RAPID CITY — The Class B state tournament is Nov. 16-18 at The Summit Arena. 

The eight-team tournament features six teams from the 2022 tourney, including defending state champion Warner. Burke, Wolsey-Wessington, Chester, Colman-Egan and Castlewood also return from last season. 

Gayville-Volin, which is making its first-ever trip, and Faulkton Area round out the field. 

Below are capsules on all eight teams in the field:

No. 1 Warner (37-0)

Coach: Kari Jung

Key players: Ava Nilsson (43 aces, 60 kills, 828 assists, 44 blocks, 174 digs), Kyleigh Schopp (378 kills, 76 blocks, 69 digs), Kyra Marcuson (319 kills, 14 blocks, 55 aces, 170 digs), Lauren Marcuson (333 kills, 328 digs, 34 aces, 9 blocks), MaKenna Leidholt (134 kills, 32 blocks), Courtney Bjorgaard (392 digs, 44 aces), Haleigh Holt (28 aces, 151 digs). 

Notes: Warner will play Gayville-Volin at 11 a.m. MT Thursday in the opening round. … The Monarchs are making their seventh straight appearance. … Warner has won the past two Class B state championships and has eight total state titles. … The Monarchs are on a 56-match winning streak. … Ava Nilsson, a senior setter, will play college volleyball at Northern State. … The Monarchs defeated Class A No. 1 Sioux Falls Christian twice this season. Warner also defeated Class AA No. 5 Sioux Falls O’Gorman this season. … The Monarchs have dropped just three sets this season. They have swept their past 16 opponents. 

No. 2 Chester (30-1)

Coach: Jean O’Hara

Key players: Jacy Wolf (33 aces, 358 kills, 227 assists, 327 digs), Lily Van Hal (88 aces, 219 kills, 735 assists, 256 digs, 88 aces, 21 blocks), Emmerson Eppard (44 aces, 212 kills, 11 blocks, 91 digs), Addison Bates (210 kills, 62 blocks, 25 digs), Emery Larson (27 aces, 421 digs, 56 assists), Lexi Bauman (149 digs, 25 assists), Katelynn Huntimer (25 aces, 85 kills, 10 assists, 21 blocks, 249 digs), Emilie Bleeker (22 digs, 51 blocks, 84 kills). 

Notes: Chester will play Faulkton Area at 5 p.m. MT Thursday in the opening round. … The Flyers are making their 11th straight trip to state. … Chester won the 2015 Class B state championship, its lone state volleyball title. … Emery Larson, a sophomore libero, has won the past two Class B state cross-country championships. … Chester’s lone loss was against Class A Dakota Valley, which is playing in the Class A tournament. … The Flyers own wins over Class AA teams Sioux Falls Lincoln, Brandon Valley, Sturgis, Spearfish and Huron. Chester also defeated Class A teams Flandreau, McCook Central/Montrose, Baltic, Parker, Sioux Valley, Elkton-Lake Benton, Garretson, Beresford, Tri-Valley, West Central and Madison.

No. 3 Colman-Egan (27-5) 

Coach: Abigail Dockter

Key players: Daniela Lee (318 kills, 25 assists, 65 blocks, 493 digs), Anna Zwart (14 aces, 208 kills, 40 blocks, 136 digs), Elaina Rhode (16 aces, 200 kills, 37 blocks, 198 digs), Brynlee Landis (14 aces, 114 kills, 19 blocks, 163 digs), Aleigha Lange (68 kills, 88 digs, 10 blocks), Kaylee Voelker (18 aces, 102 kills, 45 blocks, 342 digs, 515 assists), Lanie Mousel (69 kills, 19 aces, 320 digs, 519 assists).

Notes: Colman-Egan will play Castlewood at 6:45 p.m. MT Thursday in the opener. Colman-Egan defeated Castlewood three times during the regular season. … Colman-Egan is making its fourth straight state tournament appearance. … The Hawks finished as state runner-ups in 2021. … Colman-Egan lost to fellow Class B tournament Chester Area. … Colman-Egan split with Class B tourney team, Gayville-Volin, during the regular season. … Colman-Egan has won the past three Class B girls state track and field championships. 

No. 4 Burke (32-4)

Coach: Billie Jo Indahl 

Key players: Kailee Frank (400 kills, 44 assists, 21 blocks, 349 digs), Emmie Hausmann (290 kills, 20 blocks, 176 digs), Paige Bull (246 kills, 90 blocks, 38 digs), Piper Hanson (94 kills, 23 blocks, 79 digs), Ava Sargent (69 aces, 470 assists, 165 digs), Bridget Eliason (30 aces, 342 assists, 159 digs), Elle Johnson (22 aces, 76 assists, 550 digs), Kyrie Matucha (202 digs, 14 aces, 41 assists).

