We're two weeks away from postseason volleyball, which means teams are doing their best to build up as much momentum as possible
before those matches. So far, the area's best have done just that. Here's preps coordinator Zach Piatt's latest, mostly unchanged Top 10:
1. Mahomet-Seymour
➜ Record: 20-2
➜ Previous ranking: No. 1
The Bulldogs have only played four matches since the start of October, but they're just warming up for a pair of weekend tournaments right before the postseason starts. Their lone win in the last week was a sweep over Taylorville, led by the Ellies. Ellie Barker tallied nine kills and an ace, and Ellie Dallas put up 10 assists to stretch M-S' winning streak to 10 matches.
2. Cissna Park
➜ Record: 22-2
➜ Previous ranking: No. 2
The Timberwolves have outscored opponents 18 sets to two in their nine-match winning streak, which started with Cissna Park taking down Westville in three sets on Sept. 24. Josie Neukomm, Ella Schluter, Sophie Duis and Mady Marcott continue to be excellent complements to do-it-all Addison Lucht. With the postseason approaching, it's starting to feel like 2023 again.
3. Westville
➜ Record: 26-2
➜ Previous ranking: No. 3
On the other side of that late-September battle, the Tigers have won eight matches in a row since losing to Cissna Park and are one of only three area teams with at least 25 wins. Ella Miller went off for 16 kills in Westville's sweep of Tuscola on Monday. Not only does this team have postseason hardware on the mind, but it's also ready for the upcoming Vermilion County Tournament.
4. St. Thomas More
➜ Record: 25-3
➜ Previous ranking: No. 4
A sweep over Unity last Thursday moved the Sabers to 7-0 in Illini Prairie Conference play with just two more conference matches left on the schedule. A win over Bloomington Central Catholic, also undefeated in the IPC, this Thursday would clinch the title. STM will look to the reliable senior duo of Addie Kerr and Shannon Monahan to keep it rolling into the postseason.
5. Champaign Central
➜ Record: 21-12
➜ Previous ranking: No. 5
The Maroons hadn't played in a week before resuming play with 2-1 victory at home against Peoria Richwoods on Tuesday night on the back of Sienna Zapparoli's near double-double. Just a couple matches remain before Central takes on rival Centennial.
6. Watseka
➜ Record: 23-6
➜ Previous ranking: No. 6
The Warriors have to be the best team in the state that can't seem to crack their area's top tier, and it's no fault of their own. If the teams ahead of Watseka would simply stop winning so much, it'd easily be in that upper echelon. But don't discount Lauren Tegtmeyer, Noelle Schroeder, Christa Holohan and Co. They're still leading one of the best teams around.
7. LeRoy
➜ Record: 17-7
➜ Previous ranking: No. 7
Rewind the season three weeks, and the Panthers are 15-2 and looking like one of the best teams in the state. Unfortunately, that isn't the case anymore, as they lost five consecutive matches after that start. LeRoy was, however, able to get back in the win column last Thursday with a sweep over a tough Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley team behind 11 kills from Laila Carr.
8. Arthur Christian
➜ Record: 29-5
➜ Previous ranking: Unranked
If you blinked, you probably missed Arthur Christian win eight matches in two days. The Conquering Riders vaulted themselves back into the area rankings in dominating fashion with an 8-0 showing at last weekend's Dayspring Volleyball Classic in Lake Zurich without dropping a set. Big performances from Brileigh Mast and Addi Erwin led to the team's weekend success.
9. Arthur-Lovington- Atwood-Hammond
➜ Record: 20-7
➜ Previous ranking: No. 8
The Knights entered last Saturday's Paxton-Buckley-Loda Classic having just ended a 12-match winning streak. A 2-2 tournament showing wasn't exactly what they were looking for, but it did earn them fourth place in the eight-team event. Alayna Plank made the all-tournament Team after recording 54 assists and 18 digs. Still a few Lincoln Prairie Conference matches to go.
10. Chrisman
➜ Record: 16-8
➜ Previous ranking: Unranked
The Cardinals had the definition of an up-and-down start to the 2024 season, sitting with a record of 4-6 going into the last week of September. After that, Chrisman won eight matches in a row, all sweeps, and have now won 12 of their last 14. Jaidyn Alexander, Brianna Barna and Leah Phipps, among others, are paving the way for a team getting hot at the right time.