Darren Kinnard
Section618.com

NCOE is the number one team in the preseason Section618.com Volleyball Coaches Poll. The Fighting Cardinals received six of the 14 first place votes after finishing 35-4 last year, falling to eventual 1A state champion St. Thomas More out of Champaign in the Casey-Westfield Supersectional.

Fairfield edged Carterville for the second spot, although the Lady Lions received the second highest total of first place votes. Nashville and Pinckneyville also received first place votes to round out the top five.

Carmi-White County leads the second five. Centralia received the other first place vote and is seventh. Hamilton County, Massac County, and Du Quoin finish out the top 10.

Woodlawn, Murphysboro, Edwards County, Herrin, Chester, Grayville, Carbondale, West Frankfort, and Marion also received votes.

The volleyball season will start next week.

Here is the complete poll:

Rank Team Class Pts 1st Record Final ’21 Ranking
1 NCOE (1A) 115 (6) 35-4 6
2 Fairfield (2A) 110 (1) 30-7 4
3 Carterville (2A) 109 (3) 34-6 1
4 Nashville (2A) 87 (1) 32-6 3
5 Pinckneyville (2A) 75 (2) 24-7 5
6 Carmi-White Co. (2A) 51 23-14 10
7 Centralia (3A) 47 (1) 33-3 2
8 Hamilton Co. (2A) 38 26-12 9
9 Massac Co. (2A) 26 25-12 NR
10 Du Quoin (2A) 25 17-12-1 8

Others receiving votes: Woodlawn (1A) 17, Murphysboro (2) 13, Edwards Co. (1) 12, Herrin (3A) 6, Chester (2A) 5, Grayville (1A) 5, Carbondale (3) 4, West Frankfort (2A) 3, Marion (3A) 1