SBLive Arkansas Power 25 high school volleyball rankings (Oct. 10)

By Jeff Halpern | Photos by Braeden Botts

NOTE: Records have been adjusted to reflect the Arkansas Activities Association’s new rule in which pool-play matches in tournament do not count toward the team’s overall record. 

1. Fayetteville (20-2)

Previous Rank: No. 1

Last week: def. Bentonville West 3-0.

This week: vs. Rogers Tuesday; at No. 4 Fort Smith Southside Thursday.

COMMENT: Nothing stopping the Lady Bulldogs who have big 6A-West Conference match against Fort Smith Southside, which they defeated 3-0 on Sept. 14.

2. Benton (22-0)

Previous Rank: No. 2

Last week: def. Lake Hamilton 3-0; def. No. 4 Cabot 3-1; def. White Hall 3-0.

This week: at Sheridan Tuesday; vs. No. 18 Hot Springs Lakeside Thursday.

COMMENT: List of teams Lady Panthers have defeated is impressive.

3. Conway (19-2)

Previous rank: No. 3

Last week: def. No. 4 Cabot 3-1; Lady Cat Invitational: def. Jonesboro 2-0; def. No. 14 Mount St. Mary 2-0; def. No. 7 Valley View 2-0 to win Gold Bracket.

This week: vs. Little Rock Central Tuesday; at Jonesboro Thursday.

COMMENT: Lady Wampus Cats undefeated in 6A-Central. Have a big rematch with No. 4 Cabot. Saniyah Rippond and Kim Quinit named to all-tournament team.

4. Fort Smith Southside (16-5)

Previous rank: No. 5.

Last week: def. Springdale Har-Ber 3-1; def. Bentonville 3-1.

This week: at Rogers Heritage Tuesday; vs. No. 1 Fayetteville Thursday.

COMMENT: Lady Mavericks get another chance to see if they can knock off the beast in No. 1 Fayetteville.

5. Brookland (22-4)

Previous rank: No. 6.

Last week: at Marion 3-0; def. Pocahontas 3-0; def. Highland 3-0; at Lady Cat Invitational: def. No. 21 Mountain Home 2-0; def. Nettleton 2-0; def. No. 16 Baptist Prep 2-0 to win silver bracket.

This week: vs. Trumann Monday; at No. 19 Batesville Southside Tuesday.

COMMENT: A 2-1 loss to No. 14 Mount St. Mary in pool play dropped Brookland into Silver Bracket where the Bearcats recovered to win its bracket. Chloe Rodriguez and Destiny Calderon named to all-tournament team in silver bracket.

6. Valley View (15-4–1)

Previous rank: No. 7.

Last week: def. Paragould Tuesday; def. Greene County Tech 3-0 at Lady Cat Invitational: def. Greenbrier 2-0; def. No. 4 Cabot 2-0; lost to No. 3 Conway 2-0 in Gold Bracket finals.

This week: vs. West Memphis Tuesday; at Nettleton Thursday.

COMMENT: Lady Blazers continue to rack up quality victories before falling to best team in 6A Central. Micah McMillan named to all-tournament team in gold bracket.

7. Greenwood (17-2)

Previous rank: No. 9.

Last week: def. Van Buren 3-0; def. Harrison 3-1.

This week: vs. Siloam Springs Tuesday; at Mountain Home Thursday; at Ozark, Mo. Tournament Friday-Saturday

COMMENT: Lady Bulldogs get an out-of-state tournament in Missouri as they ramp up for state tournament. Miya McCoy had 29 kills and 6 blocks in both victories this week. Rylie Holland had 35 assists in both victories. Ashyln Butler had 30 assists in both victories.

8. Little Rock Christian (16–4)

Previous rank: No. 8.

Last week: def. Little Rock Parkview 3-0; def. Maumelle 3-0 at Lady Cat Invitational: lost to No. 14 Mount St. Mary 2-0;.

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

COMMENT: Lost close match to Mount St. Mary in Gold Bracket quarterfinals. Rori Rowan named to all-tournament team.

9. Cabot (14-7)

Previous rank: No. 4.

