2024 Metro Volleyball Championship preview

ALBUQUERQUE (Sept. 10, 2024) – The Metro Volleyball Championship kicks off tonight with Pool Play and the Rio Rancho high schools are looking to make some waves after recent setbacks.

Metro Championship Pool Play takes place on one night only, Sept. 10, with the first matches starting at 4:30 p.m.

All 16 teams will play three games in a single night to determine seeding for the Bracket Play stage. Bracket Play takes place on Sept. 12-14 and will have each team playing two matches to determine the final standings.

Unfortunately, both the Cleveland Storm and the Rio Rancho Rams are in Pool B, which means they will be playing each other in Pool Play. Pool B matches take place at Valley High School (1505 Candelaria Rd. NW, Albuquerque) and tickets are $5.

Pool B is strong, but not the strongest.

Cleveland appears to be the toughest of the four teams, with a surging RRHS squad right on their tails. CHS may have dropped two games recently, but they were to La Cueva and Las Cruces, both undefeated, top-ranked squads.

The Rams dropped their first two games of the year, but have rebounded nicely, winning their last two.

Albuquerque High is an underrated team who nearly beat CHS in the first set of the year. They sit on top of the 5A-5 standings with a 3-2 record (tied with Los Lunas on record, but ahead on set differential, +4 to +1.) Abq. High middle blocker and outside hitter Kaelynn Ashley is tough to stop, averaging 3.6 “kills per set” and a staggering 17 total blocks on the year.

Valley may be the host, but they are the weakest team in the pool. The Vikings sit at third in 4A-6, below Hope Christian and Abq. Academy. The Rams and the Storm would be unwise to underestimate them, however. Despite a 3-2 record, Valley tends to win big when they win and lose close when they lose. Watch out for senior middle blocker Nevaeh Richardson who has 20 kills on the season and leads her team in nearly every category, according to MaxPreps.

Prediction: The Observer predicts the Cleveland Storm will win the group easily. Valley will lose in heartbreaking fashion. The real battle will be between RRHS and Abq. High for second place. The Bulldogs are a tough team with a strong defense, but ultimately, the Observer predicts Rams veteran coaching staff under head coach Toby Manzanares will end up in second with Abq. High settling in at third.

Game schedule:

RRHS vs CHS, Match 1

RRHS vs Valley, Match 3

CHS vs Abq. High, Match 4

Valley vs CHS, Match 5

RRHS vs Abq. High, Match 6