“The Best Of Live Eye” – Team Edition
This season has been such a treat being able to see some of the best volleyball players in the Midwest and really the best in the country. From the Southwest Minnesota Challenge to the Charger Challenge in Milwaukee and the…
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Continue ReadingThis season has been such a treat being able to see some of the best volleyball players in the Midwest and really the best in the country. From the Southwest Minnesota Challenge to the Charger Challenge in Milwaukee and the Asics Challenge in Chicago I’ve seen a little bit of everything. This upcoming weekend I will be heading to the Westside Tournament at Cedar Rapids Jefferson High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Here is a “Best of Live Eye: Team Edition” with some of the top teams in particular categories from what I have seen so far this season live. There are certain teams out there where I just haven’t been able to cross paths with yet – two being Eagan (MN) and Cedar Falls (IA), and so many more!
Most Athletic Teams:
Minooka (IL)
Minooka going for a block against Skutt Catholic.Every position on the court, they move so well and just fly high at the net. Setter, Zoey Seput controls the tempo and gets her hands on everyball and is always jump setting, speeding up the game at the net. She feeds to the likes of Holly Kropke, Desiree Anderson, and Heidi Bonde who are all a blend of athleticism, speed, and power. Hailey Sperling comes out of the middle and is a matchup nightmare with the way she can run the tempo and close a block.
Oconomowoc (WI)
Oconomowoc is one of the top teams in Wisconsin and with a blend of youth and experience. Their backcourt has three Division 1 commits in Caitlin Crawford (South Carolina), Tahya Pozorski (Jacksonville State), and Ashley Sharkus (Eastern Illinois). Tayler Alden is the offensive, left handed setter who can dish and score – she is committed to Northern Iowa. Their pins are high flyers as well as their middles. If this team can pass and control they tempo, they are so dangerous.
Most Physical Teams:
In volleyball, the term “Physicality” is used often with teams who are athletic, strong, and I feel bring a power aspect to the game, especially at the net.
Arrowhead (WI)
Arrowhead (WI)The Warhawks just swept Oconomowoc in a matchup of #1 vs. #2 in Wisconsin’s largest class. Arrowhead is led by outside hitter Aubrey Hamilton, a 6’2 Senior that has committed to Notre Dame. She is a threat to score anywhere. At times their front row might be at 6’2, 6’3, and 6’3. They control the game from the net and are a major mismatch problem.
Wayzata (MN)
I saw Wayzata play a lot last year and I knew this year was going to be a chance for them to really do some damage. They can consistently be above six feet tall in the front line with Elizabeth Helmich, one of the top right sides in the region with a big lefty swing. Add into the mix Lily Emlong (Elon), Junior outside hitter Sophie Jesewitz at 6’3, and Kate Long.
Lida King of NorthfieldNorthfield (MN)
Northfield took home the SW Minnesota Challenge title defeating Wayzata in the championship. This team is long and really powerful. Colorado commit Emma Torstenson is their libero and stands at 5’10 with incredible range. Their front line is consistently 6’0 or taller with Lida King setting and outside hitter, Megan Reilly. Reilly is a 2021 prospect on the pin who is fun to watch scoring points from any rotation.
Nazareth (IL)
I’m not sure if I saw this team take a roll shot all weekend when they played at the Asics Challenge. Watching Nazareth and Skutt Catholic out of Omaha was one of the best matches I’ve seen all season featuring top athletes and overall really clean volleyball. Katie Hurta is one of the top Sophomores in the country and was solid in all six rotations as an outside hitter.
Teams With Tempo:
Marist (IL)
This team is so fast, from their ball control to their overall style of offensive, there is no slowing down for Marist who took home the title of the Asics Challenge this past weekend. Camryn Hannah is legit. The Clemson recruit is so fast to the ball and plays so high above the net, she is tough to stop. The offense starts with Western Michigan recruit Mairead Boyle at libero and setter, Nikki Jones is on point with her placement and knowing the right time to attack. From her release to contact from the attackers is so quick and for as fast as they play, there aren’t a lot of errors to go with it.
@RedHawkVB takes set one over @SkuttCatholicVB 25-22. @ClemsonVB recruit Camryn Hannah had big start for Marist. pic.twitter.com/D2O1cEhbt1
— Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) October 5, 2019
Skutt Catholic (NE)
Skutt has the type of team where they very well could just have Arizona State commit Allie Gray set sky balls to Lindsay Krause (Nebraska commit) and Megan Skovsende (Creighton commit) on the outside. Not so fast, this team plays with incredible pace and that’s not just with their setting. Everything is fast, from how they substitute, warm up, and celebrate. This team just emits positive energy and it’s hard not to feel it from the court. This consistent effort and speed is something that will continue to propel Skutt even if the execution might not be on points. Their athletes are some of the tops to watch, but so is their effort!
Small School Teams
I went to a high school of maybe 400-500 students, and we were one of the bigger schools in the area so I thought I went to a “Big High School” – don’t judge. Getting a chance to work with high school programs across the Midwest, I’ve seen high schools that are probably bigger than my hometown. I’ll always have a special spot for the small schools where the athletes on the team are involved in about ten other activities at their school because that’s just what you do at a small school.
Minneota (MN)
Ball control wins games and serve receive wins championships. @vballvikings so solid and back with a young roster. Will play against schools larger than their town in the quarterfinals tomorrow pic.twitter.com/jvS6Rt8jdg
— Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) September 7, 2019
Minneota is not afraid to play against some of the bigger schools. The defending Class A state champions in Minnesota are located in Southwest Minnesota with an enrollment of fewer than 200 students and their high school is in a town of just over 1,300. They will defeat you with their ball control, high volleyball IQ, and serve receive. They have a really exciting Sophomore in Natalee Rolbiecki on the outside who has already earned multiple all-tournament team honors (In Minnesota you can play varsity in 7th grade). Minnesota has really strong small school volleyball. Mayer Lutheran (have not seen live yet this year) has two Division 1 commits in Olivia Tjernagel (Northern Iowa) and Claudia Stahlke (Arizona State) and is currently number one in Class A.
Howards Grove (WI)Howards Grove (WI)
Howards Grove and Minneota would be quite a match where the ball will have a hard time finding the floor. Howards Grove is a town just under 4,000 located between Green Bay and Milwaukee just off Lake Michigan. They have Freshman, Saige Damrow who is an outside hitter, but is a Wisconsin commit as a libero and another outside hitter in Karissa Kaminski who is a Dayton commit as a libero. These athletes are extremely well trained, can serve and pass with the best of them, and are currently the top ranked Division 3 team in Wisconsin. They have won some big matches against schools in the big class and still have plenty of youth that is really improving at a rapid pace.
Brooke Mosher of WaterlooWaterloo (WI)
Waterloo has taken on some of the top teams in the state as well, playing a similar schedule as Howards Grove. These are the top two teams in Division 3 in Wisconsin. Waterloo also has one of the top Juniors in the nation in Brooke Mosher who is committed to Illinois. Mosher is one of the top outside hitters in Division 3, but watching her set and run the show is a real treat. Waterloo is building balance with the likes of Joslyn Wolff who can score points from the pin as well.