Mid-season volleyball rankings, district breakdown in Fort Myers, Naples, Cape Coral
The halfway point of the high school volleyball season has been reached.
In about a month and a half, some of Florida’s best teams will arrive at Polk State College to compete for state championships in eight classes.
As we approach the second half of the season, here are our interim rankings, along with some surprising storylines, as well as a first look at district play and who we think would win if the season ended today. Our next rankings will be released on Tuesday, October 1st.
VOTE: Who is SW Florida’s midseason volleyball player of the year?
Records of games played up to Wednesday, September 18
1. First Baptist Church (9-1)
Last week: 4
Analysis: The Lions made a bold statement last week when they became the first local team in three years to beat Seacrest Country Day and then two days later won the Private 8 title against Canterbury. First Baptist’s block was extremely effective against the Stingrays, forcing 19 attack errors. If the Lions can beat Seacrest again on Thursday night and put together a solid performance at the Wildcat Invite, they will have cemented their status as the top team in Southwest Florida.
Mid-season Player of the Year: Southwest Florida volleyball team MVPs at halftime of high school season
2. Seacrest State Parliament (9-5)
Last week: 1
Analysis: The Stingrays lost to First Baptist in five sets, but rebounded nicely to defeat Community School convincingly in the Private 8 third-place match. Sami Soderlund and Adriana Garcia continue to lead Seacrest with 179 and 129 kills, respectively. If Andy Wimmer can beat First Baptist on Thursday night, the top spot in our rankings could be theirs on October 1.
3. Canterbury (7-2)
Last week: 2
Analysis: The Cougars suffered two straight losses, losing to First Baptist and IMG Royal in their last two games after beating SFCA and Community School. Canterbury has been reliant on Brighten Sedmack and Charlotte Laquis this season and will continue to do so as the postseason approaches. The Cougars are in a great position to rebound this weekend at the Wildcat Invite as Fort Myers, Naples and St. John Neumann are in their bracket.
4. Community school (5-3)
Last week: 3
Analysis: The Seahawks suffered back-to-back losses to Canterbury and Seacrest in Private 8 play last week, but were able to start with a first-round win over St. John Neumann. Alicia MacIntyre’s team is still young, but has all the players needed to make a splash at the crucial moment. CSN will look to defend its title at the Wildcat Invite on Saturday, but before that, they’ll want to beat Aubrey Rogers and start Saturday with momentum.
5. Barron Collier (7-3)
Last week: 5
Analysis: The Cougars have reeled off seven straight CCAC wins, which was almost what was expected at the start of the season. However, Tuesday night’s result against Gulf Coast provided some surprises, as the Sharks nearly pulled off the reverse sweep but lost 15-11 in the fifth set. Barron’s path to continuing his winning streak will be difficult, especially with CSN, Riverdale and Bishop Verot in their pool for the Wildcat Invite.
6. Estero (11-2)
Last week: 7
Analysis: Aside from a loss to North Fort Myers without star setter Sofia King, this Wildcats team has done well despite being much younger compared to last year’s group. Estero has won each of its last 11 sets and carries a lot of momentum into this weekend. They will look to continue their winning streak on Thursday against Palmetto Ridge before playing the Bears again on Saturday, as well as Port Charlotte and Divine Savior in the group stage.
7. Gulf Coast (7-6)
Last week: 8
Analysis: The Sharks continue to face a tough schedule, going 2-3 at the Lake Howell Invitational before losing to Barron Collier in five sets. Gulf Coast continues to make progress despite its young age, with Juliette VanWagner, Alyssa Tadysak, Cassandra Maldonado, Addi Dumont and Nelinka Lambcke leading the way. The Sharks will face Fort Myers and Riverdale next week, both of which could be district return matches in October.
8. Oasis (11-2)
Last week: 9
Analysis: The Sharks are finding ways to win under coach Justin Altman. They are ranked in the top 100 nationally and are having their best season since 2014. Vanessa Moriarty and Jordan Baksh continue to be a strong attack for Oasis, combining for 198 kills. Sophia Skala has 29 blocks in the middle, while Sarah Mikulus leads the team with 145 digs. The Sharks will face Golden Gate before playing Evangelical Christian and St. John Neumann next week.
