South Dakota high school volleyball season is just one week away, and the preseason edition of the South Dakota Volleyball Media Poll has been released.

The 2018 volleyball season officially begins across South Dakota on Tuesday, August 18. Members of all three classes will be in action that evening.

With another season on the horizon, media members from around the state have gathered together to form one comprehensive media poll for the volleyball season.

This year's preseason poll sees a west river team sitting in first place in Class AA. Rapid City Stevens received 14 of 18 possible first place votes to take the top spot. Sioux Falls Washington received three first place votes.

Sioux Falls Christian enters the 2018 season as the favorite in Class A. The Chargers are coming off a Class A Championship last year, and received 17 first place votes.

Much like Class A, defending champion Northwestern takes the top spot in Class B to start the year. The Wildcats also received all but one first place vote from the media.

Here are the preseason rankings as voted on by members of the South Dakota media.

S.D. MEDIA POLL

Teams are listed with first place votes in parenthesis, final 2017 record, points and final 2017 ranking.

CLASS AA

  1. R.C. Stevens (14) 28-10 83 4
  2. S.F. Washington (3) 22-14 64 NR
  3. O'Gorman 18-17 36 5
  4. Watertown 16-9 31 RV
  5. Mitchell 21-6 30 2

ALSO RECEIVING VOTES: Harrisburg (23-1, 1 first place vote, No. 1 in final 2017 poll) 17; S.F. Roosevelt (12-20) 5; Aberdeen Central (17-7, No. 3 in final 2017 poll) 2; Huron (16-11) 1

CLASS A

  1. S.F. Christian (17) 30-2 89 1
  2. Miller (1) 26-7 53 5
  3. Dakota Valley 28-4 44 2
  4. McCook Central-Montrose 21-10 39 NR
  5. Dell Rapids 19-10 20 NR

ALSO RECEIVING VOTES: Madison (27-5, No. 3 in final 2017 poll) 14; Winner (19-10) 6; Sioux Valley (26-6) 3; Belle Fourche (25-5) 2

NOTE: Parker, No. 4 in the final 2017 poll, did not receive any votes

CLASS B

  1. Northwestern (17) 36-1 89 1
  2. Warner (1) 30-5 63 2
  3. Chester Area 27-5 59 3
  4. Ethan 21-4 18 RV
  5. Philip 26-2 14 5

ALSO RECEIVING VOTES: Hanson (27-3, No. 4 in final 2017 poll) 6; Arlington (21-10) 4; Burke (29-7) 4; Deubrook (26-9) 4; Herreid-Selby Area (26-4) 4; Faith (18-14) 3; Faulkton (17-10) 1


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