The News-Gazette's volleyball Top 10: Bulldogs rise to the top

The key to rising in the rankings of this Top 10 isn’t complicated. Just keep winning. That’s all it takes. Mahomet-Seymour is the latest to take over after a couple miscues at the top. Preps coordinator Zach Piatt takes us through this week’s list:

1. Mahomet-Seymour

Record: 17-2

Previous ranking: No. 3

Right where they were for the majority of last season, the Bulldogs are back on top of the area power rankings. They didn’t have to do much to get there, simply winning matches they should and waiting for those ahead to fall. M-S is now on a seven-match winning streak, including a sweep of Charleston in which Erin Dallas put up 17 assists and Ellie Barker had seven kills.

2. Cissna Park

Record: 17-2

Previous ranking: No. 4

The Timberwolves’ three-set win over Westville last week did numbers for the number they have in front of their name now. That was the first in what has turned into three victories in a row. Addison Lucht tallied 16 kills against Armstrong-Potomac and four aces against Beecher, all while Ella Schluter and Mady Marcott continued to trade the team lead for assists.

3. St. Thomas More

Record: 22-3

Previous ranking: No. 1

The Sabers had a 12-match winning streak interrupted by what was an overall solid showing at Champaign Central’s Settember Fest last weekend. Still, losses to the host Maroons and a talented Homewood-Flossmoor squad were enough to lose the top spot. Shannon Monahan made the All-Tournament Team with 48 kills and 25 digs, continuing to lead STM’s offensive attack.

4. Westville

Record: 20-2

Previous ranking: No. 5

The Tigers bounced back from their three-set loss at Cissna Park with sweeps of Judah Christian and Iroquois West. Ella Miller put down 18 kills, and Lainey Wichtowski tallied 43 assists in those wins, giving fans no signs to worry about any kind of dropoff. It may actually be a good thing Westville isn’t undefeated going into October. This team isn’t going anywhere.

5. Champaign Central

Record: 15-10

Previous ranking: No. 6

If the Maroons could have found a little more consistency through the first month of the season, they just might be in the conversation for best team in the area. Fresh off a 4-1 showing at its Settember Fest, which included a sweep of St. Thomas More and All-Tournament Team honors for Bridget Cassady, Central has now split its season series with both the Sabers and Mahomet-Seymour.

6. LeRoy

Record: 15-4

Previous ranking: No. 2

Tough week for the Panthers, losing back-to-back matches to Lexington and Eureka, two teams that had a combined record of 30-6 after getting the best of them. And the road doesn’t get easier, with nothing but Heart of Illinois Conference opponents on the schedule the rest of the way before the postseason begins, which makes this the perfect time to start another win streak.

7. Watseka

Record: 18-5

Previous ranking: No. 7

Since their loss to St. Thomas More two weeks ago, the Warriors have won nine matches in a row. A win over Prairie Central saw Christa Holohan reach 1,000 career assists, and Lauren Tegtmeyer, Ella Smith and Megan Martin led the team to a Watseka Invitational championship. This is a dangerous team right now, just a big win or two from flying up this leaderboard.

8. Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin

Record: 10-4

Previous ranking: No. 9

Still having played fewer total matches than the majority of these teams have won, the Blue Devils are starting their ascent. They started the season 0-2 but have only lost two matches since. Nothing too exciting just yet, with Reis McFarland pacing the offense and Macy Danner directing the defense. BHRA got hot late last season, and teams don’t want to see that again.

9. Unity

Record: 17-9-1

Previous ranking: Unranked

Like Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin, a slow start to the season kept the Rockets off this list, but they’ve taken off in the last week. A sweep of Illini Prairie Conference rival St. Joseph-Ogden started their recent run, followed by a 3-1-1 showing at the Reed Custer Tournament. Sweeps against St. Teresa and Monticello have Unity on a roll.

10. Salt Fork

Record: 12-4

Previous ranking: Unranked

The Storm’s three-set thriller of a win over Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley last Monday essentially made it trade places with the Falcons. Rain Pitlick recorded a double-double with 13 kills, 12 digs and three aces in the win, and Addi Williams added 25 digs and two aces. Salt Fork is a team that’s flown under the radar for most of the season, but it’s starting to look like the real deal.