The Freshmen, The New, and The Improved From Shirley Ryan Inv.
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It was so good to be at a Saturday morning volleyball tournament in Mount Vernon this past Saturday with 15 teams, some the best in their class, and plenty of players who are making a statement early in the season. …
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Continue ReadingIt was so good to be at a Saturday morning volleyball tournament in Mount Vernon this past Saturday with 15 teams, some the best in their class, and plenty of players who are making a statement early in the season. For some of these athletes, it was the first chance for me to watch them play, others just looked different (in a great way), a new and improved version of themselves as a result of offseason work prepping for a breakout year.
The Freshmen
Each year there are always going to be Freshmen that standout a bit. They make an early splash and before you know it these athletes who are 14 and 15 years old are playing in some pretty big matches, hoping to get to the state tournament or even win a state title.
Melae’ Lacy – Iowa City West
I really liked the fight in this Iowa City West squad who went toe to toe with Waverly Shell-Rock and went point for point with a strong team in Class 4A. Lacy can jump out of the gym and score points for the Women of Troy. Very impressive and a major upside to her game where she is going to be able to be scary dangerous as she continues to develop during her career.
Jadyn Petersen Jadyn Petersen 5'9" | OH Dike-New Hartford | 2024 State #195 Nation IA and Payton Petersen Payton Petersen 6'0" | OH Dike-New Hartford | 2024 State #55 Nation IA – Dike-New Hartford
Quarantine treated the second set of Petersen twins well with their family all together finding various forms of volleyball games to play in their driveway all spring long. With their mom as the head coach at UNI and their sisters playing at Texas ans UNI, volleyball is in the Petersen blood. Dike New-Hartford has a team who has very few players who can even drive to and from practice with their youth, but that doesn’t stop them from being one of the top teams in the state. Jadyn and Payton both have rock solid ball control and know how to spot a swing anywhere on the court. They will for sure be a treat to watch the next few years wearing a Wolverines jersey.
Carlie Willis Carlie Willis 6'0" | OH Grundy Center | 2024 State IA and Lucy Lebo – Grundy Center
Being a six rotation outside hitter and libero for the type of schedule Grundy Center plays is no easy feat. Willis is swinging on the pin and Lebo has been wearing the libero jersey. Willis is long, athletic, and is showing flashes greatness with her high touch and ability to defend the middle back. Lebo is solid, she’s confident, she’s playing a big role. GC lost some really strong Seniors who had a ton of experience and once they start geling throughout the season they will be really dangerous come tournament time.
The New
Sophie Sedgwick of Waverly-Shell Rock with the attack on two. She was scrappy and controlling the tempo the whole game. WSR takes the match over an uber athletic IC West squad pic.twitter.com/eD3mVjCj6U
— Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) September 5, 2020
Sophie Sedgwick – Waverly-Shell Rock
I know I’ve seen Sedgwick play before, but she really stood out this past Saturday setting for the Go-Hawks. She commands the tempo of the game and isn’t afraid to take control with an offensive attack on the second ball. WSR is another team who lost some big time players from last years state tournament team, but like any good program they find a way to reload.
This field is loaded with great Liberos.
Katherine Kouba Katherine Kouba 5'6" | DS/L Iowa City West | 2022 State IA – City West
Jorie Randall Jorie Randall 5'7" | DS/L Mount Vernon | 2021 State IA – @MVStangsVball
Olivia Hogan – Beckman
Ella Meyer Ella Meyer 5'5" | DS/L Western Dubuque | 2023 State IA – @BobcatWDVB
And the day is still young, this is what I’ve seen live so far. pic.twitter.com/LnqlLrAeCQ— Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) September 5, 2020
Olivia Hogan – Beckman Catholic
So solid. Hogan holds down the libero position and I was so impressed with how efficient she was with her movement, platform, and court awareness. Beckman was a bit shorthanded on Saturday, but once all the pieces are there – watch out. They have solid defense, depth, and attackers who can find a way to score points. Hogan is the one who gets it rolling with a consistent first contact.
More love for the middles, this time for Nevada. We’re going to set three. pic.twitter.com/WNlgRhB4rw
— Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) September 5, 2020
Shelbi Hazlitt – Nevada
I love it when a middle can really take a rip and go for a big shot. Hazlitt plays with no fear, she goes for the big swing, and has a high motor out of the middle blocker position. She can attack off of one foot and showed how she can score points in a variety of ways. Nevada is well coached, fundamentally sounds and is always a threat when they take the court.
The Improved
Sophomore setter Madelyn Norton so smooth for Dike-New Hartford. Been so fun seeing setters use their middles throughout the day pic.twitter.com/708jfokz2O
— Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) September 5, 2020
Madelyn Norton – Dike-New Hartford
I saw Norton play last year for DNH and have seen video of her Six Pack team, but seeing her live is completely different than where she was a year ago. She’s is commanding with confidence. She knows how to find an open hitter and is so dangerous on her own with left handed swing to a deep corner. She will be quite the quarterback the next couple years for a team who can play incredibly fast.
Avery Beckett Avery Beckett 5'10" | OH Waverly Shell Rock | 2022 State IA – Waverly-Shell Rock
I saw Beckett play for WSR last year at the state tournament and I had plans to watch all of these athletes March and April through nationals through their club teams, but Covid had other plans. Beckett seems to have grown and is just attacking with such a different demeanor, a killer instinct. She wants the ball and she wants to score points in any way possible. She plays with a smile, she is a positive person to be around on the court, and is someone you definitely want on your side. I really enjoy seeing athletes step into a new role a really thrive being a go-to type player for every point on the court.
Madison Maahs Madison Maahs 5'8" | S Western Dubuque | 2022 State IA – Western Dubuque
Maahs is no stranger to big games as she was extremely pivotal in WD’s run to the state title game last year, but she has dialed it up another notch or two. With All State outside Meredith Bahl Meredith Bahl 5'10" | OH Western Dubuque | 2022 State IA out with an injury Maahs is dishing to everyone and she has this X-Factor about her when it comes to coming in clutch when her team really needs it. This Bobcat squad has had plenty of close matches to start the season, but once Bahl returns they will be a team you don’t want to see come tournament time.