Chris Tobolski

The Durango Fall Classic never disappoints and 2023 was definitely not going to be an exception. With Mater Dei CA topping Mira Costa CA for the championship combined with other results, it will no doubt shake up the national rankings. Beyond that, the individual play was mind-blowing, as the field featured top players from around the country showcasing their skills. Below, we highlight the standouts with our Day 2 Show Stoppers. DAY 2 SHOW STOPPERS Charlie Fuerbringer SR S Mira Costa CA: A 5-star Wisconsin commit, Fuerbringer is a dynamic player who brings so much to the lineup. She’s a high IQ setter with accurate location and the ability to turn off balls into hittable sets. She typically runs a 5-1 but with her hitting ability Costa can switch to a 6-2 at times for more offense. Taylor Deckert JR L Mira Costa CA: With Fuerbringer setting and Deckert taking the first ball, you can argue no team in the country has a better 1-2 touch than Costa. The 5-star USC commit is silky smooth and plays with tons of composure. Audrey Flanagan SO Mira Costa CA: Flanagan is yet another 5-star recruit in the Mustangs lineup. She’s a handful to try and slow down on the attack. She’s a lanky outside with a whip for an arm and the way she can extend and let loose makes her a difficult cover. Rachel Moglia SR MB Mira Costa CA: Moglia is a bit undersized in the middle but she knows how to score. She does well finding gaps and open spaces on the floor and she’s fearless on top of that. Nora Williams SR RS Mira Costa: Williams brings her strong blocking and solid arm to the front row. She comes up with timely kills and blocks to help contribute. Danica Rach SR OH Sierra Canyon CA: Rach – a 3-star Boston College commit – helps make up a solid 1-2 attack on the outside. She has a lively arm and is a threat front and back row, so teams always need to be aware of her. Halie McGinest SR OH Sierra Canyon CA: A 3-star recruit, McGinest is the other half of the outside duo the Trailblazers rely on. She has a strong arm and she too can swing from both the front and back row, so they pair puts a lot of pressure on defenses. Lauren Lynch JR L Sierra Canyon CA: Lynch – a 4-star San Diego commit – was another libero who was playing great and standing out on defense. She too plays under control and is a sharp passer and defender, as she doesn’t ever blink or get rattled. Madeline Way SR MB Sierra Canyon CA: Way – a 3-star Hawaii commit – was great in the middle. She was an offensive weapon who defenses needed to matchup with. She has a strong arm and can unload on balls on the regular. Kristen Simon JR L Assumption KY: Simon – a 5-star Wisconsin commit – was part of an outstanding libero group competing on Day 2 at Durango. She has great command of the back row and it’s difficult to get a ball down on her or past her. *** Chloe Smith SR OH Assumption KY: Smith – a 3-star Wofford commit – is part of a versatile offense that can attack from all over. She’s another who is able to extend and hit from high angles and she delivers with plenty of pace. Bailey Blair JR MB Assumption KY: A 3-star recruit, Blair brings power to the attack. She can crush balls out of the middle. She also runs an effective slide and can boom balls out there as well. Charlotte Moriarty SR OH Assumption KY: Moriarty – a 3-star Xavier commit – hits hard and passes well out of serve receive. She’s one of the glue pieces in the lineup as she brings leadership and stability. Tessa Larkin FR OH Xavier Prep AZ: Larkin – a 4-star recruit – was among a few freshmen standouts who were doing their thing. She’s a wirey hitter with a loose arm who can let it fly from corner to corner. Vivian Hickman SO S/OH Xavier Prep AZ: A 3-star recruit, Hickman is valuable because of her versatility. She’s a smooth disher who is capable of running a 5-1 but her arm is needed in the attack so hits too. Maya Evens JR L Cathedral Catholic CA: Evens – a 4-star Maryland commit – is rarely off her game and has the ability to take it to a different level as she did Saturday. She was lights-out and making amazing digs all over the court. Jenna Hanes SR MB Cathedral Catholic CA: Hanes is a featured part of the attack and changes the look of the offense when she’s front row. The 4-star Michigan commit is a scoring machine who can torch defenses even when everyone knows she’s getting the ball. Tiana