May 3, 2022

Far Western offered no shortage of talent to sort through as we spent three days in Reno roaming the courts catching as much as we could take in. After going through the notebook, here are top right sides who stood out to us the most. Kaydence Bispo, Rage 15 Greg – Bispo is a 6-1 sophomore playing down. She does have upside to her with her size. She’s strong and hits with good pace. Layli Ostovar, Mizuno Long Beach 15 Rockstar – Watching Ostovar play you wouldn’t believe she’s a member of the Class of 2026! She would likely excel playing in the 16s. She does a lot for Beach, from being a reliable option on the right side to passing in serve receive. She plays well above her age. Nicole Steiner, Vision 15 Gold – Steiner looks to be an up and comer. She’s 6-0 with a smooth swing. When she gets a hold of one, you can tell! She’ll continue to develop and is a good one to keep an eye on. Ashlyn Paymal, NE Elite 15 Matrix – Paymal definitely has next-level potential! She’s a 6-3 three-star recruit and is arguably NE Elite best offensive weapon. She can hit from all over the front row and knows how to score.   Ellie Hunt, NorCal 15-1 Black – Keep a watch out for Hunt. This 6-0 right side certainly had her moments. She’s a solid scoring option who helps balance out of the offense and will get better as she develops. Kate Hayhurst, ID Crush 15 Bower – It wouldn’t be surprising to see Hayhurst part of our player rankings in the near future. This 6-2 lefty has lots of potential. She’s long and can go over blocks as well as deliver them. Nora Wurtz, NE Elite 16 Lohaki – At 6-4 and touching 10-0, this sophomore brings a lot to the lineup. She has a big, heavy arm and hits with power. She also puts up a big block at the net. We can definitely see Wurtz making contributions at the next level! Cleo Hardin, Vision 16 Gold – This 6-2 pin hitter is undoubtedly a rising talent! She’s lengthy with a high contact point and a key part of the Vision offense. She lined up opposite the setter but can switch in the front row and hit from the left side. Cymarah Gordon, Momentous 16 Dan – We’ve written about this 6-0 three-star recruit before. For good reason too, as Gordon has untapped potential and tremendous upside. She is a physical attacker who can overpower blockers and defenders. And she can put up a huge block too! Haley Clark, SG Elite 16 Rosh – Another three-star recruit we’ve mentioned before, Clark is a 5-11 lefty with an electric arm. SG definitely looks to get her involved and going when she checks in and she adds a whole other dynamic to the offense with her power. Mary Healy, Absolute Black 17-1 – At 6-2, Healy is part of a tall roster. She brings the heat on the right side with a lively arm! Sarah Wadsworth, AZ Storm 17 Elite – Wadsworth is a 5-11 and committed to Marshall. She helps open the offense by being a scoring threat on the right side. She has a strong arm and can bury some balls. Carly Sciborski, Academy 17 Diamond – Sciborski should make an impact at the next level playing for American, where she is committed. She’s a 6-4 lefty who with her height can go straight over blocks and hit at high angles. Olivia Ruy, Club V 17 Ren Reed – This 6-2 pin hitter is a three-star recruit who is committed to Arkansas. She’s a physical hitter who possess a big arm and adds another power piece to the attack.

