Champlin Park, Lakeville North volleyball teams make the peak their starting point

Carly Gilk wore a big smile for the first practice of the fall season, evidence of her excitement about getting back into the gym for her senior season with Champlin Park volleyball. The Rebels started at 7:30 a.m. Monday at Champlin Park High School, took a break and resumed practice at 1:45 p.m.

“I know a lot of people don’t like two-a-days,” Gilk said. “But I love them. I think they’re fun.”

Not all players could make the open gym sessions during preseason, so senior Reese Axness was glad to see everyone back together.

“To have everyone in the gym, it’s awesome. Just to be back with the team,” Axness said.

The Rebels are ranked No. 1 in the preseason by the Minnesota Volleyball Coaches Association. Even with a number of returning players, the first day of practice created a learning curve for coach John Yunker, entering his 14th season leading the Rebels. A new rule from the Anoka-Hennepin school district has allowed seventh- and eighth-graders to try out this year. Yunker had about 80 athletes in the gym Monday, a number Yunker and his coaching staff will narrow to about 55 girls spread across five volleyball teams this season.

“It didn’t necessarily feel like our normal tryouts this morning, just because … it’s a bigger group,” Yunker said. “Today was structured differently in smaller groups.

“They’re still excited about being here, and we’re excited about the season.”

The Rebels, who went 24-7 last season, should have a familiar roster, having said goodbye to only three players via graduation. But the Rebels reload with seniors Gilk, Axness and Kathryn Adler. Gilk, an All-Metro first-team pick committed to the Gophers, led the Rebels with 410 kills last season. Lefthander Adler is another Division I-caliber player, and setter Axness is committed to Ball State.

Add in a few others who played on a semi-regular basis and the Rebels have the experience they hope will help them win the section title that’s been going to powerhouse Wayzata.

Champlin Park opens the season Aug. 22 with a home match against No. 2 Lakeville North.

Lakeville North ranks as one of the top volleyball programs in Minnesota, having made three consecutive trips to the state tournament concluding with a runner-up finish in 2022.

When the Panthers lost to New Prague in the section final last season and ended that state streak, they felt the disappointment. But the process this year will be the same and the scoreboard will take care of itself.

“Our disappointment came with just the reflection of how we prepared — and it was a great learning experience for us for the future seasons,” coach Jackie Richter said at Monday’s first day of practice. “Our offseason was great because we have very dedicated and motivated players.

“In our gym, we stay very process-minded. We don’t talk about state. We don’t talk about rankings. We try to really keep our focus on growth every day.”

That mindset helps the team build unity and the program build depth, Richter said.

Included among returning players this season is junior captain and 2023 Star Tribune All-Metro first-team member Rayna Christianson, who led the team in kills, service aces and set assists. Her versatility as a setter and outside hitter on the right side to go along with her experience as a middle blocker in eighth and ninth grade can present a matchup problem for opponents.

She committed to Creighton in June and has a national profile that comes complete with a web page full of her accomplishments. Her teammates talk more about her ability to stay grounded and help the players around her than about her stats.

“With such a good player like her, I think it is important that she shows how humble she is,” senior captain Brooke Zweber said. “She’s known across the country. It’s really important to her to show her humbleness. That’s very important for our team as we’re trying to circle everybody in on the same goal.”

The Panthers’ schedule has four teams that played in the Class 4A tournament in the past two seasons. The challenge arrives quickly. Lakeville North opens the season with three consecutive road games, the second of them against Stillwater and the third against Minnetonka. Each played in the state tournament last season.

“Everyone is really excited to see how far we can go and how much we can improve,” senior captain Erin MacLeod said.