HS volleyball state tournament storylines and players to watch
The Oklahoma high school volleyball state tournaments for Classes 6A and 5A are set to begin Monday.
The 6A quarterfinals and semifinals will be held Monday in Catoosa. The finals are scheduled for Tuesday in Verdigris. All 5A competition will be held in Verdigris on the same days.
Here are the top local storylines and some players to watch during the tournaments.
Top storylines
Norman North looks to make school history: Although the Timberwolves have advanced to the 6A state tournament in eight consecutive years, they’ve never won a title. Norman North is one of the hottest teams in 6A and has won 16 straight matches. With senior University of Central Oklahoma commit Lari Migliorino and junior West Virginia commit Katie Kolar leading the way, the Timberwolves will try to make school history. Norman North will play Broken Arrow in the quarterfinals at 1:30 p.m. Monday.
Edlam rivals to face off: Crosstown rivals Edmond Santa Fe and Edmond Memorial are set to face off in the 6A quarterfinals at 3:15 p.m. Monday. The teams have played each other twice this season, and both won a match. Edmond Santa Fe beat the Bulldogs 3-0 in the Heather Harkness Invitational on Sept. 11. Edmond Memorial got revenge on
Sept. 14, beating the Wolves 3-2.
Southeast enters state tournament on a roll: The Spartans will take
an 18-match win streak into the 5A state tournament and have standout players in seniors Annika Tinsley and Melanie Zubiate, among others. Southeast, which will attempt to win its first volleyball state title, is scheduled to play Lawton MacArthur in the quarterfinals at 3:15 p.m. Monday.
Mount St. Mary focused on returning to title match: The Rockets advanced to the 5A state championship last year and lost to Tulsa Victory Christian. Mount St. Mary is back in the state tournament and has a shot at winning its first championship since 2016. The Rockets are led by a pair of seniors in outside hitter Hadley Moses and setter
Shelby O’Steen and will open against Duncan at 11:45 a.m. Monday.
Players to watch
Class 6A
Maddie Edwards, Sr., Edmond Santa Fe: She has a .350 hitting percentage, 285 kills and 82 blocks this year. Edwards was named the most valuable player of the Heather Harkness Invitational last month.
Lari Migliorino, Sr., Norman North: She accomplished a rare feat during regionals, surpassing 1,000 career kills.
Kathrin Rowe, So., Edmond Memorial: She leads the Bulldogs with 315 kills and is second on the team with 273 digs.
Cami Turner, Sr., Deer Creek: A setter and team captain, Turner runs the offense for Deer Creek, which will take a 23-7 record into the state tournament.
Class 5A
Emily Boyer, Jr., Carl Albert: She’s a six-rotation player for the Titans, who are 22-10. Boyer plays a big role in the offense and has had several stellar performances.
Kaylie Marshall, Jr., Piedmont: She’s led Piedmont to a 20-11 record, recording 207 kills, 107 digs, 35 assists and 14 aces.
Hadley Moses, Sr., Mount St., Mary: The outside hitter has accumulated hundreds of kills and digs and more than 60 aces this season.
Annika Tinsley, Sr., Southeast: The middle hitter had 21 kills in Southeast’s regional championship against El Reno.