August 25, 2023

Day 2 of Volleypalooza was action-packed as we hit the courts once again. I started off in the morning at Liberty Hill High School, where we witnessed some thrilling matches featuring Cathedral Catholic CA, Mater Dei CA, The Woodlands TX, Bishop Lynch TX, Liberty Hill TX, SA Johnson TX, Highland Park TX, and Austin TX. There were definitely a ton of exciting matches on those courts. I then made our way to Glenn High School to watch the pool with Grand Oaks TX, Keller TX, Brandeis TX and Cinco Ranch TX. Talk about another group of truly remarkable athletes gracing the court. Right next door was the pool that featured host Glenn along with Churchill TX, Plano TX, and Waco Midway TX. And for the end of my day, I headed to Cedar Park to catch the end of the pools. I was able to catch the final moments of the Flower Mound TX match against Cedar Park and Walnut Grove TX versus Lake Travis TX. So much talent in these gyms right now! Odds and Ends There’s nothing quite like the electric energy radiating from exceptional athletes during crucial plays. Grand Oaks middle Jaela Auguste and Sachse middle Favor Anyanwu immediately come to mind. When they dominate the net or their teammates score, they both have a fiery enthusiasm that is palpable. Another athlete who left a lasting impression with her infectious energy was SA Johnson TX right side Anais Velazquez, a true force to be reckoned with on the court. Her vivacity was definitely inspirational. And let’s not forget about Keller’s Carley Wright, the right side who delivered timely blocks and incredible kills while bringing an unparalleled level of passion and energy to her squad. But the energy doesn’t stop there. Danielle Whitmire from Walnut Grove is another true all-around talent. As a right side, she dominates the net with her imposing presence and serves as a skilled quarterback setter for her squad. These athletes embody the indomitable spirit of the game, leaving us in awe of their unwavering passion and unmatched drive. Team Spotlight I love being able to see Cathedral Catholic play in Texas this weekend. They might have lost some serious studs to the 2023 graduating class but don’t be fooled because they have a ton of great talent on the court. Seniors Jenna Hanes, Tiana Owens, Avya Moi, and Amanda Saeger are just a few of the leaders for this well rounded squad. Junior libero Maya Evens does a great job sweeping up the court defensively and watchout, freshman Kale’a Lee is making her presence known. *** DAY 2 SHOW STOPPERS Jenna Hanes, SR MB, Cathedral Catholic- Hanes, a 4-star recruit committed to Michigan, is just huge in the middle. She was literally hitting over people when I was watching. Maya Evens, JR L, Cathedral Catholic- Evens, a 4-star recruit committed to Maryland, owns the back row with lots of range and presence. Tiana Owens, SR RS, Cathedral Catholic- Owens, committed to Colgate, is an offensive weapon who can sky and crush it, making her tough to dig. Ella Lewis, JR OH, The Woodlands- Lewis, a 3-star recruit, passes consistently well and is a fearless attacker who can hit from the back row as well. Mia Zepeda, SR RS, The Woodlands- Zepeda collects timely blocks and brings a lot of energy to the court in the front row. Malyssa Cawa, SR L, Mater Dei- Cawa, a 3-star recruit committed to Stanford, is smooth and steady at the position. She also covers the court well. Layli Ostovar, SO OH, Mater Dei- Ostovar, a 5-star recruit, is a physical presence and a dynamic attacker who also brings a lot of offensive “smarts” to the court. Brooklyn Bailey, SO MB/RS, Highland Park- Bailey, a 3-star recruit, plays a bit in the middle and the right side. And she runs the slide incredibly well. Talia Davison Lardner, JR MB, Highland Park- Lardner was doing a great job at the net defensively. Gigi Mason, SR RS, Liberty Hill- Mason, a committed to Vanderbilt, is a lefty with a big jump and long wingspan which makes her a threat both offensively and defensively. Ava Kostroun, JR MB, Liberty Hill- Kostroun makes an impact on both sides with her scoring and blocking. Annie Witt, JR OH, Liberty Hill- Witt plays with lots of energy and a high spirit. She has a good arm and is fearless, as she keeps coming at defenses time and time again. Aleida Moreno, SR L, Austin- Moreno is sound in serve receive and putting passes and digs right on target. Emmy Swift, JR MB, Austin- Swift is a bit undersized in the middle but she was producing regularly. She was very efficient. Ada Awagu, JR MB, SA Johnson- Awagu, a 3-star recruit, is an athletic gem in the middle. And let’s just say her huge reach is something that propels her on both sides of the ball. Anais Velazquez, SR RS, SA Johnson- Velazquez is a physical presence with a ton of electric energy. Riley Seitz, SR MB, Bishop Lynch- Seitz did a good job controlling the net offensively for her squad. Kassidy O’Brien, JR S, Cinco Ranch- O’Brien, a 5-star recruit committed to Kentucky, sets a clean ball that is rarely off the mark. She sets on the move as well and does a nice job of connecting with all her hitters everywhere on the court. Gabi Martinez, JR OH, Cinco Ranch- Martinez, a Cal Baptist commit, can crush it at times. She’s aggressive and challenges defenses to make plays on her. Jade Washington, JR L, Waco Midway- Washington is extremely fast and has a knack for making incredibly athletic defensive plays. Sophia Kuyn, SR MB, Brandeis- Kuyn, a Fordham commit, did a good job at the net. She’s fearless and doesn’t hold back. Lola Isaeff, JR OH, Brandeis- Isaeff was not holding back. She was attacking with aggression and was a threat to hit from different spots on the court. Anna Boatner, SR

