On Saturday, eight high school volleyball teams will come together for the Great Bend Invitational, which starts at 9 a.m. at Panther Fieldhouse.
Great Bend head coach Kelsey Perry said that she expects there to be some great competition.
“Phillipsburg is the No. 1 seed,” Perry said. “They have the best record, but they could be a deceiving team. You don’t always know what to expect from a smaller town.
“Salina Central is 10-6, but they play in that really strong city league.”
Phillipsburg is ranked No. 4 in Class 3A in the latest Kansas Volleyball Coaches Association poll.
There will also be St. John-Hudson, which is a perennial 1A Division-I state tournament competitor that has three state titles in the last five years.
The Lady Panthers are coming off a second-place finish at Tonganoxie.
“I think we proved at Tonganoxie that we can play with anyone,” Perry said. “We have seven seniors with experience. That really helps.”
Great Bend is 15-5 this season, which Perry attributes to her team’s experience and depth.
“We have several good hitters and a great back line,” Perry said, “so we don’t have to rely on just one person here or there.”
 
HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL
Great Bend Invitational
 
Saturday
 
At Great Bend
Panther Fieldhouse
 
Pool ‘A’
9 a.m. — Great Bend vs. Wichita West
10 a.m. — Salina Central vs. Hays
11 a.m. — Great Bend vs. Hays
Noon — Salina Central vs. Wichita West
1 p.m. — Great Bend vs. Salina Central
2 p.m. — Hays vs. Wichita West
 
Pool ‘B’
9 a.m. — St. John-Hudson vs. Hutchinson
10 a.m. — Phillipsburg vs. Wichita-Word of Life
11 a.m. — St. John vs. Word of Life
Noon — Phillipsburg vs. Hutchinson
1 p.m. — Hutchinson vs. Word of Life
2 p.m. — Phillipsburg vs. St. John
 
3 p.m. — Pool ‘A’ fifth place vs. Pool ‘B’ fifth place (West court); Pool ‘A’ fourth place vs. Pool ‘B’ fourth place (East court)
4 p.m. — Pool ‘A’ first place vs. Pool ‘B’ second place (West court); Pool ‘A’ second place vs. Pool ‘B’ first place (East court)
5 p.m. — Championship match (West court); Third-place match (East court)