Seniors lead Cheney’s team back to the Kansas high school volleyball state tournament

This season has been a long time coming for the five seniors on the Cheney volleyball team.

They waited their turn behind last year’s senior class, which propelled the Cardinals to 35 victories and a spot in the Class 3A state championship match.

With the team leader in kills, blocks, digs and assists all graduated from last year’s team, the class of 2023 seniors have helped make Cheney look every bit like a state title contender once again.

The Cardinals (35-4) earned the No. 4 seed in the Kansas high school Class 3A volleyball state tournament, which begins Friday at the Hutchinson Sports Arena, and will compete against Nemaha Central (42-1), Beloit (34-5) and Smoky Valley (32-8) to try to advance to Saturday’s final day.

“I knew we would be good, but I didn’t know how good,” Cheney coach Sara Walkup said. “As good as we were last year, I think we might be even a little bit better this year when we have everybody playing well at the same time. What’s really cool about this group is they’ve kind of been overshadowed for the longest time and now it’s pretty cool to see these girls get their moment in the spotlight.”

The best example of that is senior outside hitter Anna Martin, who has played on varsity since she was a freshman but has never led the team in kills. She has once again delivered a superb season (2.6 kills per set with a .248 hitting percentage) and been a valuable part to winning.

In fact, Martin has the distinction of being the first player under Walkup to be a part of state tournament teams all four years in a career. She also helped Cheney accomplish something it didn’t do last year: win the Central Plains League title.

“I’ve always been able to rely on Anna,” Walkup said. “Every year, I think, ‘I’ve got Anna and who else?’ She’s been old faithful for me. She never puts up the biggest stats, but she’s consistently been one of our best players on the team. She’s very physical. She’s one of the strongest girls on our team. And she’s just really gritty and super competitive. She’s one of maybe four girls I’ve had in my 14 years who have been on varsity when she was a freshman.”

Campbell Hague has blossomed into a full-fledged star in her senior season, as she leads Cheney in kills (303), hitting percentage (.282) and blocks (64). Senior Leah Durr has emerged in the middle (111 kills, 49 blocks) and senior Elina Bartlett (8.8 assists per set) has thrived in her first year running the offense, while senior Hadley Pipkin has also provided leadership.

Throw in the superb back-row defense led by juniors Jailyn Adolph, Alex Bittner and Peyton McCormick and sophomore Taryn Bennett, plus the blocking of sophomore middle Reese Hedstrom, and Cheney believes it is possible for it to win the first state title in program history this weekend.

“This group doesn’t know what it’s like to not make it to state,” Walkup said. “Now it’s their time to play and it’s really cool for them to be able to be there again and hopefully all of these experiences will let them get rid of the shock and awe of playing on the bigger stage. I think this group is ready to go and take care of business and not be intimidated by anyone.”

Kansas high school volleyball state tournament schedule, brackets

Class 6A state volleyball schedule

Pool play Friday at Tony’s Pizza Events Center in Salina

Seedings: 1. Washburn Rural (40-1); 2. Wichita Northwest (33-4); 3. Mill Valley (30-8); 4. Liberal (27-8); 5. Blue Valley (28-9); 6. BV North (23-10); 7. Lawrence Free State (25-12); 8. BV West (23-13).

Pool 1: Liberal vs. Blue Valley, 8:30 a.m.; Washburn Rural vs. BV West, 9:30; Liberal vs. BV West, 10:30; Washburn Rural vs. Blue Valley, 11:30; Blue Valley vs. BV West, 12:30 p.m.; Washburn Rural vs. Liberal, 1:30.

Pool 2: Mill Valley vs. BV North, 8:30 a.m.; Wichita Northwest vs. Lawrence Free State, 9:30; Mill Valley vs. Lawrence Free State, 10:30; Wichita Northwest vs. BV North, 11:30; BV North vs. Lawrence Free State, 12:30 p.m.; Wichita Northwest vs. Mill Valley, 1:30.

Class 5A state volleyball schedule

Pool play Friday at Tony’s Pizza Events Center in Salina

Seedings: 1. St. Thomas Aquinas (35-3); 2. St. James Academy (33-3); 3. Maize South (31-5); 4. Andover Central (33-7); 5. Hutchinson (30-7); 6. Topeka Seaman (30-8); 7. Lansing (26-8); 8. Bishop Carroll (28-9).

Pool 1: Andover Central vs. Hutchinson, 3:30 p.m.; Aquinas vs. Carroll, 4:30; Andover Central vs. Carroll, 5:30; Aquinas vs. Hutchinson, 6:30; Hutchinson vs. Carroll, 7:30; Aquinas vs. Andover Central, 8:30.

Pool 2: Maize South vs. Topeka Seaman, 3:30 p.m.; St. James vs. Lansing, 4:30; Maize South vs. Lansing, 5:30; St. James vs. Topeka Seaman, 6:30; Topeka Seaman vs. Lansing, 7:30; St. James vs. Maize South, 8:30.