Notes: Burke will play Wolsey-Wessington at 12:45 p.m. MT Thursday in the opener. Burke lost to Wolsey-Wessington in last season’s Class B third-place match. … Burke has qualified for the past two Class B volleyball state tournaments. The Cougars qualified for tournaments in 2017, ‘18 and ‘19. … The Cougars lost to Class B No. 1 Warner during the regular season. They defeated Class A state tournament qualifier Platte-Geddes, while they lost to Class A entrant Wagner.

No. 5 Wolsey-Wessington (29-4)

Coach: Lindy Uttecht

Key players: Kailynn Dorris (55 aces, 403 kills, 248 digs, 18 blocks), Samara Clemente (265 kills, 33 digs, 85 blocks), Tatum Luce (22 aces, 245 kills, 120 digs, 51 blocks), Lainey Uttecht (230 kills, 502 digs, 50 aces), Kendal Uttecht (55 kills, 350 digs, 25 blocks, 549 assists), Payton Kemnitz (601 assists, 301 digs, 26 aces, 12 blocks), Shae Uttecht (45 aces, 631 digs).

Notes: Wolsey-Wessington will play Burke at 12:45 p.m., MT Thursday in the opener. Wolsey-Wessington defeated Burke in last season’s third-place match. … Wolsey-Wessington is making its second-ever trip to the state tournament, with last year being its first. … The Warbirds dropped two matches against Class B qualifier Faulkton Area. They also lost to Class B No. 1 Warner. … Lindy Uttecht has three daughters on the team: Lainey, Kendal, and Shae.

No. 6 Castlewood (21-8)

Coach: Breanna DeKam

Key players: Presley Knecht (467 kills, 39 aces, 319 digs, 13 blocks), Emerson Carter (249 kills, 36 aces, 136 digs, 80 blocks), Cassidy Kirwan (173 kills, 129 digs, four blocks), Ella Hunter (60 kills, 76 digs, 24 blocks), Kelly Goens (45 kills, 13 blocks, 53 digs), Gracie Haug (31 aces, 24 kills, 845 assists, 334 digs, 20 blocks), Kailyn Larson (256 digs, 17 aces), Kylie Wittnebel (23 aces, 228 digs), Karli Akin (27 aces, 202 digs), Nora Solberg (seven aces, 102 digs). 

Notes: Castlewood will play Colman-Egan at 6:45 p.m. MT on Thursday in the opener. … Castlewood lost three matches against Colman-Egan during the regular season. … The Warriors are making their second straight appearance at state. Castlewood’s only other trip was in 1997. … The Warriors placed sixth last season.

No. 7 Faulkton Area (24-9)

Coach: Mallory Schlechter

Key players: Carly Cotton (336 kills, 54 aces, 536 digs), Addison Melius (48 aces, 336 kills, 471 digs), Kelli Stoecker (35 aces, 224 kills, 86 digs, 23 solo blocks), Jaymi Senn (67 kills, 12 solo blocks, 19 digs), Anna Aesoph (56 aces, 397 digs) Tegan Baloun (17 aces, 279 digs, 1,562 assists), Aedyn Raethz (seven aces, 82 kills, 12 digs), Micah Martinmaas (22 aces, 1,399 assists). 

Notes: Faulkton Area will play Chester at 5 p.m. MT Thursday in the opener. … The Trojans lost to Class B qualifiers Warner (twice), Burke and Wolsey-Wessington during the regular season. Faulkton Area went 2-1 against Wolsey-Wessington. Faulkton Area lost to Class A participant Miller during the season. … Faulkton Area has qualified for state tournaments in 2008, ‘18, ‘19, ‘20 and ‘21. The Trojans were runner-ups in 2019. 

Gayville-Volin (21-10)

Coach: Allison Jones 

Key players: Maia Achen (446 kills, 21 blocks, 61 aces), Aliza Westrum (152 kills, 32 blocks), Jolie Westrum (72 kills, 14 blocks, 28 aces), Ayla Dimmer (62 kills, 41 aces), Keeley Larson (589 assists, 220 digs, 23 aces), Kayden Bye (45 kills, 28 blocks, 15 aces), Taylor Hoxeng (607 digs, 38 aces). 

Notes: Gayville-Volin will play Warner at 11 a.m. MT Thursday in the opener. … The Raiders are making their first-ever state volleyball appearance. … Gayville-Volin lost to Class B participants Colman-Egan and Burke (twice) during the regular season.