- This event has passed.
2ND ANNUAL PONY EXPRESS GIRLS STATE HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL PREVIEW TOURNAMENT
August 28 @ 1:00 pm - August 29 @ 6:30 pm
2ND ANNUAL PONY EXPRESS GIRLS STATE HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL PREVIEW TOURNAMENT PRESENTED BY JOHN ANDERSON SHELTER INSURANCE AGENCY
AUGUST 28-29, 2026 AT CIVIC ARENA
HOSTED BY THE ST. JOSEPH SPORTS COMMISSION
UNFORTUNATELY THERE IS NO LIVE STREAMING AVAILABLE THROUGH ST. JOSEPH SPORTS COMMISSION CHANNELS. EACH INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL MAY HAVE A STREAM AVAILABLE.
For Immediate Release: Tuesday, July 28, 2026
Brett Esely Contact: 816-233-6688, besely@stjomo.com
Building upon the excitement of St. Joseph being the home of the Missouri State High School Girls Volleyball Championships, for the second straight year, teams will get the opportunity to experience the venue they are all trying to get to at the pinnacle of their seasons as the 2nd Annual Pony Express Girls State High School Volleyball Preview Tournament presented by John Anderson Shelter Insurance Agency will take place August 28 & 29 at Civic Arena.
This year’s field has grown to 21 teams consisting of local, regional and statewide representation from all five classes of Missouri Girls High School Volleyball in which each teams will play two games per day, four games total in a unique three court set-up in the arena.
“We always talk about capitalizing on our fit/niche and then building quality events accordingly in which we’ve been fortunate to host multiple high level championship volleyball events here in St. Joseph on both the high school and college level. This event, built as a high school preview event was very well received last year in which we’ve grown the field this year and will be an excellent, unique way to start to the high school volleyball season in 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. Four 2025 state final four teams that competed in St. Joseph last November are entered in the field including Class 1 Third Place Northland Christian (26-6), Class 3 Runner Up Oak Grove (36-1), Fourth Place Saxony Lutheran (18-21) and Class 4 Third Place Hannibal (29-10). Teams advancing to the State Quarterfinals competing include Class 2 – Fatima (25-9) and Lafayette County (25-7); Class 3 – Sullivan (20-10). District Champions in the field include Class 1 Rock Port (28-6); Class 2 Adrian (27-7) and Class 3 Savannah (18-10). Several teams of local interest competing include Class 3 – Bishop LeBlond (26-5), Benton (15-20), Maryville (26-10), Cameron (5-23); Class 5 – Central (12-22). The rest of the field from across the state includes Class 3 participants – Liberty (Mountain View) (23-8); Class 4 – Belton (27-9), Notre Dame De Sion (15-23), St. Pius X (KC) 17-17 and Class 5 participants – Ray-Pec (27-9), Seckman (22-9-2).
Action begins at Civic Arena on Friday afternoon August 28 at 1:00 PM and concludes on day one at 8:30 PM. Games continue on Saturday, August 29 at 9 AM with the final games beginning at 4:30 PM. In all, 40 games will be contested.
