Class of 2023 All-State Nominees – Right Sides- Vol 1
The 2021 High School season has been amazing so far! Along with our readers, we have been on pins and needles watching teams battle all season long. There have been some amazing tournaments and great district battles. We have been…
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Continue ReadingThe 2021 High School season has been amazing so far! Along with our readers, we have been on pins and needles watching teams battle all season long. There have been some amazing tournaments and great district battles. We have been talking to coaches, reading tons of stats, and getting lots of video submissions from parents and players regarding how everyone has fared over the course of the season. As we are funneling into the end of district play and about to head into the playoffs, we will be discussing some players who are being nominated for our inaugural Prep Dig Texas All-State Awards. Our end-of-season awards are going to be different because we are going to consider all divisions/conferences/classes together and pick the best of the best. The Right Sides we will be discussing have been tearing it up and proving themselves all season long with some amazing statistics. Let’s meet some of the nominees:
Samantha Hoppes Samantha Hoppes 6'1" | RS Byron Nelson | 2023 State TX [2023] 6-0 Right Side (HS: Byron Nelson/Club: Drive Nation/Verbal: Uncommitted)
Please help us welcome Samantha officially to the list as the 42nd best overall prospect and 3rd best right side in the 2023 class according to our Prep Dig State Rankings. Miss Hoppes plays at Byron Nelson HS and also club for the new high-level club on the North Texas block, Drive Nation. We profiled her before the high school season took place and here is a little from the article, “Samantha’s stock has risen from just making varsity her freshaman season to being a legit weapon for this past sophomore season as she tallied 199 kills on a .234 hitting percentage. She is not done at all and is just now making a name for herself. The power-hitting lefty can be a game changer if an offense uses her correctly, especially creating one on one situations “against flow”. We think she could be a dominant force for her junior season and we will be watching very closely.” We watched this season as she dominated on the pins for Byron Nelson. She tallied the 3rd most kills amongst all junior right sides across the state. Samantha amassed 505 kills on a .279 hitting percentage this year. She also had 221 digs, 69 blocks, and 29 aces during her junior season. We are very proud to have her nominated for an All-State award this season. Please congratulate her on the honor.
Kennedy Kays Kennedy Kays 6'2" | OH Bridgeland | 2023 State TX [2023] 6-1 Outside/Right Side (HS: Bridgeland/Club: Houston Skyline/Verbal: Uncommitted)
Kennedy is currently ranked as the 21st best overall prospect in the 2023 Class according to our Prep Dig State Rankings. Kennedy plays at Bridgeland High School and for the awesome Houston Skyline program. We profiled her last year and her is what we stated, “She is listed at six foot one but the length in her arms make it look like she is playing at six foot four. As a left side hitter, she excels in all attacks that a pin hitter should execute. When she plays on the right side, it is lights out with her three-step approach. On the left side pin, she likes to get deep at her touch point and uses a four step approach which helps her fly into the air. It is this understanding of different timing on each set that tells me how high her volleyball IQ is. She is coached very well at Houston Skyline, which is one of the premier programs in the state. I have a strong feeling that Kennedy will move up the rankings as the years go by. She has all of the tools to be a fantastic player that all colleges will be looking at soon.” She has tallied the 4th most kills in the state with 433. Miss Kays also had a .253 hitting percentage, 160 digs, 42 blocks, and 11 aces. Her awesome play helped Bridgeland to a 39-11 overall record and a 12-2 district record. They are still on a fantastic run through the UIL State playoffs and have a chance to win a State Championship this weekend. We are very proud to announce that she has earned a nomination for an All-State award. Please help us congratulate her on the achievement.
Claire Dewine [2023] 6-1 Right Side/Setter (HS: Woodlands/Club: Houston Juniors /Verbal: Uncommitted)
Claire is currently an unranked prospect in the 2023 State Rankings, but she will absolutely be listed as soon as we update them. She is a very talented setter and right side who plays at The Woodlands high school and the famed Houston Juniors club. She is a lengthy dual threat on the volleyball court. We love her reach as she is a member of the famed 10 foot club, meaning that she can tough ten feet in the air with her approach jump. Stay tuned for more articles on Claire when we add her to the rankings. She had 687 assists, 432 kills, 426 digs, and 44 aces this past season. Her kill total is good enough to be the 5th most amongst all junior right sides across the state. Her play helped the Woodlands to a 41-8 overall record and an 8-2 district record which just culminated in a deep run the UIL State playoffs. Please help us congratulate her on earning a nomination for an All-State award.
There are many more amazing players that will be nominated. Stay tuned for more articles on your favorite athletes to see who ends up with a chance at one of the prestigious awards. If you have anyone you think we should watch out for, please shoot me an email with some info at nov8vb@yahoo.com. Also don’t forget to help these kids get more exposure by sharing our stories with your friends. Help us help them by simply retweeting on Twitter or sharing on Facebook. Thanks for following Texas Family!