Groton (20-4), 6:30 p.m. Watertown Arena
This is an intriguing matchup.
Groton comes in with a ton of momentum. The third-seeded Tigers have won 13 matches in a row and lost just one set total during that run. Groton’s last setback occurred back on Sept. 19.
While Lennox has lost 10 matches this season, the Orioles are playing some of their best volleyball. They avenged three of those setbacks in rematches against Madison, Dell Rapids and Canton.
Both teams would relish a trip to the state tournament. Groton has only been in the state tourney once, in 2019, while Lennox has only been there twice, the last time coming in 1989.
No. 13 Flandreau (18-9) vs. No. 4 Miller (27-6), 7:30 p.m. at Huron Arena
This is an encounter of teams with much different volleyball histories.
Miller has been a regular at state tournaments, having competed in them a dozen times, most recently last season. Meanwhile, Flandreau has only advanced to the state tourney one time, back in 1987.
While Miller played in last year’s state tournament, the Rustlers were hit hard by graduation and took a bit to get on track this fall. However, Miller heads into this contest with wins in eight of its last nine matches. The Rustlers have just two losses to Class A teams this year.
Flandreau, has played a demanding schedule with losses to Dell Rapids, Elkton-Lake Benton, and Castlewood, teams also playing in SoDak 16 matches. The Fliers started out the season 7-6, but are peaking at the right time, as evidenced by a win over top-seeded Hamlin in the Region 2A tourney last week.
No. 9 Wagner (25-6) vs. No. 8 Mobridge-Pollock (26-7), 6:30 p.m. at Pierre
History will be on display during this matchup.
The Tigers have been to nine state tournaments either as Mobridge or Mobridge-Pollock, most recently as 2016. Wagner has been a regular at the state tourney with a dozen appearances, including last season.
Wagner, which has five players who stand 6-foot or taller, was runner-up in last year’s state basketball tournament. The Red Raiders also came up clutch in region action, defeating Parkston, which they lost to twice during the season.
Mobridge-Pollock, which played a schedule loaded with quality foes, showed it can compete at a high level with wins over fellow SoDak 16 participants Elkton-Lake Benton and Platte-Geddes.
