Each week volleyball coaches from each class across the state submit their rankings and our Tony Chapman compiles them. Here is the second in-season poll for 2023 season, presented by Pinnacle Bank. Records listed are through games played on Saturday, September 2.
Class A
- Papillion-LaVista South (8-0), 1
- Papillion-LaVista (5-3), 2
- Lincoln Southwest (4-0), 4
- Gretna (7-5), 5
- Lincoln East (5-3), 6
- Millard West (7-4), 7
- Lincoln Pius X (3-1), 9
- Omaha Westside (3-3), 8
- Millard North (3-6), 3
- Elkhorn South (4-6), RV
Receiving votes: Millard South (3-5), 10.
Comments: Millard North tumbles after an 0-3 week, but all the losses were to ranked teams. Millard South drops out in favor of Elkhorn South. Pius jumped Westside after opening their season 3-1.
Class B
- Omaha Skutt (8-4), 1
- Bennington (9-0), 4
- Elkhorn North (8-1), 2
- Norris (6-1), 3
- Waverly (4-1), 5
- Gretna East (11-1), 7
- Seward (5-1), 6
- Omaha Duchesne (3-2), NR
- Grand Island Northwest (2-4), 8
- Scottsbluff (5-2), NR
Receiving votes: Crete (4-2), RV; Gering (2-0), NR.
Comments: Bennington’s sweep of then, No. 3 Norris jumped the Badgers past Elkhorn North. The bottom three remains a mystery until a few more games are played. No. 8 Northwest has a home game with RV Crete on Tuesday which will help clean up the bottom a little bit.
Class C-1
- Minden (7-0), 1
- Gothenburg (5-0), 2
- DC West (6-0), 3
- Kearney Catholic (4-0), 4
- GICC (3-0), 5
- Platteview (6-0), 6
- Adams Central (4-1), 8
- Malcolm (4-1), 7
- Wahoo (5-1), RV
- St. Paul (6-0), RV
Receiving Votes: Ogallala (4-0), RV; Battle Creek (6-0), NR.
Comments: The top-8 teams remain the same with Malcolm and Adams Central switching spots. The bottom two spots are now for Wahoo and St. Paul as North Bend Central (3-3) and Lakeview (3-2) drop out.
Class C-2
- Lincoln Lutheran (5-0), 1
- Clarkson/Leigh (7-0), 2
- Oakland-Craig (5-1), 5
- Fremont Bergan (6-1), 4
- Yutan (7-1), RV
- Elmwood-Murdock (5-1), NR
- Sutton (8-2), 6
- Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family (3-0), 7
- Wakefield (4-3), NR
- Hastings St. Cecilia (2-2), 9
Receiving votes: Hartington Cedar Catholic (4-2), 3; Cross County (2-1), RV; Thayer Central (3-0), 10.
Comments: Lutheran and Clarkson/Leigh remain at the top and unbeaten. Oakland-Craig jumps to No. 3 after a 4-1 outing at the NEN Invitational and a win over Bergan. They lost, however, to Wakefield which enters at No. 9. Yutan and Elmwood-Murdock enter for the first time as well. About 13-15 teams vying for a spot in these rankings.
Class D-1
- Amherst (5-0), 1
- Southwest (6-0), 3
- Bruning-Davenport/Shickley (5-0), 5
- Diller-Odell (3-1), 2
- Sumner-Eddyville-Miller (3-0), 4
- O’Neill St. Mary’s (6-0), 6
- Nebraska Christian (7-1), 8
- Axtell (4-0), 9
- Paxton (4-0), 10
- Guardian Angels Central Catholic (6-1), NR
Receiving votes: Exeter-Milligan/Friend (3-0), RV; Elgin Public/Pope John (3-1), 7.
Comments: Diller-Odell’s loss to Class C-2, No. 6 Elmwood-Murdock and BDS’ sweep over Class C-2, No. 8 Sutton cause a shake up in the top-5. EPPJ drops out after a loss to Class D-2, No. 7 Stuart with GACC taking their spot.
Class D-2
- Overton (6-0), 1
- Howells-Dodge (3-2), 2
- Cambridge (4-1), 3
- Meridian (3-0), 4
- Wynot (3-1), 5
- Humphrey St. Francis (1-0), 6
- Stuart (6-0), 9
- Falls City Sacred Heart (3-3), 7
- Shelton (6-2), 8
- Bertrand (3-1), NR
Receiving votes: Central Valley (5-1), RV: High Plains (2-0), RV; Lawrence-Nelson (2-2), RV; Leyton (3-0), NR; Sandhills/Thedford (6-1), NR.
Comments: Overton continues it’s strong start and Howells-Dodge is not penalized for losses to Clarkson/Leigh and Oakland-Craig. Stuart a mover after a 6-0 start, with Bertrand entering after a 3-1 start which includes a win over Sandhills/Thedford, who beat previous No. 10 Wallace.
