Wed. October 7, 2009 | Eduardo A. Encina
Volleyball fab five
1. Plant (16-1): The Panthers came within five points of beating the No. 2 team in the nation and advancing to the Asics Challenge championship in Chicago. Too bad we won’t see them in this weekend’s Tampa Bay Invitational, where they could have met Berkeley Prep.
2. Berkeley Prep (14-2): After a three-set win over Gainesville Buchholtz, the Bucs head into the Tampa Bay Invitational as the odds-on favorite.
3. Brandon (7-1): Winners of six straight, the Eagles have won 18 of their past 19 games. Their competition figures to improve at the TBI this weekend with Fort Myers and Martin County sharing their pool. Then there’s their rematch with Plant on Wednesday.
4. Sickles (13-1): With a win in Thursday's district home game against Gaither, Sickles can take control of Class 5A-9 and further legitimize the Gryphons as one of the county’s heavyweights.
5a. Gaither (9-3): Gaither is on a roll. The Cowboys won the Bayshore Invitational last weekend, they’ve won five in a row and are 3-0 in district play entering Thursday's district tilt against Sickles.
5b. Steinbrenner (13-3): We have to put the Warriors in here because they’ve also won five straight and own a three-set win over Gaither. A win over Robinson on Thursday and we’re sold.
Just outside the pack: Holy Names (10-6), Newsome (7-2), Tampa Prep (6-6), Robinson (6-4)
Volleyball statistics
Kills (Minimum 22 games)
Name, school Total KPG
Maddie Martin, Plant 195 5,3
Emilee Taylor, Arm 117 5.3
Alex Johnson, Plant 201 4.8
Gabby Fernandez, Bay 188 4.7
Sarah Burrington, Riv 109 4.7
Lindsey Watson, Bran 97 4.0
Jordan Burgess, BP 195 3.7
Laura Ackart, Gai 101 3.6
Lauren Ramsey, Sic 129 3.1
Jenna Clark, Gai 81 3.1
Aly Woodlee, Bran 68 3.0
Allison Wade, Durant 109 2.9
Lindsay Young, BP 148 2.7
Jasmine Linville, Fre 97 2.7
Ericka McGriff, TP 112 2.7
Melissa Olsson, Camb. 90 2.6
Kristen Liguori, Stei 108 2.6
Alexandria Biver, Alon. 114 2.5
Leah Jordan, Plant 116 2.5
Latora Lofgren, TP 100 2.4
Olivia Yeager, Camb. 80 2.4
Blocks (Minimum 22 games)
Name, school Total BPG
Nicole Higgins, Bran 36 1.4
Leah Jordan, Plant 48 1.4
Sarah Burrington, Riv 33 1.4
Jenna Clark, Gai 34 1.3
Olivia Yeager, Camb. 42 1.2
Valencia King, Bay 46 1.2
Melissa Olsson, Camb. 36 1.1
Brynn Wiley, AHN 54 1.1
Victoria Gay, Riv 24 1.0
Katie Krueger, TP 25 1.0
Paige Tuttle, Plant 32 0.9
Savannah Cantrell, TP 33 0.8
Audra Geniesse, Bran 20 0.8
Chandler Cartwright, AHN 38 0.8
MacKenzie Dagostino, BP 37 0.7
Caitlyn Still, Dur 23 0.7
Lindsay Taggart, Fre 24 0.7
Assists (Minimum 22 games)
Name, school Total APG
Devin Whale, Bra 287 11.5
Becca Howard, Plant 476 10.6
Rachael Jenkins, Riv 204 8.9
Amanda Mirabella, Bay 274 7.8
Laura Smith, Arm 162 7.4
Sam Drane, Stei 342 7.3
Ashley Rubright, Camb 242 7.1
MacKenzie Dagostino, BP 354 6.9
Caroline Dillabough, TP 274 6,4
Nikki Neville, AHN 145 5.8
Carlye Owens, Sic 217 5.6
Heather Mysak, AHN 200 5.6
Ginny Willis, BP 275 5.3
Emily Hussin, Gai 127 4.5
Erika Wardzinski, Dur 157 4.2
Jacalyn Sampson, Fre 148 4.1
Digs (Minimum 22 games)
Name, school Total DPG
Leslie Gibson, Rob 154 5.1
Katlyn Messick, Dur 173 4.7
Natasha Rowland, BP 239 4.4
Lindsey Watson, Bran 103 4.3
Hannah Mirabella, Bay 164 4.1
Jordan Burgess, BP 212 4.0
Gabby Fernandez, Bay 160 4.0
Kaitlynn Pacholke, Fre 109 3.9
Ashley Rios, Bay 150 3.8
Kelsey Rafols, AHN 163 3.7
Sammi Klemp, Bran 84 3.4
Ali McCurdy, Plant 131 3.4
Maddie Martin, Plant 123 3.3
Chelsea Parker, BP 162 3.3
Sarah Burrington, Riv 74 3.2
Maira Guadalupe, Alo 143 3.2
Valencia King, Bay 119 3.0
Aly Woodlee, Bran 68 3.0
Nicole Mello, Rob 87 3.0
Statistics are usually compiled every Wednesday morning; coaches can send them to Eduardo A. Encina at eencina@sptimes.com