High school volleyball preview: Top teams, players in South Sound in 2024
The high school volleyball season is underway in the South Sound and across Washington. Here are the top teams and players to watch this fall.
4A SPSL
In University Place, the Curtis Vikings are looking beyond the landscape of the 4A SPSL, one of the state’s perennially tough leagues. They’re looking beyond their finish in last year’s 4A state quarterfinals, too, with the belief that bigger and better trophies are on the horizon. “I think if there’s any year we can really pull it off, it would be this year,” Curtis head coach Taylor Bautista told The News Tribune. The Vikings graduated just one senior from the 2023 squad and returned three captains – each named to the 4A SPSL’s first team. All seniors, setter Peyton Ensign feeds outside hitters Avery Cukjati and Arianna Medchill, each key reasons why Bautista and the Vikings see 2024 as their golden opportunity. Curtis swept Emerald Ridge in three sets on Sept. 19 and toppled Puyallup in five thrilling sets Monday night to remain undefeated in early league play, featuring a new 6-2 system with two setters. “Our team chemistry was strong from the start of the season, which was very beneficial,” Bautista said. But they’ll be plenty challenged. Olympia and Puyallup joined Curtis in last year’s 4A quarterfinals, making up three of the final eight teams in the state bracket. It’s what Bautista says keeps the Vikings battle-tested come postseason time. “We always say our league is the toughest in the state, in our opinion,” she said. “I think everyone in our league would agree. Any matchup that we have is going to be a competitive matchup, no matter who it is.” Puyallup returns TNT All-Area setter Reese Sheppard despite graduating reigning 4A SPSL North MVP middle blocker Dani Brown.
4A NPSL
The reigning 4A NPSL champs are in the driver’s seat to repeat: Kennedy Catholic returns standout setter Maya Quitiquit and 5-10 middle blocker Vivian Yount, both all-NPSL first-teamers who powered the Lancers to a state tournament appearance in 2023. The other league rival to join Kennedy Catholic in last year’s state bracket? The Tahoma Bears, tied with the Lancers atop the standings this fall (3-0). Amanda Sewell’s Bears are poised to build on last year’s state appearance with five returning starters, including senior captain Annika Wright (setter) who tallied 42 aces, 114 kills, and 284 assists in 2023, earning a first-team all-NPSL nod. Auburn Riverside will factor in, the league’s latest entry after rising from the 3A NPSL last season and notching a trip to the 3A quarterfinals. Mount Rainier returns 4A NPSL MVP Alani Taliloa, who averaged five kills per set for the Rams last season.
3A NPSL
A new-look league is wide open. Reigning champion Auburn Riverside reclassified to the 4A NPSL, leaving the 3A trophy vacant for a host of old (and new) challengers. It’s the new neighbors cooking early on: Enumclaw (4-0) and White River (4-0) remain the league’s lone undefeated programs, with third-place Kentlake (3-2) more than a full game behind. White River returns all six starters and is powered by middle-blocking senior captain Kianna Rohner and sophomore outside hitter Emery Stevensen, both first-team picks in last year’s 2A SPSL. Enumclaw returns 2A SPSL MVP Haley Osborne, the Libero of the Year who averaged 4.5 digs per game with a 93 percent serving accuracy in 2023. We’ll know more after Tuesday night’s crosstown rivalry between Hornets — White River at Enumclaw in the first of two meetings this season (Oct. 24).
3A PSL
A brand-new Puget Sound League with Narrows and Nisqually divisions pulls from the now-defunct SSC and PCL — but one of the South Sound’s growing volleyball rivalries is here to stay. North Thurston (4-0) danced to last year’s 3A state semifinals and, like Curtis, implemented a two-setter, 6-2 formation. It’s working. The Rams graduated TNT All-Area opposite hitter Alexis Meyer, but return All-Area setter Sammi Humphrey (jr.) and all-SSC outside hitter Addy Conner (jr.), who tallied 335 kills and 312 digs in 2023. Humphrey’s 701 assists ranked 11th statewide last season. It’s a “very young and talented team,” head coach Jackie Meyer said. Timberline (4-0), meanwhile, looms alongside the Rams atop the 3A PSL Nisqually standings. Blazers outside hitter Kinley Smith continues to make early noise: the 5-10 sophomore ranks second in Washington with 24 serving aces and 15th statewide with 76 kills in 19 sets. Timberline and North Thurston meet for the first of two rivalries on Tuesday night that lifts the winner into sole first place of the standings in Lacey. Lakes junior Marley Alefaio ranks among the state’s best this fall with a .451 hitting percentage (second) and 40 blocks (third). Peninsula and Gig Harbor help make up the PSL’s Narrows Division; the former returns TNT second-team outside hitter Ziah Sneva, a Washington State commit.
