15 State Impact Players You Need To Know
There are some familiar faces who will be at the state tournament this weekend. Kaley Blake of Burlington will be making her fourth appearance which includes two state titles. There will also be Tayler Alden of Oconomowoc, another top Senior…
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Continue ReadingThere are some familiar faces who will be at the state tournament this weekend. Kaley Blake of Burlington will be making her fourth appearance which includes two state titles. There will also be Tayler Alden of Oconomowoc, another top Senior setter is back for the third straight year. Here are some familiar faces as well as some new ones who will take the court. Here are 15 athletes to know before the start of the state tournament.
Gianna Vollrath – Fall Creek
Vollrath makes a physical presence for the Crickets as a strong, athletic attacker in the front row. With 40 wins on the year, Fall Creek had a rigorous road to the Resch with wins over 2018 state runner-up in Stratford and highly ranked Oconto. Vollrath is only a Sophomore, but tallied 382 kills this season while hitting.389.
Lauren Shields – Newman Catholic
Shields is no stranger to the big stage with her 5th appearance at the state tournament, four in volleyball and one in basketball. A 4.0 student as well, Shields is an All-State player who can contribute in a variety of ways for the Cardinals with nearly 300 kills and digs. Newman started the season battling illness and injury, but is coming into the tournament having won 10 of their past 11 matches.
Madi TolzmanMadi Tolzman – Arrowhead
Tolzman is the new kid on the block for Arrowhead. Only a Sophomore, Tolzman is a long, athletic outside hitter who can score points on the pin. When Arrowhead competed at the Wisconsin Badger Team Camp earlier this summer, Tolzman was one who really stood out, picking up momentum heading into making a splash her first year as a key contributor.
Mackenzie Leach – Burlington
The bloodlines run deep for Mackenzie Leach with her mom and uncle running the show as coaches for Burlington. Her aunt and uncle are Christy Johnson-Lynch and Joe Lynch, with Christy being the Head Coach at Iowa State and Joe being the Volunteer Assistant. Leach has been on the outside this year for Burlington, but is so solid all the way around. This past summer, she was a libero on Sting 16 White, who finished in the top four of AAU Club Nationals where she was named to the All-Tournament team.
Mackenzie Holzwart – Howards Grove
Just a gamer. Holzwart is part of quite the trio of defenders for Howards Grove with Karissa Kaminski and Saige Damrow. An all around athlete who has found success across multiple sports has tallied 408 digs on the season for Howards Grove who has played a Gauntlet of a schedule that includes state tournament teams in Sun Prairie, Kettle Moraine, and Oconomowoc to name a few.
Emily Bruckschen – Howards Grove
Bruckschen is one of the key go-to Seniors for the Tigers, leading the state in hitting percentage at .497. That equates to 263 kills on 497 swings and only 27 errors. The majority of these swings have come as a middle blocker where Bruckschen has tallied most of her 1000 plus career kills as a six rotation pin hitter, she can do it all.
Bekah Day – Luxemburg-Casco (Title Photo #2)
Day was out all summer healing from a back injury, but has been able to have quite the Senior season for the Spartans where she has had over 1,000 assists this season, averaging over nine per set. L-C was a state runner-up two years ago, losing to Lakeside Lutheran in the finals. They will take on Wisconsin Lutheran where they were both at the Charger Challenge, but did not face each other.
Maggie AllamanMaggie Allaman – Sun Prairie
Strong and dynamic, Allaman is a middle blocker for the Cardinals who connects extremely well with setter, Josie Halbleib. Hitting over 300 with 70 total blocks, Allaman along with Senior middle Kirsten Anderson have been a big boost with the recent hot streak SP have been on winning their last 12 matches after dropping three in a row at the Neenah Invite.
Michaela Riege – Waterloo
Riege has had a breakout Sophomore year, being the libero for Waterloo this season. Riege has over 500 digs and provides solid first contact to get the offense rolling for the Pirates. Waterloo is 31-10 with all of their losses coming to teams in Division 1 or Division 2.
Julianna Rosen – Clear Lake
Clear Lake just continued to rise throughout the season and will be bringing in an undefeated record to the Resch Center Friday. Rosen is the leader in kills on the team with over 350 kills. The Warriors have a balanced attack with four players who average at least two kills per set which include Julianna Rosen, Lizzie Rosen, Maggie Rosen, and Rayne Vangsness.
Sammie Seib – Catholic Central
Catholic Central has remained consistent all year long and will come into the state tournament as the defending state champions in D4. Seib has been the go-to six rotation outside hitter who has continuously found a way to get it done for the Hilltoppers. This season Seib has nearly 450 kills and 300 digs.
Abby Doerre – River Falls
Doerre is the libero for River Falls, racking up over 350 digs. A scrappy athlete who can cover some range, Doerre was a key piece to the puzzle for the River Falls basketball team who advanced to the sectional final in 2018. A solid multisport athlete who adds to the depth of a really physical River Falls team who is making their fourth straight state tournament appearance.
DanelskiLizzy Fortune – McFarland
McFarland broke through a really rigorous sectional that featured eight teams who were at one point ranked in the top ten throughout the year, including Lakeside Lutheran who spent some time ranked number one. Fortune has been a mainstay for McFarland who is coached by her mom, Trish Fortune and younger sister, Maddy Fortune. Lizzy has nearly 1,000 assists on the season leading a balanced attack for the Spartans.
Lizzy Danelski – Oconomowoc
Oconomowoc is full of offensive weapons and Division 1 talent, but a middle that has been a solid offensive and defensive presence is Junior Lizzy Danelski. Danelski was key for the Raccoons in the Charger Challenge finding the deep corner multiple time for the smart shot. Ocon returns a team full of experience after finishing runner-up to Burlington in 2018.