Quick turnaround has Colorado high school volleyball teams back in action

The fall 2021 season is back at full length, meaning more teams will get their shot to make a run at a state title in November.


Class 5A
Grandview (Aurora): Two of three of the Wolves' big hitters were underclassmen in the spring, which gives them a great shot to contend for the 5A title. Emerson Deferme was second on the team with 141 kills and Haley Glunz added 129.

Breklyn Pulling (12), Mountain Vista

File photo by Matt Daniels

Isabel Bennett comes back for her senior year after leading the team in blocks with 77 blocks and will make things difficult for opposing hitters throughout the season.

Mountain Vista (Highlands Ranch): Entering the spring state tournament as the No. 1 overall seed, the Golden Eagles suffered a disappointing loss in the first round. While they graduated a good amount of seniors, they also have a lot of talented players returning to their rotation this fall. That includes Breklyn Pulling, who was second on the team with 132 kills. She and Leah Kahns combined for 71 total blocks, giving the team a strong overall presence around the net.

Rampart (Colorado Springs): Coming off the program's first state championship, the Rams will have to replace two Division I hitters who graduated. Brielle Edwards returns as the top leading hitter as she totaled 58 kills in the spring. Sophomore Izzy Starck will have a more important role this season after totaling 506 assists and 127 digs as a freshman. The cupboard isn't exactly bare for the Rams, but it will be a tough road for them to defend their title.

Other players to watch: Carter Booth, Cherry Creek (Greenwood Village); Katie Gallery, Pueblo West; Emerson Reinke, Ralston Valley (Arvada).

Class 4A
Cheyenne Mountain (Colorado Springs): A run to the semifinals ended in disappointment for a program used to winning state titles. Now branded as the Red-Tailed Hawks, Cheyenne Mountain returns a lot of talent from that squad and is eager for another run through the state tournament. Karlee Pinell should build on a season where she finished with 192 kills. Jessie Duytschaever led the team in service aces (39) and assists (546). They'll have to run through a tough league in the PPAC, but it should make the Hawks battle-tested come the postseason.

Mead (Longmont): As the No. 5 seed in the state tournament, Mead beat No. 4 Coronado (Colorado Springs) and No. 1 Windsor to get to the state title match. The Mavericks fell to Palmer Ridge in four sets, but showed a lot of promise at the right time. Quincey Coyle and Morgan Munro combined for more than 350 kills. Munro led the team with 35 blocks, while Coyle was big defensively with 107 digs.

Palmer Ridge (Monument): Despite suffering a five-match losing streak in the middle of the season, the Bears caught fire and won the 4A state title. They have a couple of big hitters in Madison Wilson (157 kills) and sophomore Eva LaRochelle (117 kills) back on the floor. The Bears will also be a challenge for opposing hitters as Claire Johnson and Kyra Kisting return after recording at least 20 blocks apiece.

Other players to watch: Kinley Lindhardt, Frederick; Mason Rowland, Durango; Allison Waller, Berthoud.

Class 3A
Eaton: After a brief championship drought, the Reds finally recaptured the 3A crown, going 18-0 on the year. They'll have some production to replace, and Ainslie Ross figures to be one of the key players who will step up this fall. She totaled 74 kills last spring and also showed good range around the net with 33 blocks. Rylee Martin will be back after dishing out 595 assists. Eaton has traditionally done very well with transitioning through classes, and it will have to do it again in the fall.

Montezuma-Cortez: A strong blend of juniors and seniors resulted in a very successful season for the Panthers. The seniors are gone, but the juniors who were around were a big reason for the run to the 3A semifinals. Avery Wright led the team with 185 kills and helped around the net defensively with 31 blocks. Adezdiin Boeckman will continue to be a vital piece of the offense as she comes back after amassing 454 assists in the spring.

Sterling: A loss to Eaton in the state championship match is sure to be on the mind of the seniors returning from the spring. Sydney Henry had a team-high 289 kills and Kaylee Johnson added 132. Emerie Rios should have another productive season after totaling 111 kills, 137 digs and 109 service receives. The Tigers have a strong foundation returning, and the feeling of missing out on a state championship should be a huge motivation for the team over the next couple of months.

Other players to watch: Avah Armour, Manitou Springs; Sydney Dunning, Lamar; Reina Krueger, Liberty Common (Fort Collins).

Class 2A
Denver Christian: The Thunder rolled through the regular season and regionals before earning the No. 2 seed in the 2A tournament. They ran into a buzzsaw in No. 3 Sedgwick County and fell in the semifinals. Sophomore Abbie Roettjer will also have an increased after leading the team with 191 digs.

Sedgwick County (Julesburg): The Cougars suffered three losses to just two teams last spring. Those two teams just happened to advance to the 2A semifinals. Sedgwick County moved all the way through the bracket to the state title game before getting swept by Wiggins. Losing just two seniors from the roster, the Cougars should be right back in the title hunt. Gabrielle Powell led all hitters with 255 kills while Kierra Ehnes, Alison Woodhams and Jensen Renquist combined for another 515. That's more than 800 kills coming back this season, which will make Sedgwick County one of the hardest hitting teams in the state.

Wiggins: The defending 2A champs are in a strong position to repeat this fall. Rachael White comes back with 147 kills from last year, Lexi McCullough totaled a staggering 55 blocks and Avery Burdette had 457 digs. Those are the numbers that will make the Tigers another championship contender this fall.

Other players to watch: Emma Luce, Meeker; Kelci Madrid, Del Norte; Emery Berry, Telluride.

Class 1A
Fleming: The Wildcats were one set away from claiming another state volleyball title, but the relatively young squad couldn't hold off a hungry Merino team. They don't anticipate running into that same problem this year as Kally Kirkwood and Whitney Chintala bring back their combined 527 kills. Lexi Schaefer brings back 307 service receives and will remain a crucial piece in getting the offense setup. With plenty of offense returning from last year's runner-up team, the Wildcats will once again be right in the middle of the state championship picture.

Merino: The two losses that Merino had last year had to be crucial in helping them win the 1A state title. They lost to Sterling and Sedgwick County in five sets each, then the Rams found themselves down 2-0 in the state title match. They rallied back to claim the title and are looking for a repeat season this fall. They lose a couple of key seniors but will get plenty of production back as Taysa Conger returns after leading the team in kills with 345. Sophomore Mackenna Sutter should follow up a strong rookie campaign that saw her put down 178 kills while leading the Rams in service aces (48) and digs (298).

Wiley: With just one loss heading into the state tournament, Wiley looked every bit the part of a championship worthy team. The Panthers suffered a heartbreaking 3-0 to Sangre de Cristo to open the state tournament. Their biggest advantage heading into this fall is that plenty of players return and they'll remember the feeling of that loss until they get the chance to correct it. Demi Wollert and Fatima Gomez will lead the attack after totaling 156 and 144 kills, respectively. Grace White will have an increased role when it comes to digging and receiving serves, but she gained valuable experience as a freshman last season and should be up to it.

Other players to watch: Glorya Carr, Genoa-Hugo/Karval; Kylie Krise, Briggsdale; Allie Thompson, Haxtun.