Beast of the East Rising Stars
This past weekend’s Beast of the East was arguably the top prep tournament in the state outside of the postseason. We got a closer look at which players made up the All-Tournament Team this last weekend, but now here’s…
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Continue ReadingThis past weekend’s Beast of the East was arguably the top prep tournament in the state outside of the postseason.
We got a closer look at which players made up the All-Tournament Team this last weekend, but now here’s a look at the players that could make in impact in years to come. Each of the eight quarterfinalists needed the help of some underclassmen to get to where they did. These are the players that are coming into their own in the 2018 season.
Farmington Hills Mercy
It’s no surprise to know that Julia Bishop was a standout at this weekend’s Beast of the East event. Named to the All-Tournament Team, Bishop is already proving she is one of the best players in the state. The Marlins setter is our top-ranked player in the Class of 2021. Mercy is loaded with talented underclassmen and sophomore middle Charli Atiemo was a forced to be reckoned with this weekend. She provided a perfect option in the middle to compliment Jess Mruzik on the outside. The Marlins also get steady play from sophomore Maddi Malecki in the back row. Her serve receive and passing help Bishop run the offense. On the outside, sophomore Kaylin Collins is another strong hitter to go with Mruzik and sophomore Ellie Tisko can play the middle and outside for this stack Mercy attack.
Lake Orion
The Dragons are a pretty veteran team, comprised mostly of seniors and juniors. However, the Dragons have been utilizing a pair of promising sophomore middle hitters this season in Kendall Robertson and Reagan Goeke. Both stand 6-2 and provide a formidable blocking challenge for opposing hitters and can bring down the thunder when setter Wren Macaulay calls their number. Both currently sits in the top 50 of our Class of 2021 rankings and will be a factor for the Dragons as they pursue a state championship.
Mattawan
Also a veteran squad, the Wildcats have been using two sophomores as role players this year. Maggie Pelak is a 5-11 sophomore that has been used wherever the team needs her. She can play left, right and middle. Adysen Porter is another sophomore hitter that can play on the right or the middle. The Wildcats also have brought up Abby Schaefer from the JV team to help out. As they continue to improve, the Wildcats are hoping it leads to a run to the state championship.
Grand Rapids Christian
The Eagles have a plethora of hitters and thankfully for them, many of them are underclassmen. Sophomore Addie VanderWeide is already established as one of the top hitters in 2021 and she was able to hold her own against many of the top hitters in Saturday’s event. Freshman middle Evelyn Doezema is part of our 2022 Watch List and she plays the middle for GRC, standing 6-3. Her presence gives the Eagles a big defensive boost and she is sure to be a big factor in Michigan for years to come. Grace Mauer, another sophomore hitter contributes on the outside while fellow sophomores, Lauren Peal and Elizabeth Rupp both place in the back row to give GRC plenty of defensive depth for the future.
Marian
Marian has a lot of established talent at key positions, but the Mustangs have needed the aid of some freshmen hitters this year. Ava Brizard is proving to be one of the top players in the 2022 class and is playing with the poise of an upper classmen. Along with her improved striking, she has been steady with her passing and has developed a strong serve for the Mustangs. Marian needed help in the middle for this season and converted freshman Tatum Casper to the position. After some expected struggles to start, Casper is really turning it on for the second half of the season and has raised her hitting percentage up to .350. Sarah Sylvester is also joining Tatum in the middle. The 6-2 freshman is the tallest on the Marian roster and provides a strong block.
Stoney Creek
It’s hard to get coach Ross Talbott not to talk about freshman outside Sydney Tomlak. He projected big things for her to open the year and she has been living up to the hype and improving at a rapid pace. The Cougars were without top hitter Kate Stration for their quarterfinal match with Mercy and Tomlak stepped up and hung right there with the Marlins’ best. Tomlak has big things coming her way over the next three years. The Cougars have also had a lot of production from sophomore middle Ainsley Guse. The 6-2 hitter ranks 18th in our current 2021 rankings.
Portage Central
The Mustangs are mostly upper classmen, but sophomore setter Elise Eichman was needed in a big way this weekend and she answered the call. With a smaller team in terms of height, passing and setting was important for Portage Central and Eichman had one of her best performances of the season. Freshman Hailey Brown was called up to varsity during the season and is showing a lot of improvement in a defensive role for the Mustangs. Brown shows a desire to learn and improve and that desire is leading to improved consistency out of the back row. Sophomore Madi Dorff also has been a solid block for the Mustangs defense as she continues to develop as consistent hitting option to go alongside Miss Volleyball finalist, Ryann Jaqua.
Clarkston
The Wolves are still trying to find that perfect mix, but it’s becoming a little more clear each week and it appears some of the younger talent will have a big role. Sophomore middles Sydney Hasenfratz and Alana Watlington have been steady this season and Hasenfratz really stepped up for Clarkston this weekend against some of the state’s best hitters. Claire Nowicki is an outside hitter that will be a handful for OAA teams to deal with in the future as she continues to expand her game. Clarkston also recently called up Summer Jidas to help out in the back row. Clarkston has relied heavily on the Jidas family for its defense over the years and Summer looks like she will be able to add to that family legacy.