I've always said that the only consistent thing about the KHSAA is their inconsistency with everything!

It has nothing to do with volleyball. This is how all state tournaments are bracketed.

 

Except soccer.

If you're from Region 1, you will always play 2 or 3 or 4 in the first round.

The other two play each other.

 

If you're from Region 5, you will always play 6 or 7 or 8 in the first round.

The other two play each other.

 

If you're from Region 9, you will always play 10 or 11 or 12 in the first round.

The other two play each other.

 

If you're from Region 13, you will always play 14 or 15 or 16 in the first round.

The other two play each other.

 

KHSAA has used the "quad" soccer idea for first-round games for 15-plus years now.

 

In football, you go through the same teams every year (except for rotating 6-A). John Hardin and Bowling Green met in the west state semis no telling how many times.

 

In baseball, you used to have the same "quad" idea as soccer until recently (when they went to a TRUE blind draw). The 5th Region champ (usually a Hardin County school) had to always go through a Louisville school or the 8th Region champ until all state games were moved to Lexington.

 

True blind draw for all games: Baseball, Basketball, Softball, Volleyball

Forced pairings in first round: Football, Soccer

For those of you who think the 2015 draw is the worst ever, you have short memories.

 

Check out 2011, when Greenwood didn't have to go through a single private school en route to becoming the first public school runner-up.

 

Greenwood was 13-17 outside the 4th Region that year.

 

2011 Kentucky High School Volleyball

So we now know who will eventually be the 2015 KHSAA State Volleyball Tournament Runner-Up:

 

Letcher County Central, South Warren, Elizabethtown, Owensboro Catholic, Raceland, Henderson County, Southwestern, & South Laurel

 

Allen Central and McCracken have got to be saying, "how did we get screwed by ending up in the bottom bracket!?!? Owensboro Catholic should be down here!!! They're Catholic aren't they!!!"

So we now know who will eventually be the 2015 KHSAA State Volleyball Tournament Runner-Up:

 

Letcher County Central, South Warren, Elizabethtown, Owensboro Catholic, Raceland, Henderson County, Southwestern, & South Laurel

 

Allen Central and McCracken have got to be saying, "how did we get screwed by ending up in the bottom bracket!?!? Owensboro Catholic should be down here!!! They're Catholic aren't they!!!"

 

:laugh:

So instead of working harder and getting better, let's just start up the NIT, just to claim what, you're the best public school? Just like no one believes the "All-A" is a state championship, that would be a hollow victory as well, knowing certain teams were left off the invitation list.

 

There's 16 Regions and only 3 of them typically have a private school winning them. That's at least 13 opportunities for Public Schools every year.

 

There's a ton of posts on here this year explaining the reasons private schools do well - and it's not because they are on "unequal" footing. Public schools rake in the tax $$, they have the facilities, and they often have a larger female student class (see previous posts). What they don't have is a commitment to the sport to start earlier and make volleyball a priority, and the same commitment from the parents to play year 'round.

 

It really doesn't have anything to do with public money or facilities, it just comes down to talent. If most of the top volleyball talent in the Louisville area says hey lets go to this school and win, then that who is going to have the best chance of winning a state title. If school A has 5 division one talent players attend a certain school, and it is taking talent away from the school that they would go to in their district. Not saying anything is wrong with that, the student has the choice to go where they want to for high school. Happens in most sports in the state of Kentucky and pretty much everywhere else. Barking up the wrong tree about the $$$ or facilities. Since Louisville is open enrollment from what I understand, the top talent could choose a public school, but with the deep tradition at the private schools, thats where they are going. Success breeds success.

Congrats to South Warren High School on their KHSAA State Runner Up Trophy. Now let's see who wins it all. IMHO, the state title game was likely played last Thursday at valley. My $ is on Assumption, if I were a betting man or if people bet on prep volleyball. Good luck to all, and to all a good night!

It really doesn't have anything to do with public money or facilities, it just comes down to talent. If most of the top volleyball talent in the Louisville area says hey lets go to this school and win, then that who is going to have the best chance of winning a state title. If school A has 5 division one talent players attend a certain school, and it is taking talent away from the school that they would go to in their district. Not saying anything is wrong with that, the student has the choice to go where they want to for high school. Happens in most sports in the state of Kentucky and pretty much everywhere else. Barking up the wrong tree about the $$$ or facilities. Since Louisville is open enrollment from what I understand, the top talent could choose a public school, but with the deep tradition at the private schools, thats where they are going. Success breeds success.

 

You are right about that. Everyone can say it is because public schools don't start early enough and don't have enough parent support but when it comes down to the nitty gritty it is that the private schools pull in the best talent throughout the area and pull talent away from the public schools at the high school level.

IMHO, the state title game was likely played last Thursday at valley. My $ is on Assumption

 

I agree, and that's a good bet. Assumption is 18-1 in the State Championship game. That 1 loss was to Notre Dame

From prepvolleyball.com

 

Fifteen of the 16 Kentucky state tournament teams have been decided. Nationally-ranked Notre Dame Academy takes on Cooper today for the final spot. The Pandas thrashed Cooper when they played in August.

If NDA wins as expected, there will be four nationally-ranked teams in the 16-team bracket. Defending state and national champion Mercy Academy will be one, after the Jaguars crushed Butler yesterday behind 34 assists from Morgan Elmore and nine digs and five aces from Kelly O’Neil. Mercy finished the match with 38 kills, topped by Lauren Myrick’s 10, while the Jaguars’ stellar defense limited Butler to six for the entire match!

Nationally-ranked Henry Clay will play at state after the Blue Devils rallied from a 2-1 deficit to defeat Tates Creek in five sets. Hallie Shelton had 26 kills to lead the way.

Louisville Assumption, which missed state last year, is returning in 2015 after sweeping Sacred Heart in a battle of top 20 national teams in the 7th Region. Heart had won two of the previous three meetings this year, but this match was all Assumption. Brooke Moore and Jacqueline Askin led the way with 13 kills each for the Rockets. Moore added a team-high 16 digs.

Now, here’s the interesting part of next week’s Kentucky state tournament: there should only be three high-level matches and all will come before the final! Kentucky does not seed its state tournament and instead fills the bracket by lot. That means Notre Dame, if it wins today, will take on Clay with the loser out in the first round, Mercy will tangle with Assumption in the quarterfinals and the survivors will meet in the semis for the right to breeze in the state championship match.

You are right about that. Everyone can say it is because public schools don't start early enough and don't have enough parent support but when it comes down to the nitty gritty it is that the private schools pull in the best talent throughout the area and pull talent away from the public schools at the high school level.

 

There is a point with the earlier start in the Catholic elementary programs. You have a large number of girls exposed to the sport at a young level, receiving--usually--better training at the club level, and they're naturally inclined to go to a Catholic high school.

On the other hand, girls from public programs who do excel at volleyball, especially in the Louisville area, often end up at Catholic high schools. Some of that is that they want to play in high school with girls they play club with. Some is the natural desire to play with the best program. I believe Miss Volleyball from several years back, Jeni Hauser, went to North Oldham Middle, but ended up at Assumption. Merideth Jewell also left a smaller private school to attend Mercy. There are some exceptions to that--the McLendon sisters went from KCD to Manual.

But, like moths to a flame, the brightest lights are going to attract the best players.