Five Storylines from the Prep Dig Omaha Summer Bash
We did it! After several months without the sport we all love, we made volleyball happen. I am still in awe of the community effort and collaboration that went into the event. From the coaches and players to the Prep…
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Continue ReadingWe did it!
After several months without the sport we all love, we made volleyball happen. I am still in awe of the community effort and collaboration that went into the event. From the coaches and players to the Prep Dig organizers, there were so many people who made it all possible. I want to express my immense gratitude to all the event’s participants, and it was a great privilege to see and cover so many amazing athletes.
But, of course, the coverage is only just getting started! We’ll be publishing a series of articles dedicated to arranging a whirlwind of thoughts into complete sentences. What a challenge, right? After getting a chance to see so many great things at this event, there’s a lot of stories and angles to cover. Let’s do that.
This article covers the broad strokes. Call this a recap, perhaps. Here are five major storylines to come out of the Prep Dig Omaha Summer Bash.
The Favorites Deliver
Before the event, I released an Early Watch List based on teams that had already registered. I noted in the article that there were some teams in the field that could be championship contenders this fall. I figured these squads were set to make some serious noise at the Summer Bash. Well, those contenders backed me up last weekend.
Waverly, who I tabbed as the favorite to dethrone Skutt in Class B, justified their contender status by taking the Gold bracket title at the Summer Bash. The Vikings were sharp all weekend, only dropping one tightly contested match to in-state foe Millard South. The team from just outside Lincoln was led by a compelling combination of new faces and steely veterans, many of whom will be discussed in subsequent articles.
The championship!@Waverlyvikesvb wins Gold! pic.twitter.com/JDBIJjpKzQ
— Austin Kingsley (@KingsleyATK) July 18, 2020
Diller-Odell, too, was featured in the watch list as a “Class D1 powerhouse.” And, like Waverly, the Griffins were placed in the Gold bracket after two days of spectacular play in pools. These high-powered teams got time last weekend to compete together, and that should make them even more dangerous in the fall.
Iowa Insurgency
I made mention during my live coverage that the Iowa teams participating in the tournament were a little outside my Nebraska jurisdiction. However, I figured out right away that I had to learn about them quickly. Those Iowa teams came to play!
I’ll start with Davenport’s Assumption High School, who finished second in the Gold bracket after stringing together some impressive victories in pool play. The Knights were led by a group of incredibly athletic pin hitters that are undoubtedly worthy of attention.
Then we move to the Roosevelt Riders from Des Moines, who immediately became one of my favorite groups to watch. The energy displayed by the team and Coach Mark Steinbach was absolutely infectious. I look forward to tracking the careers of these amazing players on this squad which narrowly missed out on the Gold bracket.
A little outside my Nebraska jurisdiction, but I really like this physical @RiderVolleyball team from Des Moines, Iowa. “The YEET Crew!” pic.twitter.com/MhpGD2aYJL
— Austin Kingsley (@KingsleyATK) July 17, 2020
Underwood was another impressive team to make the Silver bracket alongside Roosevelt. The Eagles had a big, physical attack. Plenty of healthy swings could be seen on Underwood’s side of the net, which made it easy to forget that they had been away from organized volleyball for several months. Watch out for this group.
And what about the team from just across the Missouri River? Abraham Lincoln High School from Council Bluffs is a young team full of talented players with extraordinary potential. We’ll surely be spotlighting a few of them. Overall, the performances of Iowa teams at the Summer Bash were strong and impactful, and that had me scrambling to learn more about these squads. I’ve got many Iowans to thank for helping expand my scope beyond Nebraska.
New Faces: Class of 2024
I consider this to be another trend I wasn’t prepared for: the impact of 2024s. Throughout the event, I saw matches get taken over by players who haven’t even played a high school match yet. Imagine my shock when I learned that a superstar I had just watched was only about to enter the ninth grade. These are the kind of players that won’t be able to fly under the radar for very long. We’ll tell you about some of these 2024s (including one in this picture!).
Defensive Hustle
The defensive effort I saw last weekend is one of the many things that brought a smile to my face. There were a number of long rallies and incredible hustle plays that were largely generated by great back row players. So, of course, this means I’ve got to feature some defensive specialists. Stay tuned.
The hustle from @bds_volleyball! pic.twitter.com/cfV0doO4X1
— Austin Kingsley (@KingsleyATK) July 18, 2020
Long-Awaited Return
Upon reflection, the main theme of the Summer Bash becomes clear: return to play. When play concluded on Saturday, I was able to take a step back and appreciate just how exciting it was to watch volleyball again. I felt like we were all at the event for this same purpose. Whatever the immediate future of the sport may hold, I’m extremely grateful that we could come together and embrace volleyball.
Let’s do it again sometime. I’ll be there.