Middle Hitters to watch at Beast of the East

<p>If you thought the Beast of the East had a lot of talent at <a href="https://prepdig.com/2021/10/beast-of-the-east-outside-hitters-to-watch/">outside hitter</a>, get a look at what it has to offer at middle hitter.</p> <p>This tournament is absolutely stacked with middle talents, some of which still have years of growth ahead of them.</p> <p>Here's the names to be on the lookout for this Saturday.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="24877" first="Sarah" last="Sylvester"], Marian: </strong>The Miss Volleyball finalist has definitely proven to take Marian to another level when on her game. This season, Sylvester is hitting .507 with 132 kills over 59 sets. She's also added 41 blocks. The TCU commit stands 6'3” and is going to be one of the most athletic talents at Saturday's event.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="24876" first="Emily" last="Struckmeyer"], Lowell: </strong>You won't find many more productive middles than Struckmeyer. She's really taken on the leadership role for the Red Arrows this year. She has 321 kills over 78 sets while hitting .344. She also has 42 blocks and 20 aces.</p> [caption id="attachment_157809" align="alignright" width="263"]<img class="wp-image-157809 " src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/09/Dakota-11-300x281.jpg" alt="" width="263" height="246" /> [player_tooltip player_id="66302" first="Olivia" last="Gardner"][/caption] <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="66302" first="Olivia" last="Gardner"], Dakota: </strong>Gardner is part of a deep group of hitters at Dakota. Gardner has put down 159 kills, while hitting .413 on the year. She also has added 54 blocks with 23 aces. The junior is able to make a lot of difficult plays look easy.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="110282" first="Mallory" last="Bohl"], Saline: </strong>One of the best in the Class of 2024, Bohl has 156 kills and 71 blocks over 65 sets this season. She is hitting .381 and also has 21 aces from the service line. The 6'3” middle has unlimited potential for his size and movement.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="151381" first="Ava" last="Horton"], Rockford: </strong>Rockford has a wealth of talent at middle, with Horton leading the way. The senior has 152 kills this season while hitting .404. When the ball comes her way, she tends to finish.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="110314" first="Carissa" last="Musta"], Cadillac: </strong>Musta is a very promising sophomore middle that has been very dominant for Cadillac. She's hitting .322 on the year with 176 kills, while also racking up 93 blocks over 84 sets. This will be a big showcase for her on Saturday.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="60837" first="Ava" last="Young"], Rockford: </strong>Young provides a dynamic 1-2 punch for Rockford in the middle. She has 134 kills this season while hitting .395. She also has racked up 53 blocks.</p> <p><strong>Grace Wenaas, Notre Dame Prep: </strong>This junior middle has really improved a lot in the last year and a big reason why the Irish are unbeaten. She's got 155 kills on the season while hitting an impressive .465. She also has 77 blocks and 62 aces, becoming a real force in multiple areas of the game.</p> <p><strong>Sydney Penney, Mattawan: </strong>Penney has been one of the top blockers in the state this season. She has 71 solo blocks in 2021, while putting down 118 kills and hitting nearly .300.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="66321" first="Aubreigh" last="Oswald"], Lowell: </strong>Oswald missed her sophomore season due to injury, but is playing very well as a junior. She has 158 kills while hitting .334 over 78 sets in 2021. She also has contributed 21 blocks.</p> <p><strong>Kate Breems, Grand Rapids Christian: </strong>Breems is a big part of the GRC defense with 69 blocks on the season. She also is hitting .318 on the season with 110 kills.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="92235" first="Alena" last="Whittaker"], Grand Haven: </strong>A senior leader for Grand Haven, Whittaker doesn't have the length of many of the other middles here, but she plays with a lot of energy and fire. She will be up for the challenge this weekend will provide.</p> [caption id="attachment_161384" align="alignright" width="237"]<img class="wp-image-161384" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/10/Rachel-Zurek-300x273.jpg" alt="" width="237" height="216" /> [player_tooltip player_id="140494" first="Rachel" last="Zurek"][/caption] <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="140494" first="Rachel" last="Zurek"], Lakeland: </strong>Zurek has been showing a lot of promise for Lakeland. She's got good form on her swings and has the length to be very impactful defensively. Zurek has a high ceiling for where she can get in the next year.</p> <p><strong>Ashlea Nwabueze, Bloomfield Hills: </strong>The senior is another that is making a lot of impact with her blocking. She has 89 over 69 sets, while adding 157 kills for the Black Hawks.</p> <p><strong>Isabella Harding, Walled Lake Northern: </strong>Harding is a junior that is doing a lot of big things for the Knights. She has 129 kills over 67 sets while hitting .310. She also has 54 blocks and 23 aces. At 6-foot, Harding has a lot of athleticism for the position.</p>