Rib City Tournament 2023 Top Performers Part I
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Elise Paul Elise Paul 6'0" | MB Lutheran South | 2023 State MO with the block Cape Girardeau Rib City Summer Tournament provides an excellent preseason tournament for the upcoming season. With 12 courts and 48 teams from five states,…
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Continue ReadingCape Girardeau Rib City Summer Tournament provides an excellent preseason tournament for the upcoming season. With 12 courts and 48 teams from five states, the action did not disappoint. Breese Central from Illinois knocked off Class 1 fourth-place finisher South Iron to take the Bracket 1 title. Here are my picks for the tournament’s first team 2023 top performers.
Reese Gray Reese Gray 5'8" | OH Lesterville | 2023 State MO – 5’8″ – Outside – Lesterville
A hard-hitting outside for the Bearcats showed her dominance throughout the tournament with rockets from all over the net. Reese is a primary passer and a tremendous defender with off-the-charts volleyball IQ who will need another solid season to get the Bearcats back into the state playoffs.
Elise Paul Elise Paul 6'0" | MB Lutheran South | 2023 State MO – 6’0″ – Middle – Lutheran South
Elise makes things look easy on the net. She possesses quickness in the middle, closes to the pins, and penetrates the net to form a solid block. She was hitting with power and over the blockers to be a deadly attacker for the Lancers.
Madison Williams – 5’6″ – Setter – Windsor
One of my favorite setters to watch at Rib City is quick, with soft hands and jump sets most of the balls, to get her hitters one-on-one more often than not.
Jade Roth Jade Roth 6'0" | MB Farmington | 2023 State MO – 6’1″ – Middle – Farmington
Roth is a big bouncy solid middle that can get her head above the net and slam the ball within the 10 ft line. She is a big-time middle that keeps improving each time I watch her play. She can potentially be a tremendous attacker and will develop into a lockdown blocker.
Jelena Gray Jelena Gray 5'9" | OH Farmington | 2023 State MO – 5’10” – Outside – Farmington
The Knights have a solid team led by three seniors that can flat out play this year. Gray might be the best of the three as a six rotation outside; she provides a hard-hitting outside and a proven passer and defender to keep her on the court.
Drew Gayle Drew Gayle 5'10" | S South Iron | 2023 State MO – 5’10” – Middle/Setter – South Iron
A high-IQ volleyball player knows where to put the ball for her hitters to succeed. The aspect of her game I’m more impressed with is her hitting. She is a setter that also plays middle and does a great job of putting the ball where the defenders are not. Drew will provide her team at the next level with a solid blocking setter.
Lexi Menne Lexi Menne 5'4" | OH Windsor | 2023 State MO – 5’6″- Outside – Windsor
I’m unsure about her plans for the next level, but I see her as a tremendous libero. For the Owls, she is a great outside hitter that plays nasty defense and provides a solid outlet from the back row. Lexi has the IT factor to her game and is a joy to watch.