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

 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

 Court 1:

2:30 PM – Central vs. Maryville

3:45 PM – Rock Port vs. West Platte

5:00 PM – Plattsburg vs. West Platte

6:15 PM – Oak Grove vs. Maryville

7:30 PM – LeBlond vs. Mid-Buchanan

8:45 PM – LeBlond vs. Adrian

 

Court 2:

2:30 PM – Plattsburg vs. Cameron

3:45 PM – Liberty North vs. Savannah

5:00 PM – Central vs. Notre Dame De Sion

6:15 PM – St. Pius Festus vs. Liberty North

7:30 PM – Oak Grove vs. Notre Dame De Sion

8:45 PM – St. Pius Festus vs. Webb City

 

Court 3:

5:00 PM – Rock Port vs. Cameron

6:15 PM – Webb City vs. Savannah

7:30 PM – Odessa vs. Adrian

8:45 PM – Mid Buchanan vs. Odessa

Saturday, August 30

Court 1:

10:00 AM – Notre Dame De Sion vs. Maryville

11:15 AM – St. Pius Festus vs. Savannah

12:30 PM – Plattsburg vs. Rock Port

1:45 PM – Odessa vs. Savannah

3:00 PM – Rock Port vs Mid Buchanan

4:15 PM – Oak Grove vs. Central

 

Court 2:

10:00 AM – Plattsburg vs. Adrian

11:15 AM – LeBlond vs Odessa

12:30 PM – Mid Buchanan vs. Adrian

1:45 PM – Central vs. Cameron

3:00 PM – LeBlond vs. Webb City

 

Court 3:

10:00 AM – Cameron vs. West Platte

11:15 AM – Liberty North vs. Webb City

12:30 PM – Maryville vs. West Platte

1:45 PM – St. Pius Festus vs. Notre Dame De Sion

3:00 PM – Liberty North vs. Oak Grove

 

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