Benson County volleyball (Photo by Noah Clooten)
Benson County is now a top-five team.
The Wildcats were ranked No. 4 in the Class B volleyball poll released Tuesday by the NDAPSSA.
They were unranked in the initial poll on Sept. 9, but they’ve since gone 13-0. They’re 3-0 in region play and 1-0 in district play in the first year of the three-class system.
Benson County received 30 points, with three of the 16 first-place votes.
The other 13 went to Linton/HMB (16-1), which remained at No. 1. It leads the pack with 73 points. Defending champion Langdon Area/Munich, which is off to an 11-3 start, remained in the No. 2 slot with 49 points. Flasher (15-1-1) slid up to No. 3, with 32 points, after originally being ranked No. 5.
LA/M and Flasher did not receive any first-place votes, despite being ranked ahead of Benson County. The Wildcats trail Flasher by just two points.
New Rockford-Sheyenne was one of eight additional Class B teams to receive votes. The Rockets, who compete in District 4 with Benson County and LA/M, have received votes in both volleyball polls so far this season. They’re off to a 4-1 start, including 1-0 in district play.
Last year, LA/M beat Benson County in the Region 4 championship match. NR-S lost to North Prairie in the region third-place game.
In the Class A poll released Tuesday, Thompson continued to lead the way. It received 11 of the 15 first-place votes. The Tommies (11-1) are a new region foe of Devils Lake. They beat the Firebirds 3-0 when they were in town on Sept. 11.
Carrington, another member of Region 2, went from unranked to a tie for No. 5. The Cardinals are 9-1 and host Devils Lake this Tuesday. Carrington received two first-place votes, while No. 2 South-Prairie Max and No. 3 Valley City each received one.
Devils Lake is 9-5 overall in the first year of competing in Class A, but 0-3 in region play as of Tuesday afternoon.
Bismarck Century was the unanimous No. 1 in the new Class AA.
The next NDAPSSA volleyball polls are expected Oct. 7.
Class A volleyball
- Thompson (11) – 67 points (Previous: 1)
- South Prairie-Max (1) – 55 points (Previous: 2)
- Valley City (1) – 34 points (Previous: NR)
- Kindred – 26 points (Previous: 5)
- T5: Carrington (2) – 20 points (Previous: NR)
- T5: Oak Grove – 20 points (Previous: 3)
Received votes: Dickinson Trinity, May-Port-C-G, Northern Cass
Class B volleyball
- Linton/HMB (13) – 73 points (Previous: 1)
- Langdon Area/Munich – 49 points (Previous: 2)
- Flasher – 32 points (Previous: 5)
- Benson County (3) – 30 points (Previous: NR)
- Richland – 25 points (Previous: 4)
Received votes: Trenton, South Heart, Edgeley/Kulm/Montpelier, Surrey, New Rockford-Sheyenne, Medina-Pingree/Buchanan, Kenmare/Bowbells, Our Redeemer’s