The top five seeds – Prestonwood Christian TX, Cathedral Catholic CA, Mater Dei CA, Grand Oaks TX and Dripping Springs TX – respectively made it through to the eight-team championship bracket as the three-day Volleypalooza extravaganza is set to conclude Saturday at Rouse. It’s the other three participants who have turned heads so far and will look to continue to take down higher-seeded squads in hopes of stunning the field. The biggest surprise in the final eight is Bridgeland TX, which opened Thursday seeded No. 41 overall. However, the Bears were able to upset No. 7 Prosper TX on Day 1 and kept at it on Day 2. Despite a setback against Round Rock TX, Bridgeland managed to make it out on top of its pool after clipping Rockwall TX in three, 23-25, 25-23, 25-22, in the 1 v 2 outing. Bridgeland and Rockwall tied at 2-1, but the head-to-head victory carried Bridgeland – which also beat Southlake Carroll TX – in the tiebreaker scenario. Not far behind Bridgeland is Sachse TX. The Mustangs entered Day 1 seeded No. 26 and finished in a three-way tie at 2-1 with Stratford TX and Clark TX. Sachse took second based on the tiebreakers, placing the Bears as the No. 4 team in Pool 6 on Friday. That was not an issue, as Sachse rose up and went 3-0, including beating No. 6 overall seed Lake Travis TX handily in two, 25-19, 25-21. Sachse swept Walnut Grove TX earlier before clinching first place by outlasting Pearland TX in three, 16-25, 25-23, 25-20, to close out its afternoon. Rounding out the eight-team championship bracket is Cypress Ranch TX. The Mustangs didn’t have as far to climb as Bridgeland or Sachse, as they started off seeded No. 18 overall. After a 3-0 Day 1, Cy Ranch stayed alive by beating both Allen TX and Stratford in a three-team pool. That set up a crossover showdown for a spot in the final eight against No. 8 overall seed Colleyville Heritage TX. Cy Ranch prevailed in three, 25-22, 15-25, 25-21. Before that, Colleyville held off Prosper, 26-24, 22-25, 25-23, to open play Friday. It was Prosper’s loss on Thursday that set up the early showdown and essentially ended Prosper’s chances at the final eight with the defeat to Colleyville. Here’s how the quarterfinals stack up for Saturday: • Prestonwood v Cypress Ranch• Dripping Springs v Grand Oaks• Mater Dei v Sachse• Cathedral Catholic v Bridgeland *** DAY 2 SHOW STOPPERS Sarah Hickman SO RS Stratford TX: A 6-4, 4-star recruit, Hickman brings plenty of length to the lineup. She contacts the ball at a high point and is tough to cover because of it as she can go over blocks at tough angles. Gwen Koss SO OH Stratford TX: A 3-star recruit, Koss carries her share of the offensive responsibilities, getting a lot of swings on the outside. She’s a steady attacker who doesn’t try to overdo it and does well finding open spaces. Alyssa Boyte SR MB/RS Allen TX: Boyte once again showed her skills. The Metro State commit played both middle and right side, as well as defending in the back row. She’s a near automatic on offense out of the middle, and helped complete a comeback victory over Stratford with four kills in the final five points in Game 3. Kennedy Crayton SO OH Allen TX: Crayton is an undersized pin with an explosive jump. She gets up in a hurry and can unleash with a fury. Sophia Wilson SR S Allen TX: Wilson – a Stephen F. Austin commit – is an undersized setter who does a great job running the offense. She not only locates consistently, she does well moving the ball around and mixing her sets up. Avery Penrod JR L Allen TX: Penrod came alive as the match went on against Stratford. She was doing a great job picking off cross-court shots coming her way and extending rallies. Sarah Mendoza JR L Colleyville Heritage TX: Mendoza – a 4-star recruit – fought through a collision with a teammate and kept on ticking. She was solid out of serve receive and did well making plays in the back row. Suli Davis JR S/RS Colleyville Heritage TX: Davis – a 5-star recruit – starred once more in her dual role. She helped carry Colleyville to a key victory over Prosper. While she does a nice job setting, she really shines attacking with her massive arm and the way she can slam balls from sideline to sideline. Maddie Bird SR OH Colleyville Heritage TX: Bird is a six-rotation glue piece. She’s not a flashy player but she doesn’t get fazed and was contributing in many ways, from solid serve receive to smart attacking and defensive prowess. Hannah Beauford JR S/RS Prosper TX: A 4-star recruit, Beauford is a smooth disher who carries a strong arm when attacking across the front row. She’s a key piece in what Prosper does and had her hand in a lot of plays. Ayden Ames SR OH Prosper TX: A 5-star Nebraska commit, Ames can be a wrecking ball at times. She can hit all over the court and with her size and length can hit hard angles like few can. Jayla Jackson SO OH/RS Prosper TX: Jackson provided an offensive lift with her ability to score on either pin. She’s a bit undersized but knows how to use the block and tools well. Karol Lopez SR L Vista Ridge TX: Vista Ridge is a smaller team overall and has to rely heavily on defense and digging. Lopez fits that bill to a tee, passing well and getting balls up all over the court. Taylor Porter JR OH Cy Ranch TX: Porter – a 4-star Vanderbilt commit – is a six-rotation mainstay. She has a fluid arm and can rip balls from corner to corner. Zora Bello SO RS Cy Ranch TX: A 3-star recruit, Bello does well on the right side adding offensive firepower to the