The closing weekend of qualifying season was filled with excitement at Far Western in Reno. vballrecruiter.com was on hand, viewing as much of it as we could get to in three days. We took note of the players who made us take notice. Below, we bring you the top middle blockers we witnessed. Charlotte Kelly, NorCal 15-1 Black – Kelly is one to get to know about! She’s 6-3 with tremendous potential. She has an easy swing and can crush it when she connects with one. She’s also effective on the slide and was getting her share of touches at the net. Kalyssa Blackshear, Mizuno Long Beach 15 Rockstar – Blackshear is a 6-4 four-star recruit. She’s lanky and is a tough cover for defenses with her ability to see over the block and attack accordingly. With her length, she also puts up a imposing block. Poema Ueligitone, Rage Westside 15 Jen – An eighth-grader playing up, Ueligitone is a bit undersized but can be relentless. She has some physicality to her and can hit with power. Brooklyn Hardy, ID Crush 15 Bower – Watching Hardy, it’s hard to believe she’s part of the Class of 2026! She’s wirey with a quick swing, moves well and is a great option on the slide. We’ll be hearing plenty about her in years to come! Bella Ehrlich, Absolute Black 15-1 – Ehrlich is a 6-2 three-star recruit. She has lots of upside to her. She sees the court well and can vary her attack to keep defenses off balanced. Ada Awagu, SA Juniors 15 Adidas – A 6-2 three-star recruit, Awagu is still raw and figuring things out but she has a very high ceiling. She’s athletic and long and is someone to keep an eye on as she continues to improve. Sophia Vella, NorCal 15-1 Black – Vella, at 6-0, is a hard worker and can also run the slide well. She gets her money worth on the attack, taking aggressive cuts and going at the defense. Rory Tower, AZ Rev 15 Premier – Tower is fiery at times, especially after delivering a timely block. She’s 5-11 and was providing Rev stability in the middle being both a scoring threat and solid blocker. Madeline Way, City Volleyball 16 Gold – A 6-1 three-star recruit, Way has the ability to make impacts on both side of the ball. She has a quick jump, which helps her be both a reliable scorer and effective blocker. Tatum Sharp, Rocky 16 National – Rocky National had a nice run, putting itself in bid position on Day 3. Sharp was an integral part of that. She’s a freshman playing up and brings aggressiveness to the front row. She can line up and hit from the left, middle or right side.   Havannah Vogel, Temecula Viper 16 Mauro – Temecula is so much better when it’s getting Vogel involved. She’s 6-1 with a smooth swing and ability to score consistently. Evie Hendrix, OMNI 16 John – Hendrix moves well for her height. With her length she puts up a solid block and gets plenty of touches. Caroline Foraker, SynergyForce 16 James – At 6-2, Foraker can make an impact across the front row. She has a quick arm and adds an offensive dimension to the attack. Briley Lackey, Vision 16 Gold – Lackey should be on the rise with her potential! She takes up plenty of space with her 6-4 frame. She has a fluid swing, runs the slide well and brings Vision up a notch when she’s getting involved. Morgan Warren, Hou Skyline 16 Royal – A 5-10 middle, Warren adds a different dynamic to the lineup. She jumps well and can beat defenses with well-placed tips or hitting around the block. Ingrid Zahn, SG Elite 16 Rosh – A three-star recruit, the 5-11 Zahn is a bit undersized but that doesn’t keep her from making herself known. She reads well and has great timing with her blocking. She shut down plenty of would-be attacks. Zoey Burgess, Club V 16 Ren Wayne – A five-star recruit, Burgess is 6-2 and can play outside hitter as well as middle blocker. We’ve written plenty about her this season and she never disappoints. She has a powerful swing and hits at a high contact point. It makes her one of the more difficult middles to defend. Preslie Yates, Absolute Black 16-1 – We like the upside this 6-1 middle has! Yates adds some physicality to the mix. She’s strong and has a powerful arm.   Mia Clayton, Absolute Black 16-1 – There were moments when Clayton provided a huge spark. She brings good energy, has a solid arm and was showing a knack for making timely blocks. Hailey Heytvelt, OJVA 16-1 Gold – When Heytvelt has it going, it really elevates the OJVA attack. She has nice size at 6-1 and knows how to use the block, as well as being a great option on the slide. Sophia Garza, OMNI 17 Rick – It’s a different game for OMNI when Garza is front row. She’s a 6-1 middle who moves well, runs a great slide attack and has a quick swing. Alexandra Chandler, SynergyForce 17 Jeff – Synergy will go to Chandler when she’s checked in. She has a strong arm that generates good pace and she gets up pretty well too. Mia Lee, Club V 17 Ren Reed – Lee should star at BYU, where she’s committed. She’s 6-0 but touches an incredible 10-7. Needless to say, she brings plenty of athleticism to the court. She can be a force offensively with her ability to sky and swing down. Rachel Grier, NorCal 17-1 Black – Grier is a 6-4 middle committed to New Hampshire. She adds great size to the position and gives NorCal a big target in the middle to throw at defenses. Taylor Harvey, Club V 17 Ren Reed – There’s no telling the heights this five-star recruit is going to reach! She’s a member