Owens SR RS Cathedral Catholic CA: Owens’ ability to score on the right side is huge. She helps balance out the attack and provides valuable offense. Cari Spears JR OH Prestonwood Christian TX: A 5-star recruit, you won’t find anyone who hits harder than Spears. She has a heavy arm and can blast balls from sideline to sideline whether she’s front or back row. Jadyn Livings SR RS Prestonwood Christian TX: Livings – a 5-star USC commit – can deliver on both sides of the ball. She puts up a strong block and can fire up her team with big stuffs. She also has a powerful arm and can rip winners. *** Gillian Pitts JR L Prestonwood Christian TX: A 5-star Houston commit, Pitts is an athletic libero who moves well and passes dimes. She brings a ton of energy to the defensive side as well. Sam Pope JR S/RS Lone Peak UT: Pope is part of the reason Lone Peak put up a 10th-place finish in such a competitive field. Her ability to

It was a throwback-to-the-past championship clash Saturday as the Durango Fall Classic neared its ending in Las Vegas and the drama was thick. Top-seeded and vballrecruiter.com’s top team in the country in Mira Costa CA lineup up across third-seeded and No. 6 Mater Dei CA. Not only had both schools captured national tournament titles already this season – with Mira Costa wining the Ann Kang Invitational in Hawaii and Mater Dei capturing the Volleypalooza crown in Texas – they had already met once before with Mira Costa sweeping the showdown between the top two teams in the country at the time. In the background of their latest meeting was the Durango success both schools once enjoyed in their storied histories. Mira Costa, which didn’t attend the event last year, owned the Durango mantle three times in a four-year span. The Mustangs last finished on top in 2007 to go with titles in 2006 and 2004. Mater Dei’s Durango drought was even longer, as the Monarchs went more than 20 years without finishing in the position they did Saturday. Mater Dei last raised the Durango trophy in 2001, to go with victories in 1997 and 1995. Both the sport and the Durango Fall Classic have changed plenty in that time, including the once 16-team field expanding to 48 and once again to its current number of 64. Getting back on top of the most prestigious high school tournament is satisfying in itself. Then add on to it the way Mater Dei clawed through the competition before finishing with a redemption victory over Mira Costa, 18-25, 25-20, 25-21, as the Mustangs were only one of two teams to defeat Mater Dei so far this season. The other – Cathedral Catholic CA – tied for third with Sierra Canyon CA. Cathedral Catholic and Mater Dei have split a pair of matches to date, with Mater Dei defeating Cathedral Catholic in the semifinals at Volleypalooza and Cathedral returning the favor by downing Mater Dei in the final of the Dave Mohs tournament earlier this month. Given Mater Dei has captured two major tournament titles and carries victories over both teams which have also beat Mater Dei, the Monarchs are the favorite to take over the top spot in the country in our updated Top 50 National HS Rankings released this week. On top of that, Mira Costa’s only previous loss came to Punahou HI in the Mustangs’ first match of the season. Mira Costa responded by going on to win the Ann Kang tournament, which was significant given the Mustangs were playing without 5-star Wisconsin commit Charlie Fuerbringer. That means Mater Dei is the first school to beat Mira Costa with Fuerbringer playing. The latest meeting started off much like the first time Mater Dei and Mira Costa faced off. Mater Dei was coming off its Volleypalooza championship and two days later visited the Mustangs, which were ranked No. 1 at the time ahead of then-undefeated Mater Dei, which was sitting at No. 2. The highly-anticipated showdown didn’t materialize into anything special, except for the fact how much Mira Costa dominated the meeting in sweeping, 25-21, 25-21, 25-19. That match featured Mira Costa going on big runs in each set to secure the victory, including overcoming a 17-9 deficit in the final frame. And that’s exactly how the opening set played out Saturday in the championship match. Mater Dei pushed ahead to a 12-8 advantage only to watch Mira Costa catch fire and close the set on a 17-7 run. Yet, Mater Dei, like they had most of the day Saturday, recovered and found its way to victory. Other than sweeping Xavier Prep AZ – and handing the Gators their first loss of the season – in the qualifying round, Mater Dei had to overcome a first-set loss in its next three outings. It included coming back on national No. 5 Assumption KY, 22-25, 25-23, 25-20, in the quarterfinals and national No. 23 Sierra Canyon, 20-25, 25-22, 25-11, in the semifinals. Mira Costa, meanwhile, had its own struggles early Saturday and needed three sets before getting past unranked Bishop Alemany CA, 25-6, 27-29, 25-17, in qualifying play to kick of Day 2 action. Mira Costa settled, having no issues in sweeping Huntington Beach CA, 25-17, 25-20, in the quarters and Cathedral Catholic, 25-17, 25-19, in the semis to reach the final. There was recent history between Mira Costa and Cathedral Catholic, which was last year’s undefeated national champion and lost its only set all season to Mira Costa in the semifinals of the state playoffs. As for Mater Dei and Mira Costa splitting two meetings so far, it’s likely not all has been written between them this season. The two programs could potentially meet twice more, with plenty more at stake. The first could come in the CIF Southern Section Open Division playoffs, as both should be the top-two seeds. After that, another meeting could be on the horizon in the CIF Open Division state playoffs. There’s also a high probability that either Mater Dei or Mira Costa, or both, could run into Cathedral Catholic once more in the state playoffs. Cathedral Catholic – despite losing eight contributing seniors including Stanford’s Julia Blyashov and Oregon’s Noemie Glover – is proving itself as one of the top teams in the country in 2023. The Dons have three losses – to Grand Oaks TX, Mater Dei and Mira Costa. On Saturday, they scored a huge victory over Prestonwood Christian TX in the quarterfinals, sweeping, 26-24, 25-18. Prestonwood is the only school to beat Grand Oaks so far, the team Cathedral lost to in the third-place match at Volleypalooza. Cathedral Catholic and Prestonwood are set to meet once more, however, as part of the ESPN Volleyball Showcase next month. The event is set for Oct. 6 at Prestonwood. Cornerstone Christian TX and St. James Academy KS are playing the match before, with Prestonwood and Cathedral following and to be aired live on ESPNEWS. Cornerstone was in

There were two minor upsets that prevented all of the Top 16 seeds from advancing to the championship qualifying rounds Saturday morning at Durango High. Nevertheless, this year’s edition of the Durango Fall Classic has everyone dripping with anticipation to how it is all going to play out. On paper, the biggest upset was No. 20 seed Lone Peak UT downing Marymount CA – the No. 13 seed – in three sets, 25-23, 23-25, 25-11. Lone Peak arrived to Las Vegas early to play Coronado NV on Thursday ahead of the tournament and ended up dropping that one in five sets. That didn’t necessarily bode well for the Knights when it came to this weekend’s competition, but they showed they were ready when it counted. While it was the biggest upset on paper, it wasn’t really a major shocker based on vballrecruiter.com’s Top 50 National HS Rankings. Marymount started the week ranked No. 39, with Lone Peak right behind at No. 40. It just so happened the two got paired in the same pool Friday to open the two-day event. The other result to go against seeding was Bishop Alemany CA knocking off Kamehameha/Kapalama HI in straight sets. Kamehameha was seeded No. 16. Alemany was placed at No. 17 to start, so that was as small as an upset that could’ve taken place based on the seedings for Day 1. However, Kamehameha was No. 45 in our Top 50, with Alemany coming into the week unranked. Other than Marymount and Kamehameha, the other 14 teams which were No. 1 in their respective pools all advanced. Not all breezed through however. Mater Dei CA – the No. 3 overall seed and No. 6 in our Top 50 – went three sets with Palo Verde NV in the 1 v 4 match to close out that pool. With Palo Verde surprising and winning its first two contests, the winner of that one was set to advance to the top 16. It was the same scenario for St. Francis/Mountain View CA. The Lancers went three with South/Torrance CA in a must-win 1 v 4 showdown in order to make the top 16. Assumption, the No. 6 overall seed and ranked No. 5 in our Top 50, opened the day with a three-set victory over The Hockaday School TX. Archbishop Mitty CA – the No. 7 seed and ranked No. 4 in our Top 50 – did the same. The Monarchs needed three in their opener before fending off Mercy KY and eventually advancing. Of course we will have plenty more once Day 2 action is complete. But looking ahead, here is how the top 16 measures up to start Saturday’s competition: *** DAY 1 SHOW STOPPERS Alauna Hooiman JR OH Silverado NV – Hooiman was providing an offensive lift and showed great range in her attacking. She also puts up a solid block on the defensive side. Megan Fitch JR OH Cornerstone Christian TX – A 5-star Texas AM commit, Fitch has showed up big all season long and was once more an offensive menace with her dynamic attacking. She’s relentless and just keeps coming at the defense. Maria Avendano SR L Cornerstone Christian TX – Avendano was solid out of serve receive. She was also doing a great job keeping rallies alive. Grace Carroll SR RS Cornerstone Christian TX – Carroll carries a big, powerful arm and when she has it going finishes points as well as anyone in the field. The 4-star Baylor commit showed her terminal attacking in a big way on Day 1. Avery Jackson SR OH Hockaday TX – A 5-star recruit who committed to Stanford beach, Jackson is a springy hitter with a lively arm. As a six-rotation outside, she’s not only a key offensive weapon but a steadying presence as well. Olivia Wayne JR OH Hockaday TX – Wayne – a 3-star Duke commit – plays in the middle or on the right side in club but has moved to the left side for high school. She has a strong arm and makes herself felt at the net on both sides of the ball. Ai-vy Ho SO S Hockaday TX – Ho did well guiding the attack. She dished with consistent location and does a nice job connecting with all her hitters. Vivian Hickman SO S Xavier Prep AZ – Hickman – a 3-star recruit – is so smooth setting and running the offense. She gets all her hitters involved and plays strong defense as well. Elle McCreery JR MB Xavier Prep AZ – McCreery showed up well in the middle for the Gators. She was a scoring presence and was putting away balls on the regular when called upon. Tessa Larkin FR OH Xavier Prep AZ – A 4-star recruit, Larkin has made a big impact so far this season as a rookie and showed how much trouble she’s going to be for the next four seasons. She’s a smart, physical attacker who torments defenses with her various shots. *** Finley Krystkowiak SO OH Torrey Pines CA – Krystkowiak – a 5-star recruit – is the featured part of the attack. She’s long and extends very well. She has a strong arm too and can power balls down at tough angles to defend. Kiara Edwards SR RS Torrey Pines CA – Edwards was among the top right sides we saw. She plays all the way around and has to be tracked when she’s across the front row. The Falcons like to get her the ball because she can deliver. Taly Cloyd SR RS Faith Lutheran NV – Cloyd put down a few big-time kills. Watch out when she connects, because she’s very capable of sending the ball down in impressive fashion. Bianca Richardson SR OH Faith Lutheran NV – Richardson was part of solid pin play by Faith Lutheran. She’s a six-rotation outside who brings consistency to the lineup. Ella Swinn SR OH Faith Lutheran NV – Swinn is another six-rotation outside who is

With matches going on all the time, the high school season doesn’t pause or take a break. We are still more than a month away from the postseason and state tournaments getting underway. So there is plenty more action on the way. Yet, it also feels like so much has already happened even though some states have only been playing for a couple of weeks. It’s one reason why we checked in last week and highlighted 11 freshmen who are having standout seasons to date. This week, we move on to 15 sophomores who are making key impacts for their respective schools. Henley Anderson OH Drippings Springs TX: Anderson – a 5-star recruit and vballrecruiter.com’s Freshman HS Player of the Year in 2022 – has been a huge part of the Tigers’ 36-2 mark to begin the week. Dripping Springs is the reigning Texas 6A state champion and is built for another deep run with Anderson powering the way. She’s amassed 447 kills to date, averaging 4.8 per set. She’s also second in aces. Three times so far she’s recorded 21 kills or more, including a season-high 26 in a five-set victory over Westlake last week. Peyton Carlson OH Waupaca WI: The Comets entered the week with an 18-4 record. Carlson – a 5-11, 4-star recruit who suited up at libero for FC Elite 18 Navy during club season – has been the featured part of the attack by a long shot. She came into the week with 309 of the team’s 607 total kills. She’s averaging 5.4 per set. She exploded for a season-best 42 kills in a five-set victory over Oconto Falls at the end of August. She also leads the roster in aces and is second in digs, averaging 3.6 per set. Gunny Brock OH Cleveland TN: Brock, a 6-1 outside, has been a reliable scorer for the Blue Raiders. She’s second on the team in kills behind junior Lauren Hurst. Brock entered the week with 293 kills, averaging 3.3 per set. She’s also been a key contributor on defense, as she’s second in digs with 268 and averaging 3.0 per set. She’s also second in aces with 54 and has stepped in to set off balls, as she’s racked up 93 assists. She put up a season-best 19 kills in a five-set loss to East Hamilton last week. Danielle Whitmire S/RS Walnut Grove TX: Walnut Grove is in its first year of existence and because of re-districting rules in the state of Texas Whitmire was forced to move from Prosper to the new high school. A 6-2, 5-star recruit, she’s been an integral part with her ability to set and hit. She came into this week leading her squad in kills with 280, averaging 3.6 per set. As a setter, she was one set behind junior J’Leigh Larra for the team lead with 311 assists, averaging 4.0 per set. On top of that, she’s also second in both digs and aces. Kayla Nwabueze MB Bloomfield Hills MI: We featured Nwabueze – a 5-star recruit – as a Player of the Week back in August and spoke to her about the high school season. It’s not surprising at all to see her putting together the year she has so far. She entered the week leading the Black Hawks in kills with 246. She’s averaging 4.1 per set. She’s also been a force at the net with her blocking, leading the team in that category as well with 59 in 60 sets played. She’s playing all the way around and is also third in digs with 145, averaging 2.4 per set. Nwabueze posted a season-high 17 kills last week in a victory against St. Mary’s Prep. Gabby Divita OH Grosse Pointe South MI: Divita – another 5-star recruit and a teammate of Nwabueze this past club season for Legacy 15-1 Adidas – is shining as well. She has over half of the team’s total kills, putting up 263 and averaging 5.3 per set. She’s been effective from the service line too, leading the roster in aces with 26. She’s also second in digs, averaging 2.7 per set. She’s had impressive outings, including dropping a season-best 20 kills and hitting .621 in a sweep of Sterling Heights. Blair Thiebaud S College Station TX: Thiebaud – a 6-0, 4-star recruit – is following up her rookie campaign with almost an identical season to date. She finished her freshman year averaging 8.1 assists per set. That’s the same average she has so far this year in racking up 735 assists through 91 sets. She’s also contributed in other ways, especially from the service line where she leads the team with 74 aces. That’s nearly double of the next closest leader. She’s also second in blocks, as well as third in both kills and digs. She recorded a season-high 13 kills in a victory over Concordia Lutheran in late August. She’s eclipsed the 40-assist mark twice thus far, including a season-best 42 dimes in a four-set victory over Magnolia. DaMya Mann S/RS Harlan TX: A 3-star recruit, Mann has played an integral role in Harlan starting off the year 30-5. She does it all for the Hawks in showcasing her versatility. She’s second in kills (201/2.5 per set), assists (423/5.2), digs (244/3.0) and blocks (65/.8). She’s also third in aces. Her best match came in a four-set victory over Warren, when she put up 13 kills, hit .435 and dished out a season-best 23 assists. It was one of three times she’s recorded 20 assists or more. She also had 17 digs in that contest. Her season-high was 18 against O’Connor, when she also had a season-high five blocks. Ellie Hepler L Warsaw IN: Hepler – a 4-star recruit – has been starring in her defensive role. She’s among the country’s top dig leaders for sophomore liberos. She’s made 313 saves so far, averaging 4.7 per set. She’s also been the team’s most efficient server, leading the way with 38 aces.

We are into our third Top 50 National HS Rankings of the month. Compared to the first two weeks, this week’s rankings held steady, especially at the top where none of the top programs lost. We had to get to No. 13 St. Thomas Aquinas KS before seeing a Top-20 fall. The Saints lost to Olathe Northwest KS in tournament play over the weekend. It was their first setback of the season. They have a chance to move back up in a hurry, as they face undefeated and No. 13 Blue Valley North KS on Tuesday, as well as No. 38 St. James Academy KS. While there was very little movement at the top, that is very likely to change next week. That’s because the Durango Fall Classic is on hand this coming Friday and Saturday in Las Vegas. Seven of the Top 10 teams are in the field, as well as No. 16 Torrey Pines CA and No. 22 St. Francis/Mountain View CA, No. 23 Sierra Canyon CA and No. 25 Xavier Prep AZ. Check back Wednesday for our Preview and Predictions, where we’ll have a more in-depth look at the biggest high school event of the season. For now, check below for this week’s full rankings. vballrecruiter.com’S TOP 50 NATIONAL HS RANKINGS 1. Mira Costa CA (1 – previous ranking) 2. Cornerstone Christian TX (2) 3. Papillion-LaVista South NE (3) 4. Archbishop Mitty CA (4) 5. Assumption KY (5) 6. Mater Dei CA (6) 7. Prestonwood Christian TX (7) 8. Grand Oaks TX (8) 9. Cathedral Catholic CA (9) 10. Notre Dame Academy KY (10) *** 11. Hamilton Southeastern IN (11) 12. Divine Savior Holy Angels WI (12) 13. Blue Valley North KS (21) 14. Wayzata MN (14) 15. Seton OH (17) 16. Torrey Pines CA (18) 17. Carrollwood Day FL (19) 18. Dripping Springs TX (20) 19. Angola IN (n/r) 20. St. Thomas Aquinas KS (13) *** 21. Mother McAuley IL (23) 22. St. Francis/Mountain View CA (24) 23. Sierra Canyon CA (28) 24. Oconomowoc WI (26) 25. Xavier College Prep AZ (43) 26. Benet Academy IL (n/r) 27. Viera FL (29) 28. Sacred Heart Academy KY (27) 29. Bellmont IN (22) 30. Marist IL (15) *** 31. Skyridge UT (49) 32. Calvary Christian FL (31) 33. Lake Catholic CA (35) 34. Redondo Union CA (33) 35. Winter Park FL (36) 36. Lafayette MO (16) 37. O’Connor AZ (25) 38. St. James Academy KS (32) 39. Marymount CA (34) 40. Lone Peak UT (37) *** 41. Berkeley Prep FL (38) 42. Punahou HI (44) 43. Huntington Beach CA (n/r) 44. Valor Christian CO (45) 45. Kamehameha HI (48) 46. Corona del Sol AZ (30) 47. Los Alamitos CA (41) 48. Notre Dame Prep AZ (46) 49. Millennium AZ (47) 50. Pace Academy GA (40) *** ON THE CUSP Nixa MO Mercy McAuley OH St. Ursula Academy OH Mount Notre Dame OH Clearwater Central Catholic FL Redlands CA Byron Nelson TX Pope GA Liberty North MO Corner Canyon UT Lewis Palmer CO Northville MI Maple Mountain UT Flint Hill VA Plant FL Hagerty FL Venice FL Westminster Christian FL Colleyville Heritage TX Cypress Ranch TX Harlan TX Roncalli IN Yorktown IN Washburn Rural KS Prosper TX Glenbard West IL Brighton IL Cardinal Gibbons NC Green Hope NC Green Level NC Bishop Gorman NV Mount Notre Dame OH Lake Highland Prep FL Perry AZ Queen Creek AZ Jenks OK Mount St. Mary OK

The past couple of weeks we have checked in on teams from our Top 50 National HS Rankings. You can get caught up on those here and here. Below, we focus on 11 freshmen who have been starring so far for their respective high schools. Allie Hudgins OH Westlake TX – A 5-star recruit, Hudgins had a big club season playing for Austin Performance. She’ll spend next club season on the Austin Skyline 15 Royal roster. In the meantime, she’s been starring her rookie campaign at Westlake, which is 27-7 as of this writing. She’s currently second on the team in kills with 290, averaging 3.5 per set. She’s first in blocks with 35, as well as third in digs, averaging 2.3 per set. She recorded a season-best 19 kills in a five-set victory over Stony Point in mid-August. Carson Caraway OH Jackson Academy MS – The Raiders are currently sitting at 24-6. Caraway – a 4-star recruit who played this past club season at Infinity Volleyball Academy – has been a huge part of the success, leading the team in kills with 286. She’s also third in digs with 2.2 per set. She set a season-high mark with 20 kills in a sweep against Hartfield Academy on Sept. 7. Mia Ray OH North Gwinnett GA – Ray was part of A5 14 Helen’s silver-medal performance at AAUs, earning All-Tournament Team honors in 14 Open. Her talents have shown up for the Bulldogs, who are 20-8 to date. Ray’s another freshman who is leading her squad in kills. She’s totaled 262 so far, averaging 3.9 per set. She’s also second in aces with 30. Marissa Jones S Woodward Academy GA – A teammate of Ray during the club season for A5 14 Helen, Jones is a 5-star recruit who has played an important role for the Eagles. She sits at 350 assists, averaging 7.0 per set to date. She’s also playing another role in the offense as she’s third in kills with 68, averaging 1.4 per set. Other contributions have included leading the team in blocks so far with 35 and sitting second in aces with 29. Her best outing so far featured 18 assists and 9 kills in a five-set loss to Trinity Christian. Brynn Stephens S/RS Rock Hill TX – A 5-star recruit who was an integral part of TAV 14 Black’s gold-medal performance in 14 Open this summer in Chicago, the 6-2 Stephens is shining for the Blue Hawks. She’s made huge impacts with both her setting and hitting. She leads the team in both. She’s posted 243 kills, averaging 3.1 per set, and has dished out 443 assists, averaging 5.7 per set. She’s also second in digs with 205, averaging 2.6 per set, while leading the team in aces with 59. Sophee Peterson S Byron Nelson TX – Peterson – a 4-star recruit – was another key member of TAV 14 Black’s national championship in 14 Open. She too set and hit but has been setting her freshman season as part of a 6-2. Peterson has 365 assists, averaging 6.4 per set. She’s also tied for third in digs with 139, averaging 2.4 per set. She’s also contributed at the service line, as she’s third in aces. Lydia Chinchar RS Carrollwood Day FL – Chinchar became a household name this past club season while playing up two age groups for No Name 16 Sarah. The 4-star recruit set and hit in club but has starred as a right side for the Patriots. She’s been the featured part of the attack. Her 180 kills not only lead the team, but are more than the next three leaders combined. She’s averaging 6.2 kills per set as well as leading the team in blocks with 22. She’s reached double-digit in kills in all but two matches, including a season-best 20 in a three-set victory over Viera at the Nike TOC Southeast tournament. Westley Matavao OH Orange Lutheran CA – Matavao – a 4-star recruit – was the go-to hitter this past club season for Forza1 North 14 One. She’s taken on the same role for the Lancers during her rookie season. She leads the roster with 175 kills, averaging 5.0 per set. She’s also tied for first in blocks and second in digs. She put up a season-high 30 kills in a five-set victory over Ontario Christian on Sept. 5. Peyton Heatherly S Mother McAuley IL – A 3-star recruit, Heatherly is another freshman who played a dual role in club by hitting and setting. However, she’s taken over the setting duties for the Macs, who recently took third place at the Louisville Invitational Volleyball Tournament with Heatherly running a 5-1. In 36 sets played to date, she’s dished out 205 assists, averaging 5.7 per set. She’s been strong from the service line too, leading the team so far in aces with 16. Siena Ebert L/DS Hockaday School TX – Ebert, who will suit up during the club season for Madfrog 15 Green, has been a standout defender thus far for the Daisies. The freshman leads the team currently with 295 digs, averaging 4.5 per set. Hockaday is set to participate in next week’s Durango Fall Classic in Las Vegas, the second year in a row the school is making the trip. Kat Wulff-Smith L/DS Garces Memorial CA – The Bakersfield school lost its first match of the season. Since then, the Rams have reeled of 16 consecutive victories. Wulff-Smith has had her hands in on the success. She’s owned the back row, leading the way with 272 digs. That’s an average of 6.8 per set. She’s also second in aces with 30.

Last week we brought you our first Top 50 HS Team Spotlights featuring teams off to strong starts and highlighting their success. With our second regular-season Top 50 National HS Rankings dropping earlier this week on Monday, we offer another edition. In line with last week’s spotlights, we once more highlight teams off to tremendous starts. In fact, the seven teams spotlighted below entered the week with a combined record of 84-3! *** ARCHBISHOP MITTY CA – The Monarchs are off to a strong start, beginning the week 9-0 and with a handful of matches before traveling to the Durango Fall Classic in Las Vegas in two weekends. It’s possible Archbishop Mitty could arrive at the 64-team tournament still unbeaten. One big bright spot so far this season has been the play of standout sophomore OH/RS McKenna Crosson, a 4-star recruit. The Monarchs have had a ton of contributors on offense, including seniors Katelyn Cook and Amiya Kuchibhotla and juniors Isabella Romero and Jasmine Shum. Directing the attack is 4-star Notre Dame commit and junior setter Maya Baker. Among Mitty’s impressive victories to date features beating St. Francis/Mountain View, last season’s California Open Division state runner up. DIVINE SAVIOR HOLY ANGELS WI – The defending Wisconsin Division 1 state champion is off to a flying start. The DHSA opened the week 13-0, including beating state runner-up Oconomowoc in tournament play. DHSA moved up a couple of spots from No. 14 to No. 12 in this week’s update. Featured on the talented roster is 5-star Wisconsin commit and junior outside Madison Quest and 4-star Michigan State commit and junior libero Olivia Durst. Other players who have shined brightly is senior outside Sophia Wendlick and junior setter Jordan Czajkowski (Belmont). A major upcoming test is the Asics Challenge hosted by Mother McAuley IL at the end of the month. LAFAYETTE MO – The Lancers captured last year’s Missouri Class 5A state championship and are another school that is off to a hot start. The Lancers have opened the year 10-0, including beating St. James Academy KS in tournament play over the weekend. With the majority of the lineup back from a season ago, Lafayette’s start is not unexpected. Still powering the attack are 4-star Vanderbilt commit and junior outside Maya Witherspoon and 3-star Northern Kentucky commit and senior outside Allison Risley. A new addition in 5-star freshman pin Shaye Witherspoon has also been instrumental. With 3-star Villanova commit and senior setter Alyssa Nelson guiding the offense, the Lancers are in great hands. Defensively, senior Amelia Moser has been holding it down at libero. Lafayette was one of the big movers in this week’s Top 50, climbing 17 places to No. 16. SETON OH – The Saints have been one of the early-season surprises. They have jumped out to a 10-0 mark. Among the key victories have been handing St. Ursula Academy its first loss as well as defeating Ursuline Academy earlier this week. After its big victory over St. Ursula, the Saints debuted in this week’s Top 50 at No. 17. Seton faces Mercy McAuley in another test later this week. Seniors Alli Kirch and Madison Lambers are leading the team in kills so far. Junior Millie Cluxton and sophomore Callie Combs have also contributed to the attack. Senior Taylor Grubbs and junior Reagan Miller have split the setting duties while 3-star UCLA commit and junior Sakura Codling has suited up and led the team defensively at libero. CARROLLWOOD DAY FL – As for early-season surprise, the Patriots are arguably leading the way in that category. They sit at 13-1 overall as of this writing, finishing runner up to Cornerstone Christian TX at the Nike TOC Southeast tournament and recently winning the FL Gem HS tournament this past weekend. The Patriots avoided a letdown in beating Berkeley Prep in four sets earlier this week and have shown they are the top team in the state of Florida so far. The lineup has been elevated by the presence of freshman right side Lydia Chinchar, a 4-star recruit who played up on No Name 16 this past club season. Two more key offensive pieces have been junior middle Sarah Dibbs-Frantz and sophomore outside Elena Dibbs-Frantz. Senior setter Naomi Chinchar has done well quarterbacking the offense and can even step in and hit on the outside in a pinch. Recent Purdue commit, Mattea Casale, a 3-star recruit, has been solid at libero and adds a strong defensive presence. Based on other results and teams moving up in the rankings, the Patriots actually moved down three positions to No. 19 but remain in the Top 20. BLUE VALLEY NORTH KS – The Mustangs are another school making its Top 50 debut this week. They check in at No. 21 based on their 11-0 start. They play Wednesday evening against Blue Valley Southwest. Blue Valley North has a couple of big matches on the horizon, facing both St. Thomas Aquinas and St. James Academy next week. At the helm is 4-star Cincinnati commit and senior setter Janelle Green. She’s also third on the team in kills. Another making key contributions is 5-star recruit and junior S/RS Logan Parks, who is second in assists and leds the squad in kills. Juniors Jenna McClure, Natalie Harrington and Aubrey Shaw, as well as freshman Reese Maslowski have been part of the attack too. Senior Felicia Wu leads the team in digs. LOS ALAMITOS CA – The Griffins tied with Sierra Canyon for third place at the Ann Kang Invitational last month in Hawaii, including handing Punahou HI its only loss of the season to date. Los Al entered the week 18-2 and lands at No. 41 in the Top 50. Senior setter/OH Kaia Herweg – a 3-star Grand Canyon commit – and 3-star junior outside Ashley Repetti have provided a lift and played a big role in Los Al’s success so far.