“Our inaugural event last year proved to be a unique, exciting way for teams to begin the season in the venue they are trying to compete in at the end of the season in which we saw great competition right out of the gate. This event would not be possible for the second year in a row without the outstanding support of our title sponsor John Andrson Shelter Insurance Agency. We look forward to elite, high level girls high school volleyball in late August and hope fans will engage” 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:
2026 2nd ANNUAL PONY EXPRESS GIRLS STATE HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL PREVIEW TOURNAMENT PRESENTED BY JOHN ANDERSON SHELTER INSURANCE AGENCY
CIVIC ARENA
August 28-29, 2026
Friday, August 28
John Anderson Shelter Insurance Court:
1:00 PM – Ray Pec vs. St. Pius X (KC) – St. Pius X wins 2-1
2:15 PM – Central vs. St. Pius X (KC) – St. Pius X wins 2-0
3:30 PM – Ray Pec vs. Savannah – Ray Pec wins 2-1
4:45 PM – Oak Grove vs. Hannibal – Oak Grove wins 2-1
6:00 PM – Central vs. Seckman – Seckman wins 2-0
7:15 PM – Savannah vs. Seckman – Savannah wins 2-1
8:30 PM – Maryville vs. Notre Dame De Sion – Notre Dame De Sion wins 2-1
Paschal Air, Plumbing & Electric Court:
1:00 PM – Northland Christian vs. Rock Port – Rock Port wins 2-0
2:15 PM – Northland Christian vs. Saxony Lutheran – Saxony Lutheran wins 2-0
3:30 PM – Bishop LeBlond vs. Hannibal – Bishop LeBlond wins 2-0
4:45 PM – Bishop LeBlond vs. Belton – Belton wins 2-1
6:00 PM – Notre Dame De Sion vs. Belton – Belton wins 2-0
7:15 PM – Lafayette County vs. Liberty (Mountain View) – Liberty (Mountain View) wins 2-0
8:30 PM – Benton vs. Liberty (Mountain View) – Benton wins 2-1
Fastgas Court:
1:00 PM – Cameron vs. Saxony Lutheran – Cameron wins 2-0
2:15 PM – Cameron vs. Fatima – Fatima wins 2-1
3:30 PM – Rock Port vs. Fatima – Fatima wins 2-0
4:45 PM – Adrian vs. Sullivan – Sullivan wins 2-0
6:00 PM – Maryville vs. Oak Grove – Oak Grove wins 2-0
7:15 PM – Adrian vs. Benton – Adrian wins 2-0
8:30 PM – Lafayette County vs. Sullivan – Sullivan wins 2-0
Saturday, August 29
John Anderson Shelter Insurance Court:
9:00 AM – Ray Pec vs. Central – Ray Pec wins 2-0
10:15 AM – Northland Christian vs. Fatima – Northland Christian wins 2-0
11:30 AM – Liberty (Mountain View) vs. Sullivan – Sullivan wins 2-0
12:45 PM – Benton vs. Sullivan – Sullivan wins 2-0 (Sullivan is the Pool 2 Champion)
2:00 PM – Liberty (Mountain View) vs. Adrian – Adrian wins 2-1
3:15 PM – Benton vs. Lafayette County – Benton wins 2-0
4:30 PM – Adrian vs. Lafayette County – Adrian wins 2-0
Paschal Air, Plumbing & Electric Court:
9:00 AM – Northland Christian vs. Cameron – Northland Christian wins 2-0
10:15 AM – Rock Port vs. Cameron – Rock Port wins 2-0
11:30 AM – Ray Pec vs. Seckman – Ray Pec wins 2-0
12:45 PM – Bishop LeBlond vs. Oak Grove – Oak Grove wins 2-1
2:00 PM – Hannibal vs. Belton – Hannibal wins 2-0
3:15 PM – Hannibal vs. Maryville – Hannibal wins 2-0
4:30 PM – Belton vs. Maryville – Belton wins 2-1
Fastgas Court:
9:00 AM – St. Pius X (KC) vs. Savannah – St. Pius X wins 2-0
10:15 AM – St. Pius X (KC) vs. Seckman – St. Pius X wins 2-0 (St. Pius X is the Pool 4 Champion)
11:30 AM – Central vs. Savannah – Savannah wins 2-0
12:45 PM – Fatima vs. Saxony Lutheran – Saxony Lutheran wins 2-0
2:00 PM – Rock Port vs. Saxony Lutheran – Saxony Lutheran wins 2-0 (Saxony Lutheran is the Pool 1 Champion)
3:15 PM – Oak Grove vs. Notre Dame De Sion – Oak Grove wins 2-0 (Oak Grove is the Pool 3 Champion)
4:30 PM – Bishop LeBlond vs. Notre Dame De Sion – Notre Dame De Sion wins 2-1
Pool Results:
Pool One:
Fatima 2-2
Rock Port 2-2
Saxony Lutheran 3-1 – Champion
Cameron 1-3
Northland Christian 2-2
Pool Two:
Sullivan 4-0 – Champion
Benton 2-2
Adrian 3-1
Liberty (Mountain View) 1-3
Lafayette County 0-4
Pool Three:
Oak Grove 4-0 – Champion
Belton 3-1
Notre Dame De Sion 2-2
Bishop LeBlond 1-3
Maryville 0-4
Hannibal 2-2
Pool Four:
St. Pius X 4-0 – Champion
Ray Pec 3-1
Seckman 1-3
Savannah 2-2
Central 0-4
The St. Joseph Sports Commission is a division of the St. Joseph Convention & Visitors Bureau.