Last week: lost to No. 3 Conway 3-1; lost to No. 2 Benton 3-1; def. Little Rock Central 3-2; at Lady Cat Invitational: def. No. 11 Shiloh Christian 2-0; lost to No. 7 Valley View 2-0.

This week: vs. Bryant Tuesday.

COMMENT: Two of the games Cabot lost against Conway were by a total of 5 points. Cabot won first game against Benton before dropping final three. Had nice victory over Shiloh Christian in Lady Cat Invitational where Jenna Delamater was named to all-tournament team.

10. Hackett (21-1)

Previous rank: No. 10.

Last week: def. No. 18 Paris 3-0; def. West Fork 3-0.

This week: vs. Green Forest Tuesday; at Booneville Thursday.

COMMENT: Hackett gets season sweep vs. Paris. Two more potential matchups in district and state tournaments.

11. Mena (19-2)

Previous rank: No. 12.

Last week: def. Arkadelphia 3-0; def. Malvern 3-0; Lady Eagle Invitational: def. Charleston 2-0; def. Fountain Lake 2-0; def. No. 18 Paris 2-0 to win tournament title.

This week: at Ashdown Monday; vs. Bauxite Thursday.

COMMENT: Two tournament titles for Mena which is looking for one more.

12. Shiloh Christian (16-4)

Previous rank: No. 11

Last week: def. Ozark 3-0; def. Prairie Grove 3-0; at Lady Cat Invitational: lost to No. 4 Cabot 2-0 in gold bracket.

This week: at Farmington Tuesday; at Clarksville Thursday.

COMMENT: Loss to Cabot was first in 3 weeks, snapping 5-match winning streak. Bella Bonanno named to all-tournament team in gold bracket.

13. Mansfield (18-3)

Previous rank: No. 13.

Last week: def. Farmington 3-0; def. The New School 3-0; def. No. 22 Lavaca 3-0; Lady Eagle Invitational: lost to No. 18 Paris; def. Greene County Tech 3-0

This week: vs. Thaden Monday; vs. Eureka Springs Tuesday; vs. Mulberry Thursday.

COMMENT: 14-match winning streak snapped with loss to Paris before winning consolation match.

14. Mount St. Mary (13-6–1)

Previous rank: No. 14.

Last week: def. Vilonia 3-2; def. Jacksonville 3-0; Lady Cat Invitational: def. Little Rock Christian 2-0; lost to No. 3 Conway 2-0.

This week: vs. Little Rock Parkview Tuesday; at Maumelle Thursday.

COMMENT: Advanced to gold bracket with 2-1 victory over No. 6 Brookland in pool play; avenged loss on Sept. 27 to LR Christian. Looking for conference victory over Warriors on Oct. 20. Mallory Mansfield named to all-tournament team in gold bracket.

15. Baptist Prep (19-4)

Previous rank: No. 16.

Last week: def. Central Arkansas Christian 3-0; def. LISA Academy North 3-0; Lady Cat Invitational: def. Conway JV 2-0; def. Little Rock Central 2-0, lost 2-1 to No. 6 Brookland in silver bracket.

This week: vs. Maumelle Charter Tuesday; vs. Mayflower Thursday.

COMMENT: Loss to Greenbrier knocked Lady Eagles into silver bracket where they took lost two games by six points to Brookland. Allison Jackson named to all-tournament team in silver bracket.

16. Wynne (15-5)

Previous rank: No. 15.

Last week: def. West Memphis 3-1; def. No. 20 Batesville Southside 3-0; at Lady Cat Invitational: lost 2-1 to Little Rock Central in silver bracket.

This week: vs. Jonesboro Westside Tuesday; at Forrest City Thursday.

COMMENT: Loss to Cabot in pool play knocked Yellow Jackets into silver bracket and loss to 9-7 Central knocked them out of bracket play. Cassidi Campbell named to all-tournament team in silver bracket.

17. Paris (15-8)

Previous rank: No. 18.