9. Marco Island (8-4)
Last week: 10
Analysis: The Rays had hoped for a better performance on Monday against Seacrest, but were swept at home. Marco Island easily rebounded against Donahue Catholic with a win over the Shamrocks. The Rays have had enough tests this season and will be tested even more in the coming days with dates against Canterbury, Charlotte, First Baptist and Bonita Springs.
10. Bishop Verot (9-3)
Last week: NO
Analysis: The Vikings responded well after a first-round loss to First Baptist in the Private 8 quarterfinals, and have since beaten ECS, Neumann and Sarasota. Maddie Knaak has emerged as the team’s alpha on offense, leading all players with 161 kills against just 29 attack errors. Verot has a chance to overtake Oasis and Marco Island this weekend at the Wildcat Invite, where they are in a bracket with Riverdale, CSN and Barron Collier.
The first five are out: St. John Neumann (6-4), LaBelle (10-1), Fort Myers (4-3), SFCA (9-7), Riverdale (6-4)
SWFL VOLLEYBALL SURPRISES IN 2024
First Baptist has emerged as a legitimate contender for the 2A title
Few people would have given the Lions a chance in a crowded Private 8, but they have lived up to expectations every time so far this season. Having the region’s best player so far in Zara Stewart certainly helps, but the progress of Peyton Garrick, Jade Rau, Laila Stewart, Maleda Azunque, Maddie Johnessee and Maggie Adamczyk has been equally impactful. Expect this team to be a serious contender for Winter Haven and potentially leave with some hardware.
Oasis as a possible sleeper in District 3A-10
The Sharks have found a winning formula and would be well on their way to making the playoffs if the season ended today. They will be competing with Bishop Verot for the district championship, and that could determine who makes the postseason. This region currently boasts eight top-100 teams, with Oasis and Verot ranked seventh and eighth in the region, respectively.
Estero could fight for a spot in the Final Four despite important losses
The Wildcats haven’t gotten enough credit for what they’ve accomplished this season under John Ban. Ban was the first to point out that this season might be more of a “rebuilding year” than a “rebuilding year,” and that’s been the case through 13 games. Despite Gia Rosencrans, Sophie Perkins, Ashlynn Ban, Katelyn Carroll and Kaelyn Wilson graduating, this team has been rock solid so far. It also doesn’t hurt to have arguably the best and most experienced setter in the area in Sofia King, especially with a young attacking group around her.
DISTRICT TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONS PREDICTION
Class 1A-District 12
There’s no reason to believe the Stingrays, who have state title aspirations, will falter in this district. Seacrest easily wins its first district title under Andy Wimmer.
Class 2A-District 9
In a district full of competitive teams, First Baptist’s path is the easiest as they will face the winner of the 4-on-5 matchup. With Canterbury and Community School projected to be the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds in this district, the Lions under Marci Walker have an advantage in earning a district title.
Class 3A-District 10
In a four-team district, it will be a neck-and-neck between Bishop Verot and Oasis. The Vikings are battle-tested and have almost double the schedule of Oasis. A tough schedule pays off for many teams in the end. Expect a similar story here with Christy Curtis and her Verot team.
Class 4A-District 13
The Wildcats have a good chance of winning another district title in this eight-team district. Barron Collier, a popular favorite, is ranked 219th nationally and 3rd in this district behind Estero and LaBelle. With Barron over 100 spots back, it’s hard to bet against John Ban’s Wildcats right now, but keep an eye on the Cowgirls, who are 10-1 but can’t pull off a quality win with a 1.97 strength of play.
Class 5A-District 12
Port Charlotte’s Nygeria Hart is really, really good. End of story. The FGCU freshman showed up again when it counts against North Fort Myers.
Class 5A-District 13
Much like Verot’s depth dilemma, Gulf Coast will be battle-tested by the time district play begins. Although their record may be .500, the Sharks are the favorites whether they’re in the top seed or not.
Class 6A-District 12
Charlotte is one of the weaker districts in the entire region and should have no problem winning another district championship against Ida Baker, Gateway or Palmetto Ridge.
Class 7A-District 12
Building a winning streak over the years will help Venice here after losing head coach Brian Wheatley to Alabama. There’s no reason to play the favorite and likely No. 1 seed right now.
Follow sports reporter Alex Martin on X: @NP_AlexMartin. For the best sports coverage in Southwest Florida, follow @newspresssports And @ndnprepzone on Instagram.
