Mike Patterson's Nebraska high school state volleyball tournament predictions

The long volleyball season that began Aug. 29 has reached the home stretch, with the four-day state tournament almost upon us.

The nominees for the OrthoNebraska Athlete of the Week are here!

Which means, of course, it's time for the fearless predictions.

The trusty crystal ball scored three winners last season, and it probably will take a better effort this year to defeat colleague Stu Pospisil in our annual volleyball-football prediction battle.

Class A Papillion-La Vista South will be seeking its fourth title in six years after getting knocked out in the first round last year. The Titans have been up and down this season, but a championship run through the Metro Conference tournament and two district-match sweeps are positive signs.

Omaha Skutt's pursuit of a 10th straight Class B title is another key storyline, with 35-1 Norris looming once again as a major threat. The Titans have lost to the SkyHawks five consecutive years at state — three times in the final and twice in the semifinals.

I recently visited Minden for a feature story and the town is hoping the Whippets can bring home a second straight Class C-1 title. That won't be easy, starting with a difficult first-rounder against a resurgent Gothenburg squad.

It wouldn't be a state tourney without Lincoln Lutheran, and the Class C-2 Warriors (32-3) are back in quest of a fourth title in five years. Lutheran's only losses have come against Class B heavyweights Norris and Waverly and C-1 No. 1 Minden.

Two teams — Class D-1 Southwest and D-2 Leyton — enter the tourney with perfect records. It's so tough to finish the season without a setback, so we'll see if these squads are up for the challenge.

Good luck to all 48 teams at state and away we go ...

Class A

Papio South and Omaha Westside are on opposite sides of the bracket, and a championship match between those two would not be a surprise. The Titans seem to be peaking at the right time, and you have to like their chances to take home a seventh state title.

First round: Papio South over Lincoln North Star; Millard West over Lincoln Southwest; Omaha Westside over Grand Island; Elkhorn South over Fremont.

Semifinals: Papio South over Millard West; Westside over Elkhorn South.

Final: Papio South over Westside.

Sleeper: Southwest.

Class B

It might be easy to get caught up in a possible Skutt-Norris final, but there's quality throughout this bracket. In short, Skutt will have to earn it if it's going to finish off its 10-peat (is that a word?).

First round: Norris over Lincoln Pius X; Elkhorn North over York; Skutt over Gretna; Waverly over Bennington.

Semifinals: Norris over Elkhorn North; Skutt over Waverly.

Final: Skutt over Norris.

Sleeper: Pius.

Class C-1

Defending champion Minden is the top seed and wouldn't you know, the team that handed the Whippets their only loss this season — Gothenburg — awaits in the first round. The Swedes are legit and so are several other teams in this class, but a slight edge to 34-1 Minden to take home the hardware once again.

First round: Minden over Gothenburg; Kearney Catholic over Battle Creek; Pierce over Milford; Columbus Scotus over Wahoo.

Semifinals: Minden over Kearney Catholic; Scotus over Pierce.

Final: Minden over Scotus.

Sleeper: Gothenburg.

Class C-2

Lincoln Lutheran deserves the favorite's role but this trek won't be easy, starting with tourney regular Hastings St. Cecilia in the first round. Oakland-Craig looms on the other side of the bracket and the Knights always come to play at state.

First round: Lincoln Lutheran over St. Cecilia; Norfolk Catholic over Yutan; Oakland-Craig over Johnson-Brock; Thayer Central over Freeman.

Semifinals: Lincoln Lutheran over Norfolk Catholic; Oakland-Craig over Thayer Central.

Final: Lincoln Lutheran over Oakland-Craig.

Sleeper: St. Cecilia.

Class D-1

A chance to finish off a perfect season while winning the school's first state title? That's the goal of 33-0 Southwest, and it says here that a pair of five-set heartbreakers in the first round at state the past two years has this team primed to finish the job.

First round: Southwest over Diller-Odell; Cambridge over Exeter-Milligan/Friend; BDS over Howells-Dodge; Superior over Hartington Cedar Catholic.

Semifinals: Southwest over Cambridge; Superior over BDS.

Final: Southwest over Superior.

Sleeper: Cedar Catholic.

Class D-2

If Leyton can finish undefeated in its first trip to state in 11 years, more power to the 33-0 Warriors. But it's hard to pick against the defending champ, so we'll go with Overton to ultimately prevail.

First round: Leyton over Meridian; Central Valley over Amherst; Overton over Wynot; Shelton over Stuart.

Semifinals: Leyton over Central Valley; Overton over Shelton.

Final: Overton over Leyton.

Sleeper: Amherst.

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