Class 4A state volleyball schedule

Pool play Friday at Hutchinson Sports Arena

Seedings: 1. Andale (39-0); 2. Circle (34-4); 3. Clay Center (27-10); 4. Paola (26-11); 5. Rock Creek (25-12); 6. Tonganoxie (24-14); 7. Louisburg (20-17); 8. Bishop Miege (16-21).

Pool 1: Paola vs. Rock Creek, 8:30 a.m.; Andale vs. Miege, 9:30; Paola vs. Miege, 10:30; Andale vs. Rock Creek, 11:30; Rock Creek vs. Miege, 12:30 p.m.; Andale vs. Paola, 1:30.

Pool 2: Clay Center vs. Tonganoxie, 8:30 a.m.; Circle vs. Louisburg, 9:30; Clay Center vs. Louisburg, 10:30; Circle vs. Tonganoxie, 11:30; Tonganoxie vs. Louisburg, 12:30 p.m.; Circle vs. Clay Center, 1:30.

Class 3A state volleyball schedule

Pool play Friday at Hutchinson Sports Arena

Seedings: 1. Nemaha Central (42-1); 2. Riverton (37-2); 3. Goodland (36-3); 4. Cheney (35-4); 5. Beloit (34-5); 6. Eureka (30-6); 7. Heritage Christian (31-7); 8. Smoky Valley (32-8).

Pool 1: Cheney vs. Beloit, 3:30 p.m.; Nemaha Central vs. Smoky Valley, 4:30; Cheney vs. Smoky Valley, 5:30; Nemaha Central vs. Beloit, 6:30; Beloit vs. Smoky Valley, 7:30; Nemaha Central vs. Cheney, 8:30.

Pool 2: Goodland vs. Eureka, 3:30 p.m.; Riverton vs. Heritage Christian, 4:30; Goodland vs. Heritage Christian, 5:30; Riverton vs. Eureka, 6:30; Eureka vs. Heritage Christian, 7:30; Riverton vs. Goodland, 8:30.

Class 2A state volleyball schedule

Pool play Friday at United Wireless Arena in Dodge City

Seedings: 1. Hillsboro (39-1); 2. Smith Center (36-4); 3. Inman (34-5); 4. Meade (31-7); 5. Jefferson County North (30-8); 6. Garden Plain (30-9); 7. Valley Heights (25-13); 8. Pittsburg-St. Mary’s Colgan (23-16).

Pool 1: Meade vs. Jefferson County North, 8:30 a.m.; Hillsboro vs. Colgan, 9:30; Meade vs. Colgan, 10:30; Hillsboro vs. Jefferson County North, 11:30; Jefferson County North vs. Colgan, 12:30 p.m.; Hillsboro vs. Meade, 1:30.

Pool 2: Inman vs. Garden Plain, 8:30 a.m.; Smith Center vs. Valley Heights, 9:30; Inman vs. Valley Heights, 10:30; Smith Center vs. Garden Plain, 11:30; Garden Plain vs. Valley Heights, 12:30 p.m.; Smith Center vs. Inman, 1:30.

Class 1A Division 1 state volleyball schedule

Pool play Friday at United Wireless Arena in Dodge City

Seedings: 1. Flinthills (37-2); 2. Sylvan-Lucas (37-2); 3. Pretty Prairie (36-4); 4. Little River (35-4); Spearville (32-4); 6. Doniphan West (34-5); 7. St. Francis (29-9); 8. Olpe (24-15).

Pool 1: Little River vs. Spearville, 3:30 p.m.; Flinthills vs. Olpe, 4:30; Little River vs. Olpe, 5:30; Flinthills vs. Spearville, 6:30; Spearville vs. Olpe, 7:30; Flinthills vs. Little River, 8:30.

Pool 2: Pretty Prairie vs. Doniphan West, 3:30 p.m.; Sylvan-Lucas vs. St. Francis, 4:30; Pretty Prairie vs. St. Francis, 5:30; Sylvan-Lucas vs. Doniphan West, 6:30; Doniphan West vs. St. Francis, 7:30; Sylvan-Lucas vs. Pretty Prairie, 8:30.

Class 1A Division 2 state volleyball schedule

Pool play Friday at White Auditorium in Emporia

Seedings: 1. Lebo (39-1); 2. Attica (38-3); 3. Hanover (33-5); 4. Beloit-St. Johns Tipton (31-7); 5. Hutchinson Central Christian (27-11); 6. South Central (25-13); 7. Wheatland-Grinnell (25-14); 8. Ingalls (23-13).

Pool 1: Beloit-St. Johns Tipton vs. Hutchinson Central Christian, 10 a.m.; Lebo vs. Ingalls, 11; Beloit-St. Johns Tipton vs. Ingalls, 12 p.m.; Lebo vs. Hutchinson Central Christian, 1; Hutchinson Central Christian vs. Ingalls, 2; Lebo vs. Beloit-St. Johns Tipton, 3.

Pool 2: Hanover vs. South Central, 10 a.m.; Attica vs. Wheatland-Grinnell, 11; Hanover vs. Wheatland-Grinnell, 12 p.m.; Attica vs. South Central, 1; South Central vs. Wheatland-Grinnell, 2; Attica vs. Hanover, 3.