Far Western brought three days of intense action to the city of Reno. There were plenty of teams and players to sort through and vballrecruiter.com spent time searching and watching for those who impressed the most. Here are the top setters who caught our attention. Tristen Raymond, S/RS, AZ Rev 15 Premier – Raymond had an argument for being 15 Open MVP with the level she displayed over the weekend! She plays a huge role with her setting and hitting abilities. She’s game-changer on offense across the row, really opening the attack with her whippy arm and decent jump to go after opponents with. Claire Sun, S/RS, Rage Westside 15 Jen – Another two-way player who is a major contributor, Sun jumps extremely well and though she’s a bit undersized can go against bigger blocks because of it. She also has good hands and spots the ball well. Tenesyn Frye, ID Crush 15 Bower – At 6-0, Frye has good height for a setter and looks to have plenty of upside as she continues to develop. She has a good touch and knows how to move the ball around. Julia Waller, Absolute Black 15-1 – Waller is a fluid setter who plays with lots of energy and hustle. She has a knack for keeping defenses guessing with her ability to go against the flow or getting her middles involved. Peyton Meyer, NE Elite 15 Matrix – A 5-11 three-star recruit, Meyer has good hands with consistent location. She’s also adept at reversing it and catching defenses off guard. Jolyna Salas, Coast 15-1 – Injuries throughout the season led to Coast going to a 5-1 with Salas. She’s a bit undersized but does well getting her hitters good looks. Plus, she’s scrappy and gets after it on defense. Ashlyn Tafoya, Rocky 16 National – This freshman setter is a bit undersized but she is integral to the offense. She has nice hands and sets a clean ball. She’s also spot on with her location, including a good connection with her middles. Logan Tusher, Absolute Black 16-1 – A 5-11 setter, Tusher definitely displays her skillset! Her hands are soft and she hits her spots with great consistency. She’s able to reverse the flow while on the move and can also run tempo sets. Maya Baker, Vision 16 Gold – Another freshman who is playing up, Baker has a very bright future! She has a soft touch, rarely misses her window and has great command of the offense. She also carries herself with a calm and steady demeanor. Kate Duffey, S/RS, City Volleyball 16 Gold – At 6-0, Duffey both sets and hits. She’s solid at both, with nice accuracy when dishing and the ability to blow up blocks and be a reliable scoring option across the front row. Molly Romano, NE Elite 16 Lohaki – A three-star recruit, this 5-10 setter helped get NE Elite in bid contention. She has a good touch and puts the ball in a consistent window for her hitters. Adrianna Arquette, S/RS, SAS VBC 16 – Arquette also is a two-way contributor. She’s 5-10 with nice hands and a smooth delivery. She’s also a heady attack who can beat defenses with her variety of shots. Cayley Hanson, S/OH, Hou Skyline 16 Royal – A 6-2 three-star recruit, Hanson does a lot by both setting and hitting. At times she can run a 5-1 but was mostly part of a 6-2 and lining up on the left to hit. She carries a big arm and can hit with pace and power. Carter Fouche, Skyline 16 Royal – Though a bit undersized at 5-8, Fouche is very active and brings strong energy. She can also run tempo to her help beat the defense. Katie Salonga, NorCal 16-1 Black – Another setter who is a bit undersized at 5-7, we really loved the passion and spirit Salonga brings to the lineup. She’s upbeat, is undeterred and sets a nice ball. Elisabeth Levick, OJVA 16-1 Gold – There’s definite upside to this 6-1 setter. She’s going to keep improving and dialing in her craft. She already has good hands and solid location and does well trying to get her hitters involved. Julia Kakkis, S/RS, Momentous 16 Dan – We’ve mentioned Kakkis before. At 6-1, she is a key part of the lineup with her contributions setting and hitting. She’s another who defenses need to watch out for across the front row. She has a powerful arm and can pound some loud winners. Presley Powell, Hou Skyline 17 Royal – Powell should excel at the next level playing for Colorado School of Mines. She sets a smooth ball and is very consistent with her location. Annika Sokol, S/RS, Co Jrs 17 Kevin – This 5-10 setter/right side is a total gamer! She’s a feisty competitor who is a strong, accurate setter. She’s also a smart attacker who can hit from various spots across the front row and knows how to beat bigger blocks. Morgan Burke, NE Elite 17 Vici – A 6-0 Michigan recruit, Burke can also hit but was running a 5-1. She’s capable at moving the ball around and getting her attackers involved when in system.   Samantha Riter, Absolute Black 17-1 – Riter was making some great plays defensively as well as serving tough with a flat, driving ball that was eating up passers. She also has nice hands and delivers the ball with a soft touch. Brynn Covell, Academy 17 Diamond – A 6-0 Texas AM recruit, Covell has a strong hands and can run a nice tempo. She has the ability to push the ball to the outside from far off when out of system.