By Dean Backes
MaxPreps.com
Any talk of high school volleyball in Kansas should begin with Centralia. Sure, there are better high school volleyball teams in the Sunflower State year-in-and-year-out, but no other Kansas high school volleyball program has won more championship-caliber games than Centralia has over the past 10 years.
"We take advantage of every second of every practice," Kimbrook Tennel said when discussing what makes the program he and his wife (Kim) run together, click. "To have a great practice, the practice has to be planned. Our (practices) are very intense from beginning to end. They have to be. The players have to know where to go.when to be there.and how to get there fast."
With the exception of the 2005 and 2006 seasons, the Tennels have guided the Panthers to three undefeated seasons, two one-loss seasons and a 312-11 (.966) record since Kim arrived as the school's head coach in 1988. After a layoff during the 2005 and 2006 seasons the Tennels are back guiding Centralia during the 2007 campaign. Tennel said that in order to achieve the success they have over the last decade, a lot has to go right.
"Again, our practices are very intense," Kimbrook said in reference to winning streaks of 126 and 137 games that the Tennels have achieved over the years. "We don't take anybody for granted and you have to be a little lucky to go on a run like that."
So far, this season, the preseason top-ranked Panthers are 5-2 following a weekend tournament and a triangular with conference foes Axtell and Valley Heights earlier this week. Centralia, which will be led by junior outside hitter Molly Winkler, suffered the two losses against Wamego (4A) and Rock Creek (3A) during the Wabunsee Tournament last weekend. Still, Tennnel likes his team's chances of competing for the Kansas 1A State Volleyball Championship later this fall.The Panthers (25-9 in 2006) may well be pressed in 1A state competition by fellow Twin Valley member Linn (25-16). Greensburg (39-1), Atwood and Wheatland (26-11) are expected to pick up the 3, 4 and 5 spots in the rankings this year.
In the other five classes, Washburn Rural (6A), Saint Thomas Aquinas (5A), Eudora (4A), Silver Lake (3A) and Moundridge (2A) should take home the hardware in their respective classes.
2007 Kansas Preseason Volleyball Rankings
Class 1A
1. Centralia (35-7)
2. Linn (25-16)
3. Greensburg (39-1)
4. Atwood (N/A)
5. B&B Baileyville (31-2)
Teams to Watch: Wheatland (26-11), Weskan (18-13), Brewster (35-6), Olpe (35-3)
Class 2A
1. Moundridge (38-0)
2. St. Marys (34-5)
3. St. John Hudson (28-8)
4. Valley Heights (31-6)
5. Cimarron (26-14)
Teams to Watch: Flinthills (31-3), Oakley (29-9), Sedan (30-7)
Class 3A
1. Silver Lake (28-10)
2. Sacred Heart (33-3)
3. Hillsboro (35-3)
4. Osage City (25-13)
5. Phillipsburg (29-4)
Teams to Watch: Frontenac (30-6), Wellsville (38-5)
Class 4A
1. Eudora (40-7)
2. Topeka-Hayden (40-5)
3. Circle (42-3)
4. Colby (32-9)
5. Abilene (27-7)
Teams to Watch: Paola (35-7), Tonganoxie (32-9), Santa Fe Trail (29-5)
Class 5A
1. St. Thomas Aquinas (37-6)
2. Bishop Miege (35-6)
3. Newton (37-8)
4. Shawnee Heights (38-6)
5. Bishop Carroll (26-9)
Teams to Watch: Lansing (26-10), Topeka Seaman (25-16)
Class 6A
1. Washburn Rural (35-10)
2. Blue Valley West (24-17)
3. Shawnee Mission East (26-8)
4. Olathe South (34-5)
5. Maize (30-14)
Teams to Watch: Lawrence Free State (27-11), Shawnee Mission West (30-11)
Returning 2006 Kansas Volleyball Association All-State Players:
Class 1A: Player of the Year Apryl Schmucker, S/MB, 1st team all-state, Little River; Bailea Phelan, OH, 1st team all-state, Quivira Heights; Miranda Wilgers, OH, 2nd team all-state, Linn; Molly Winkler, OH, honorable mention all-state, Centralia; Kyndell Schmidt, OH, honorable mention all-state, Spearville; Meagan Weaver, MB, honorable mention all-state, Wheatland.
Class 2A: Player of the Year Dana Loganbill, MB, 1st team all-state, Moundridge; Katie Vogts, OH, 1st team all-state, Moundridge; Meagan Lueger, OH, 1st team all-state, St. Marys; Heather Perry, MB, 1st team all-state, St. Marys; Beth Cornwell, MB, 2nd team all-state, St. John; Laura Kinderknecht, S, honorable mention all-state, St. Marys; Krista Banzhaf, S, honorable mention all-state, Lyndon; Kelli Johnson, OH, honorable mention all-state, Ell-Saline.
Class 3A: Katie Pratt, OH, 1st team all-state, Sacred Heart; Jordan Lockwood, OH, 1st team all-state, Silver Lake; Whitney Gillman, L, 2nd team all-state, Silver Lake; Abby Wittman, S, 2nd team all-state, Sacred Heart; Amanda Pfannenstiel, S, 2nd team all-state, Silver Lake; Jordan Nettleingham, OH/MB, 2nd team all-state, Hoisington; Katelyn Schmidtberger, OH, 2nd team all-state, Sacred Heart; Sara Wetzel, OH, honorable mention all-state, Silver Lake; Paige Forte, MB, honorable mention all-state, Osage City.
Class 4A: Corrine Stringer, OH, 1st team all-state, Topeka-Hayden; Meryl Loop, S/OH, 1st team all-state, Circle; Lissa Mazanec, MB, 1st team all-state, Colby; Nikki Snider, MB, 2nd team all-state, Eudora; Crystal Blue, OH, 2nd team all-state, Augusta; Gina Hullett, MB, honorable mention all-state, Abilene; Emily Forbes, OH, honorable mention all-state, Santa Fe Trail.
Class 5A: Player of the Year Camri Zwiesler, MB, 1st team all-state, Newton; Kathleen Ludwig, OPP, 1st team all-state, Bishop Miege; Allison Mayfield, OH, 2nd team all-state, St. Thomas Aquinas; Jackie Church, L, honorable mention all-state, Bishop Miege; Lindsay Vannaman, MB, honorable mention all-state, Newton.
Class 6A: Player of the Year Caitlyn Donahue, OH, 1st team all-state, Blue Valley West; Shannon Majors, OH, 1st team all-state, Washburn Rural; Janelle Branch, MB, 2nd team all-state, Washburn Rural; Boomie Williams, S, honorable mention all-state, Blue Valley West; Kelsey Lewis, OH, honorable mention all-state, Washburn Rural; Morgan Boub, L, honorable mention all-state, Blue Valley West; Kasey Sauls, S, honorable mention all-state, Shawnee Mission East.