2A SPSL
The departure of defending champion White River (19-1) and runner-up Enumclaw shifts the league’s landscape and presents the question: Who will rise in their absence? The Fife Trojans are among the contenders, who joined the Hornets in last year’s state tournament and return all-SPSL middle hitter Patrice Robinson. Fife sports an impressive, three-set shutout of Franklin Pierce in early play Sept. 18. Of note – aside from Enumclaw, the Trojans were the only 2A SPSL program to win a set over league-champion White River last season. Don’t count out the Washington Patriots, who swept Orting in three sets Sept. 19 and return TNT second-team setter Louden Leia.
2A EvCo
The Tumwater T-Birds have soared to seven 2A Evergreen titles in the last eight seasons — and with returning six-foot middle blocker Paige Henderson, another trip to the postseason is in sight. Tumwater’s last league loss? Nearly three years ago in November 2021. They’re cruising through non-league play this fall (4-1) with three-set sweeps over Steilacoom (Sept. 9) and Fife (Sept. 10), plus early wins over R.A. Long and Mark Morris. Black Hills graduated TNT All-Area middle blocker Ashley Harris, who guided the Wolves to an eighth-place finish in last year’s 2A state tournament.
SMALL SCHOOLS
Sure, Cascade Christian is considered a smaller school, but few programs have bigger wins than the Cougars in non-league play. Senior outside hitter and Division-I Saint Mary’s commit Layne Dent headlines the 1A program sporting three-set sweeps over 4A-Rogers (Sept. 9) and Sumner (Sept. 11) in the early going. Dent’s 476 kills ranked fifth statewide last season. “She dominates our league,” Cougars head coach Mylea Hughes said of Dent, who guided Cascade Christian to an undefeated 16-0 campaign in the 1A Nisqually in 2023. The Cougars pushed 4A Puyallup to five sets in a recent Sept. 13 loss – their only loss through 10 games this fall. “We have a very difficult schedule this year with the intent being to prepare us for the postseason,” Hughes said, who took the Cougars to the 1A quarterfinals in her first season at the helm last year. Dent is one of four returning starters, joined by outside hitter Jenica Walling, libero Sophie Janho, and setter Ryan Fortenbury. Annie Wright will be the “Cinderella Story” of the 1A Nisqually, proclaims head coach Tahia Malu, considering the Gators graduated league MVP and Ottawa commit Malia Oden and a trio of all-Nisqually picks in 2023.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
MB Marley Alefaio, Lakes, jr.
OH Addy Conner, North Thurston, jr.
OH Avery Cukjati, Curtis, sr.
OH Layne Dent, Cascade Christian, sr.
S Peyton Ensign, Curtis, sr.
S Sammi Humphrey, North Thurston, jr.
S Louden Leia, Washington, jr.
L Jovie Lind, Timberline, soph.
MB Abby Losey, sophomore, North Thurston, soph.
OH Destiny Mars, Timberline, jr.
OH Arianna Medchill, Curtis, sr.
L Haley Osborne, Enumclaw, sr.
S Maya Quitiquit, Kennedy Catholic, jr.
MB Kianna Rohner, White River, sr.
S Reese Sheppard, Puyallup, sr.
OH Aly Skagen, Kentwood, sr.
OH Kinley Smith, Timberline, soph.
MB Ziah Sneva, Peninsula, sr.
OH Emery Stevensen, White River, soph.
OH Alani Taliloa, Mount Rainier, sr.
OH Jenica Walling, Cascade Christian, jr.
OH Grace Williams, Capital, sr.
S Annika Wright, Tahoma, sr.
MB Vivian Yount, Kennedy Catholic, sr.
This story was originally published September 25, 2024 at 5:00 AM.
