By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Three Shawnee County teams earned spots in the Kansas Volleyball Association rankings released on Friday.
Leading the way is Washburn Rural, which is ranked No. 3 in Class 6A.
The Junior Blues, who opened the 2022 season Saturday, are coming off a 41-2 season and a fourth-place state finish.
Seaman also begins the year with a top-five state ranking, with the Vikings No. 5 in 5A.
The Vikings finished fourth in the 5A state tournament last season, posting a 27-13 record.
Perennial state power Silver Lake is No. 7 in Class 3A after posting a 28-9 record in 2021.
KANSAS VOLLEYBALL ASSOCIATION
Preseason state rankings
Class 6A
1. Olathe Northwest
2. Blue Valley North
3. Washburn Rural
4. Blue Valley West
5. Lawrence-Free State
6. Blue Valley
7. Blue Valley Northwest
8. Shawnee Mission Northwest
9. Wichita Northwest
10. Hutchinson
Class 5A
1. St. Thomas Aquinas
2. St. James Academy
3. Lansing
4. Maize South
5. Seaman
6. Bishop Carroll
7. Mill Valley
8. Spring Hill
9. Goddard-Eisenhower
10. Andover Central
Class 4A
1. Andale
2. Bishop Miege
3. Circle
4. Baldwin
5. Ottawa
6. Augusta
7. Louisburg
8. McPherson
9. Abilene
10. Clearwater
Class 3A
1. Heritage Christian
2. Nemaha Central
3. Cheney
4. Beloit
5. Goodland
6. Riverton
7. Silver Lake
8. Trinity Academy
9. Phillipsburg
10. Smoky Valley
Class 2A
1. Smith Center
2. Hillsboro
3. Ellinwood
4. Garden Plain
5. Jefferson County North
6. Sedgwick
7. St. Mary’s-Colgan
8. Valley Heights
9. Maranatha Christian
10. Inman
Class 1A – Division I
1. Spearville
2. Little River
3. Pretty Prairie
4. Centralia
5. Kiowa County
6. Victoria
7. South Central
8. Goessel
9. Sylvan-Lucas
10. Lakeside
Class 1A – Division II
1. Hanover
2. Lebo
3. Attica
4. Central Plains
5. Linn
6. Bucklin
7. Argonia
8. Golden Plains
9. Dighton
10. Wheatland-Grinnell