Last week: lost to No. 10 Hackett 3-1; def. Lincoln 3-0; Lady Eagle Invitational: def, Pea Ridge 2-0; def. No. 13 Mansfield 2-0; lost 2-0 to No. 12 Mena in finals.

This week: vs. Charleston Tuesday; vs. Elkins Thursday.

COMMENT: After recent rough sledding, Lady Eagles have some momentum. They picked up victories over No. 22 Lavaca and No. 20 Batesville Southside in pool play before knocking off No. 13 Mansfield in semifinals.

18. Hot Springs Lakeside (17-4)

Previous rank: 19.

Last week: def. White Hall 3-0; lost to Sheridan 3-1; at Lady Cat Invitational: def. No. 17 Episcopal Collegiate 2-1; def. Siloam Springs 2-1; lost 2-1 to Vilonia in bronze bracket final

This week: at Texarkana Tuesday; at Benton Thursday.

COMMENT: Tournament got off to a rough start with losses in pool play to Jonesboro and Nettelton before rallying with trip to finals in bronze bracket. Maddie Belle Landy named to all-tournament team in bronze bracket.

19. Batesville Southside (19-4)

Previous rank: No. 20.

Last week: lost to No. 15 Wynne 3-0; def. Pocahontas 3-0; Paris Invitational; def. Paris JV; def. Lavaca win win silver bracket

This week: vs. Brookland Tuesday; at Trumann Thursday.

COMMENT: Lost to Paris and Lavaca in pool play, but rebounded to beat Lavaca to win silver bracket.

No. 20 Pottsville (14-4)

Previous rank: Not ranked

Last week: def. Mills 3-0; def. Lonoke 3-1.

This week: vs. Pulaski Academy Monday; vs. Dover Thursday.

COMMENT: Apaches leading 4A-Central at 8-0 and have several quality wins against Episcopal, Morrilton and Joe T. Robinson. Two of their losses have come to No. 16 Wynne and No. 15 Baptist Prep.

21. Episcopal Collegiate (14-4)

Previous rank: No. 17.

Last week: def. Central Arkansas Christian 3-0; def. Jessieville 3-1; Lady Cat Invitational: lost 2-1 to Hot Springs Lakeside in bronze bracket.

COMMENT: Episcopal hopes rough showing at Lady Cat Invitational (0-3 in pool play with losses to No. 3 Conway and Russellville) can pay off down the road. Laney Marsh named to all-tournament team in bronze bracket.

22. Conway St. Joseph (17-2)

Previous rank: Not ranked

Last week: def. Quitman 3-0; def. Marshall 3-1; def. Conway Christian 3-2.

This week: at Jacksonville Monday; vs. Cotter Tuesday; at Alpena Thursday.

COMMENT: Leading 2A-North at 14-0. Wrapped up busy week with a win over 14-3 Conway Christian with three of the five sets being decided by 7 points.

23. Lavaca (16-4)

Previous rank: No. 22.

Last week: def. Ozark Classic 3-0; lost to No. 13 Mansfield 3-0; Paris Invitational: def. Booneville 2-0; lost to Batesville Southside in silver bracket.

This week: vs. Eureka Springs Monday; vs. The New School Tuesday; at Thaden Thursday.

COMMENT: Hit a rough patch with a loss to Mansfield, a loss to Paris in pool play and Batesville Southside in the silver bracket.

24. Thaden (17-5)

Previous rank: No. 24.

Last week: def. Rogers Heritage 3-1; def. Founders Classical 3-0; def. Decatur 3-0.

This week: at Mansfield Monday; at Ozark Classic Tuesday; vs. Lavaca Thursday.

COMMENT: Rogers Heritage (3-13), but Thaden beats a 6A school along with 2 2A-West opponents. Faces big test on Monday.

25. Life Way Christian (11-5)

Previous rank; No. 24.

Last week: def. Eureka Springs 3-0; def. Mulberry 3-0; def. The New School 3-0.

This week: at Founders Classical Tuesday; vs. Ozark Catholic Thursday.

COMMENT: Warriors collect three 2A-West victories.

DROPPED OUT

No. 21 Mountain Home, No. 25 Valley Springs.