Breaking down the South Dakota Prep Media volleyball poll for Sept. 25: Rankings versus seed point standings
Sep. 25—MITCHELL — As October looms, it feels appropriate to check in on the seed point standings, which ultimately determine postseason seeding, across all three classes to see how the polls stack up.
Class AA and Class B share many commonalities between the two metrics, though there's a clear disconnect in Class A.
Below is the latest South Dakota Prep Media volleyball poll, issued for the week of Sept. 25, 2023. Teams are listed with first-place votes in parentheses, record and points.
Class AA
1. Harrisburg (13), 13-0, 65; 2. Sioux Falls Jefferson, 9-0, 52; 3. Sioux Falls Washington, 6-2, 38; 4. Watertown, 8-3, 25; 5. Pierre, 7-2, 9.
Others receiving votes: Aberdeen Central 2, O'Gorman 2, Sioux Falls Roosevelt 1, Sioux Falls Lincoln 1.
Close call at No. 1: The Class AA seed-point standings most closely reflect the media rankings (or vice versa). Unbeatens Sioux Falls Jefferson and Harrisburg pace the class in seed points, though the edge currently favors the Cavaliers. Sioux Falls Washington and Watertown occupy third and fourth, respectively. Pierre is No. 6, just behind Aberdeen Central, which has a .01 seed point edge at No. 5. Sioux Falls Lincoln, O'Gorman, Rapid City Stevens and Huron round out the top 10.
Class A
1. Sioux Falls Christian (13), 18-3, 65; 2. Dakota Valley, 8-4, 45; 3. Wagner, 13-3, 35; 4. Dell Rapids, 11-4, 25; 5. Madison, 13-2, 16.
Others receiving votes: Aberdeen Roncalli 5, Rapid City Christian 3, Miller 1.
A large deviation: Class A's seed points standings do not align with the media poll. Top-ranked Sioux Falls Christian is seventh in seed points, and No. 2 Dakota Valley is 12th. The remainder of the media top five is Wagner (ninth in seed points), Dell Rapids (10th) and Madison (third). Aberdeen Roncalli, Rapid City Christian and Miller are first, second and fourth in seed points, and are the three programs receiving votes outside the top five. Other top-10 teams in the class by seed points include Estelline/Hendricks and Mobridge-Pollock at fifth and sixth, respectively.
Class B
1. Warner (13), 22-0, 65; 2. Chester Area, 18-3, 51; 3. Northwestern, 18-5, 37; 4. Colman-Egan, 15-3, 17; 5. Faith, 16-0, 13.
Others receiving votes: Burke 9, Wolsey-Wessington 3.
Clear top two: Just as the media poll has indicated all season to date, Warner and Chester are the clear-cut No. 1 and No. 2 programs in Class B. The seed points standings have Colman-Egan and Faith moved up one spot each at Nos. 3 and 4, respectively, with Wolsey-Wessington at No. 5. Northwestern, No. 3 in the media poll, is sixth in seed points, as Hitchcock-Tulare, Sioux Falls Lutheran, Burke and Castlewood complete the top 10.
