SBLive Arkansas high school volleyball Power 25: Matchups with top teams coming this week

By Jeff Halpern | Images by Karen Schwartz 

NOTE: Information have been adjusted to replicate the Arkansas Actions Affiliation’s new rule wherein pool-play matches in event don’t rely towards the group’s general file.

1. Fayetteville (12-1) 

Earlier Rank: No. 1

Final week: def. Rogers 3-0; def. No. 4 Fort Smith Southside 3-0; def. Torrey Pines (Calif.) 2-0; misplaced to Marymount (Calif.); def. Iolani (Hawaii) 2-0 for third place at Durango Fall Traditional, Las Vegas.

This week: at Springdale Har-Ber Tuesday; at Rogers Heritage Thursday

COMMENT: Girl Bulldogs end third within the 64-team event in Las Vegas. Brooke Rockwell and Kennedy Phelan had been named to the all-tournament group. Gained all three matches in pool play, dropping one set. They defeated Coronado (Calif.), Campoliindo (Calif.) and Moapa Valley (Nev.).

2. Benton (11-0)

Earlier Rank: No. 2

Final week: def. White Corridor 3-0; def. Sheridan 3-0.

This week: vs. No. 7 Brookland Monday; at No. 17 Scorching Springs Lakeside Tuesday; vs. Texarkana Thursday.

COMMENT: Showdown with 4A contender Brookland and first place on the road in 5A-South towards Lakeside.

3. Conway (8-2)

Final week: def. Fort Smith Northside 3-2; def. Little Rock Central 3-0.

This week: vs. No. 10 Jonesboro Tuesday; at Bryant Thursday; at Jonesboro Play Day Saturday

COMMENT: Wanted 5 units to knock of FS Northside. Central pushed Conway in first recreation earlier than Wampus Cats gained 31-29.

4. Cabot (7-3)

Earlier rank: No. 5.

Final week: def. Little Rock Central 3-0; def. Bryant 3-1.

This week: at North Little Rock Thursday.

COMMENT: Robust loss in matchup between No. 3 and No. 4 ranked groups.

5. Fort Smith Southside (8-4)

Earlier rank: No. 4.

Final week: def. Rogers Heritage 3-0; misplaced 3-0 to No. 1 Fayetteville

This week: at Springdale Tuesday; vs. Fort Smith Northside Thursday.

COMMENT: Girl Mavericks lose three video games to Fayetteville by 32 factors and see how large the hole is between Fayetteville and the remainder of the convention.

6. Little Rock Christian (9-2)

Earlier rank: No. 6.

Final week: def. Maumelle 3-0; def. Jacksonville 3-1.

This week: vs. Beebe Tuesday; at Vilonia Thursday.

COMMENT: Thursday matchup vs. Vilonia (6-1, 3-1) for first place in 5A-Central.

7. Brookland (8-3)

Earlier rank: No. 7.

Final week: def. Nettleton 3-0; def. Jonesboro Westside 3-0.

This week: at No. 2 Benton Monday; at Blytheville Tuesday; vs. No. 20 Batesville Southside Thursday.

COMMENT: Large week. Matchup between finest group in 5A and finest group in 4A and one with a great Batesville Southside group.

8. Valley View (8-2-1)

Earlier rank: No. 8.

Final week: def. Greene County Tech 3-0; def. West Memphis 3-0.

This week: vs. Nettleton Tuesday; at Searcy Thursday.

COMMENT: Micah McMillan, 18 kills and 12 digs in sweep of West Memphis.

9. Hackett (12-0)

Earlier rank: No. 10

Final week: def. Alma 3-0; def. West Fork 3-0; def. Inexperienced Forest 3-0

This week: vs. Booneville Tuesday; at Lincoln Thursday.

COMMENT: Mackenzie Mendenhall (11 kills), Makenzie Free (10 kills) and Prairie Vaughtn (24 assists) led the best way towards Alma.

10. Jonesboro (6-2)

Earlier rank: No. 9.

Final week: misplaced to Wynne 3-0; def. North Little Rock 3-0; def. Little Rock Southwest 3-0.

This week: at No. 3 Conway Tuesday; vs. Little Rock Central Thursday.

COMMENT: Head coach Nikki Skelton lauds Maddie Johnson (6 kills, 2 aces and three digs) in victory over LR Southwest. “She’s been working onerous and producing blocks and kills particularly when it’s crunch time,” Skelton stated.

11. Shiloh Christian (11-2)

Earlier rank: No. 11.

Final week: def. Carthage (Mo.) 3-0; at Clarksville 3-0; def. Pea Ridge 3-0

This week: vs. Gentry Tuesday; at Berryville Thursday.

COMMENT: Ryan Russell had 7 kills vs. Clarksville whereas Laila Creighton and Reese Jones mixed for 16 assists.

12. Mount St. Mary (7-3–1)

Earlier rank: No. 12.

Final week: def. Jacksonville 3-0; def. Little Rock Parkview 3-0

This week: vs. Maumelle Tuesday; vs. Sylvan Hills Thursday.

COMMENT: Belles off to 4-0 begin in 5A-Central.

13. Greenwood (9-2)

Earlier rank: No. 15.

Final week: def. Fort Smith Northside 3-0; def. Harrison 3-0; def. Siloam Springs 3-0.

This week: vs. No. 18 Mountain Residence Tuesday; at Alma Thursday; vs. No. 16 Baptist Prep and No. 15 Paris Saturday.

COMMENT: In all three matches, Myia McCoy had 42 kills, Tori Howard had 37 digs and Rylie Holland had 45 assists.

14. Mena (10-1)

Earlier rank: No. 18.

Final week: def. 13 Paris 3-2; def. Bauxite 3-0; def. Fountain Lake 3-0.

This week: at Waldron Tuesday; vs. Magnolia Thursday.

COMMENT: Girl Bearcats take an enormous step with a 5-set victory over Paris.

15. Paris (9-3)

Earlier rank: No. 13.

Final week: misplaced to No. 18 Mena 3-2; def. Lincoln 3-0; def. Charleston 3-0.

This week: vs. Elkins Tuesday; at Inexperienced Forest Thursday; at No. 13 Greenwood Saturday; vs. Greenbrier (at Greenwood) Saturday.

COMMENT: Misplaced a five-set match by a complete of 6 factors to a great Mena squad. Have an awesome matchup towards Greenwood this week.

16. Baptist Prep (13-1)

Earlier rank: No. 16.

Final week: def. Episcopal Collegiate 3-0; def. Perryville 3-0;

This week: vs. Charleston Monday; vs. Camden Concord Grove Tuesday; at Jessieville Thursday; at No. 13 Greenwood Saturday; vs. Greenbrier (at Greenwood) Saturday.

COMMENT: Eagles hold rolling. Large matchup with Greenwood this week.

17. Scorching Springs Lakeside (10-0)*

Earlier rank: 19.

Final week: def. Sheridan 3-0; def. Texarkana 3-0

This week: vs. No. 2 Benton Tuesday; vs. Scorching Springs Thursday.

COMMENT: Girl Rams get to see how they’re towards the most effective group in Class 5A.

* Girl Rams misplaced to Bryant in pool play in LRCA Traditional. Based on Arkansas Actions Affiliation guidelines, volleyball groups don’t rely the results of matches in pool play in tournaments to allow them to keep beneath the 30-match restrict.

18. Mountain Residence (7-1)

Earlier rank: Not ranked.

Final week: def. No. 17 Van Buren 3-1; def. Russellville 3-0.

This week: at No. 13 Greenwood Tuesday; at Greenbrier Thursday.

COMMENT: Girl Bombers solely loss on the season is to HS Lakeside. Have good victories vs. Brookland and Van Buren.

19. Mansfield (9-2)

Earlier rank: No. 20.

Final week: def. Eureka Springs 3-0; def. Mulberry 3-0.

This week: at No. 24 Thaden Tuesday; at No. 22 Life Manner Christian Thursday.

COMMENT: Not a lot stopping Girl Tigers who’ve a pair of massive matches this week.

20. Batesville Southside (10-2)

Earlier rank: No. 21.

Final week: def. Jonesboro Westside 3-0; def. Highland 3-0; def. Lonoke, def. Beebe, def. Sylvan Hills in Lonoke Event.

This week: vs. Forrest Metropolis Tuesday; at Brookland Thursday.

COMMENT: Caps week with Lonoke Event championship. Large take a look at Thursday vs. Brookland.

21. Van Buren (7-5)

Earlier rank: No. 17.

Final week: misplaced to Mountain Residence 3-1; def. Alma 3-0

This week: vs. Hackett Monday; at Harrison Tuesday; vs. Siloam Springs Thursday

COMMENT: Robust competitors, however I’m positive Van Buren head coach Brent Reeves needs he completed the week higher.

22. Life Manner Christian (7-2)

Earlier rank; No. 22.

Final week: def. Founders Classical 3-0; def. Ozark Traditional 3-1.

This week: at No. 24 Thaden Monday; at Decatur Tuesday; vs. No. 19 Mansfield Thursday.

COMMENT: Life Manner gained with out Tori Kelly towards Founders Classical who was nursing an injured ankle.

23. Lavaca (8-2)

Earlier rank: No. 24.

Final weeokay: def. Charleston 3-0; def. The New Faculty 3-0; def. No. 23 Thaden 3-0.

This week: at Eureka Springs Tuesday; vs. Mulberry and Nice View Thursday.

COMMENT: Robust loss vs. defending Class 2A state champions; one other large take a look at vs. No. 23 Thaden this week.

24. Thaden (8-4)

Earlier rank: No. 23.

Final week: misplaced to Gravette 3-2; def. Ozark Traditional 3-0; misplaced to 24 Lavaca 3-0; def. Elkins, def. Valley Springs, misplaced to Prairie Grove at Lincoln Event.

This week: vs. No. 22 Life Manner Christian Monday; vs. No. 19 Manfield Tuesday; at Eureka Springs (2) Thursday.

COMMENT: Completed second in Lincoln event. Large matchup vs. No. 22 Life Manner Christian.

25. Farmington (6-5)

Earlier rank: No. 25.

Final week: def. Ozark 3-0; def. Huntsville 3-1.

This week: at Alma Monday; vs. Gravette Tuesday; at Pea Ridge Thursday.

COMMENT: Two victories hold the Cardinals within the rankings for one more week.

DROPPED OUT

No. 14 Bentonville