Chris Tobolski

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

In a 68-team field, it’s expected that the respective top seeds in their pools are going to get through the opening day. That was the case on Day 1 of Volleypalooza, save for one. Canyon TX, the No. 10 overall seed, caught a bad break and was eliminated Thursday as the tournament kicked off in the greater Austin area. After starting 2-0, Canyon was upended by Rockwall TX in the 1 v 2 contest. It created a three-way tie at 2-1 between Canyon, Rockwall and Vista Ridge TX. It was Vista Ridge upsetting Rockwall in the 2 v 3 match that helped create the drama. What made it even tougher on Canyon is that all three teams tied on set percentage, so each team’s points ratio was used to determine the final placing. Given that, Rockwall came out ahead, followed by Vista Ridge in second and then Canyon in third. Canyon wasn’t the only top seed in its pool to lose, but the other ones who fell still managed to advance to Friday’s top pools. Prosper TX, the No. 7 overall seed, and Stratford TX, the No. 9 overall seed, both went down during Day 1 action. Prosper fell in three to Bridgland TX, the No. 3 team in the pool which finished 3-0. After losing to Clark TX in its opening match, Stratford found itself in a similar position as Canyon did ending in a three-way tie. Stratford was knotted at 2-1 with both Clark and Sachse TX, but still held onto first place with the best set percentage. Sachse took second, which meant despite its big upset Clark still finished in third place. The biggest surprise of the day belonged to Walnut Grove TX, which as the No. 58 overall wrapped up first place by going 3-0. Walnut Grove upset No. 11 overall seed Southlake Carroll TX, as well as Seven Lakes TX and Leander TX. Southlake Carroll finished 2-1 to take second place. Clear Springs TX, the No. 13 overall seed, No. 14 Cinco Ranch TX, No. 15 Highland Park TX and No. 17 SA Harlan TX all finished 2-1 as the top sees in their pool. All finished in second place. In each instance, the No. 2 team in each pool took first place in Keller TX, Liberty Hill TX, Austin TX and Cypress Ranch TX. A few of the highest seeds which finished 3-0 lost one set each in No. 2 Cathedral Catholic CA, No. 4 Grand Oaks TX and No. 6 Lake Travis TX. Top-seeded Prestonwood Christian TX, No. 3 Mater Dei CA, No. 5 Dripping Springs TX and No. 12 Rouse TX all went undefeated in sets on Day 1. *** TEAM SPOTLIGHT Mater Dei and Rouse squared off Wednesday night ahead of the tournament action. Mater Dei came back to beat Rouse in four, 18-25, 25-23, 29-27, 25-15. Let’s take a closer look at the two sides in our Team Spotlight. MATER DEI CA: The Monarchs attended Volleypalooza in 2021 and headed back to California as the tournament champions. That year, Mater Dei also played a match on Wednesday, losing a nail-biter five-setter to Bryon Nelson TX. Mater Dei came out ahead this go around playing against Volleypalooza host Rouse. The Monarchs boast a strong lineup that includes 4-star senior outside Isabel Clark (San Diego) and 4-star senior right side Cymarah Gordon (Michigan). Another standout is 5-star sophomore outside Layli Ostovar. The team runs a 6-2 attack, with junior setter Ayva Ostovar and 3-star senior Julia Kakkis, who also hits across the front. The middle is patrolled by a pair of underclassmen in 3-star sophomore Addison Coady and 6-4, 3-star freshman Emma Kingston. Taking care of the libero position is recent 3-star Stanford commit Malyssa Cawa. ROUSE TX: Led by 4-star senior setter Savannah Skopal (Rice), Rouse gave Mater Dei a real scare. Skopal was fantastic in directing the attack and leading the charge. Mater Dei had a tough time slowing senior right side Naara Tanco, who was torching her opponent from both the front and back row. Also shining was 3-star Arizona State commit Jadyn Wilgus in the middle. Junior outside Jade Key had her moments as well, sending down spectacular kills. Freshman outside Avery Ralston also played a key role in delivering timely kills. Defensively, 3-star junior libero Mary Schirpik was holding it down and making lots of nice plays. *** DAY 1 SHOW STOPPERS DyBorrah Johnson JR MB Casteel AZ: Though Casteel went 1-2 on the day, Johnson was a force in the middle. She changed the dynamic of the lineup when she checked in, bringing her athleticism and big-time scoring ability to the court and boosting the attack. Kennedy Thompson JR S Casteel AZ: At 6-0, Thompson was a front row setter who did well dishing. She showed consistent location when delivering. Fara Bronson FR S Casteel AZ: Bronson – a 3-star recruit – set across the back row and showed the type of skills that helped Arizona Storm 14 Thunder to the 14 Open silver medal in Chicago. She moves well and does a nice job setting against the flow. Katelyn Bowman JR MB Allen TX: Bowman was in beast mode, especially when running the slide attack. She can really rip it and was scoring plenty for her squad. Alyssa Boyte SR MB Allen TX: Boyte had arguably the best stretch of any player I saw on the opening day. She was scoring effectively across the front row and then had nearly a 10-point service run in which she was playing middle back and making several digs to keep the run going. Jacy Carrejo JR S Leander TX: Carrejo – a 3-star recruit – commands the offense and is the court leader for Leander. She’s long and does a great job locating as well as playing defense and keeping plays alive. Macy Cepeda SO RS Leander TX: Cepeda, a lefty, was contributing to the offense when called upon. She showed a nice arm and ability to

It’s been just over two months since the recruiting period for the Class of 2025 officially opened and what a whirlwind It’s been since then. There has seemingly been a big-time announcement every day as players give verbals to their future collegiate program and home. We check in on the five programs leading the way to date. It should come as no surprise that four of the five are the regular powerhouses which typically bring in the top recruits. However, the fifth one may surprise most with Texas AM joining the likes of Wisconsin, Nebraska, Texas and Minnesota. Check out our analysis below. NEBRASKA• Campbell Flynn S Legacy (5-star)• Teraya Sigler OH AZ Storm (5-star)• Ryan Hunter RS Triangle (5-star)• Keri Leimbach L Nebraska One (4-star) Breakdown: Yes, we know it comes as a total shock to see Nebraska in this position. While the Huskers trail Wisconsin in total number of 5-star recruits, the caliber of talent Nebraska has landed is hard to surpass. Sigler, without question, is the top all-around outside in the class and anchors a strong recruiting class. She guided Arizona Storm 16 Thunder to the 16 Open gold medal at the USAV Girls Junior National Championships this summer and plays high school for Horizon. She’s a physical outside who hits with as much power and force as anyone. She’s also a strong passer out of serve receive and a solid defender. She figures to fit right in when she gets to Lincoln. