INAUGURAL PONY EXPRESS GIRLS STATE HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL PREVIEW TOURNAMENT PRESENTED BY JOHN ANDERSON SHELTER INSURANCE AGENCY SET FOR AUGUST 29-30, 2025 AT CIVIC ARENA 

 HOSTED BY THE ST. JOSEPH SPORTS COMMISSION

BUY TICKETS

 For Immediate Release: Wednesday, June 18, 2025

Brett Esely Contact: 816-233-6688, besely@stjomo.com

 

With the anticipation and excitement of St. Joseph being the new home of the Missouri State High School Girls Volleyball Championships this coming November, a few teams will get the opportunity to experience the venue they are all trying to get to at the pinnacle of their seasons as the Inaugural Pony Express State High School Volleyball Preview Tournament presented by John Anderson Shelter Insurance Agency will take place August 29 & 30 at Civic Arena.

The field will include 16 teams consisting of local, regional and statewide representation from all five classes of Missouri Girls High School Volleyball in which each team will play two games per day, four games total in a unique three court set-up in the arena.

“We are honored and extremely excited to get the opportunity to host the MSHSAA Girls Volleyball State Championship this coming November and in our continuing effort to create/attract events that fill fit and niche locally but also can engage participants, regionally, statewide and nationally, the creation of this event was an obvious fit and we are excited to see some high level volleyball the first weekend of the season in downtown St. Joseph,” stated Brett Esely, Executive Director of the St. Joseph Sports Commission.

The field features an impressive mix of small, medium and large class teams.  Three 2024 state final four teams are entered in the field including Class 4 State Champion St. Pius Festus (37-2-1), Class 3 3^rd Place Odessa (26-8) and local favorite Class 2 State Runner-Up Bishop LeBlond (32-4-1).  District Champions in the field include Class 4 Webb City (28-9-1) and Notre Dame De Sion (15-10); Class 3 Savannah (29-10); Class 2 Adrian (23-9-1); Class 1 Rock Port (16-15) and Plattsburg (20-11-2).  The rest of the field includes Class 5 participants – Liberty North (22-7), Central (11-20) Class 3 – Oak Grove (20-7-3), Maryville (13-12), Cameron (13-18-3); Class 2 – Mid-Buchanan (24-10-2) and West Platte – (11-16-5).

Action begins at Civic Arena on Friday afternoon August 29 at 2:30 PM and concludes on day one at 8:45 PM.  Games continue on Saturday, August 30 at 10 AM with the final game beginning at 4:15 PM.  In all, 32 games will be contested.

“Inaugural events are always so hard to get off the ground however we are grateful to these teams for their support of the event and to our title sponsor John Andrson Shelter Insurance Agency for helping make this event possible. We look forward to putting on a great experience for these teams to begin their season and hopefully will see them back at the end of their season.” Esely stated.

Ticket information will be released closer to the event, in which all pre-sale tickets will be facilitated online and in walk up on gameday at the Civic Arena Box office.  Sponsorship opportunities for the event are available by contacting the sports commission.

GAME SCHEDULE:

 2025 INAUGURAL PONY EXPRESS GIRLS STATE HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL PREVIEW TOURNAMENT PRESENTED BY JOHN ANDERSON SHELTER INSURANCE AGENCY

CIVIC ARENA

August 29-30, 2025

 Friday, August 29

 Texas Roadhouse Court:

2:30 PM – Central vs. Maryville – Maryville wins 2-0

3:45 PM – Rock Port vs. West Platte – Rock Port wins 2-1

5:00 PM – Plattsburg vs. West Platte – Plattsburg wins 2-0

6:15 PM – Oak Grove vs. Maryville – Oak Grove wins 2-0

7:30 PM – LeBlond vs. Mid-Buchanan – LeBlond wins 2-0

8:45 PM – LeBlond vs. Adrian – LeBlond wins 2-1

 

John Anderson, Shelter Insurance Court:

2:30 PM – Plattsburg vs. Cameron – Plattsburg wins 2-0

3:45 PM – Liberty North vs. Savannah – Liberty North wins 2-0

5:00 PM – Central vs. Notre Dame De Sion – Notre Dame De Sion wins 2-1

6:15 PM – St. Pius Festus vs. Liberty North – St. Pius Festus wins 2-1

7:30 PM – Oak Grove vs. Notre Dame De Sion – Oak Grove wins 2-1

8:45 PM – St. Pius Festus vs. Webb City – St. Pius Festus wins 2-0

 

FastGas Court:

5:00 PM – Rock Port vs. Cameron – Rock Port wins 2-0

6:15 PM – Webb City vs. Savannah – Savannah wins 2-1

7:30 PM – Odessa vs. Adrian – Odessa wins 2-1

8:45 PM – Mid Buchanan vs. Odessa – Odessa wins 2-0

 

Saturday, August 30

Texas Roadhouse Court:

10:00 AM – Notre Dame De Sion vs. Maryville – Notre Dame De Sion wins 2-0

11:15 AM – St. Pius Festus vs. Savannah – St. Pius Festus wins 2-0

12:30 PM – Plattsburg vs. Rock Port – Rock Port wins 2-1

1:45 PM – Odessa vs. Savannah – Savannah wins 2-0

3:00 PM – Rock Port vs Mid Buchanan – Mid-Buchanan wins 2-1 (Rock Port wins Pool 1 with a 3-1 record)

4:15 PM – Oak Grove vs. Central – Oak Grove wins 2-0 (Oak Grove wins Pool 3 with a 4-0 record)

 

John Anderson, Shelter Insurance Court:

10:00 AM – Plattsburg vs. Adrian – Adrian wins 2-0

11:15 AM – LeBlond vs Odessa – LeBlond wins 2-1

12:30 PM – Mid Buchanan vs. Adrian – Adrian wins 2-0

1:45 PM – Central vs. Cameron – Central wins 2-1

3:00 PM – LeBlond vs. Webb City – Webb City wins 2-1 (LeBlond wins Pool 2 with a 3-1 record)

 

FastGas Court:

10:00 AM – Cameron vs. West Platte – West Platte wins 2-1

11:15 AM – Liberty North vs. Webb City – Liberty North wins 2-1

12:30 PM – Maryville vs. West Platte – Maryville wins 2-0

1:45 PM – St. Pius Festus vs. Notre Dame De Sion – St. Pius Festus wins 2-0 (St. Pius Festus wins Pool 4 with a 4-0 record)

3:00 PM – Liberty North vs. Oak Grove – Oak Grove wins 2-1

 

The St. Joseph Sports Commission is a division of the St. Joseph Convention & Visitors Bureau.