So what do the members of the New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva volleyball team have to do to get ranked?

Well ... according to head coach Jackie Schultz, the short answer is: They have to play somebody.

The NRHEG Panthers are off to a 13-0 start, including an 8-0 mark against Gopher Conference teams. To be unbeaten this late in the season is not small accomplishment, yet NRHEG is getting no votes in the Class AA state poll, either from the Associated Press or from Minnesota Sports Online.

Four other teams in NRHEG’s section — Le Sueur-Henderson (No. 3), Hutchinson (No. 4), Jordan (No. 7) and Belle Plaine (No. 9) — are all ranked in the state and all have suffered losses. NRHEG, however, has been ignored when it comes to the state rankings.

“I’m not really surprised that we’re still undefeated but I’m not surprised that we’re not ranked, either,” NRHEG coach Jackie Schultz says. “We haven’t faced our big rival (Faribault Bethlehem Academy) yet and they’re ranked No. 1 in Class A.

“We’ve played well against Blooming Prairie and Waterville but we haven’t played some of the tough teams that some of the other schools in our section have. To be honest, I don’t know how we’re going to stand up when we do.”

The 2009 edition of the Panthers includes many familiar names such as Alyssa Kerkhoff, Alyssa Hagen, Anna Schlaak and Jill Kalis.

Although Hagen is the only senior, each has played a lot of volleyball, both within the NRHEG program and during the offseason.

Schultz says the Panthers should find out a lot more about themselves this weekend at the Blue Earth Area Tournament. NRHEG is slated to meet up with both Martin County West and Southwest Star Concept during the competition. MCW is rated eighth in Class A while SSC has been receiving votes.

After this weekend, the Panthers have a date with Bethlehem Academy on Oct. 8 and then have another match against MCW to close out the regular season. At that point, the sub-section tournaments begin and the competition should start to get a lot stiffer.

“I’m anxious to see how we’ll perform against tougher teams,” Schultz says. “This weekend and the BA match should be a pretty good measuring stick.”

Jim Rueda is the Free Press sports editor. To contact him, call 344-6381 or e-mail him at jrueda@mankatofreepress.com.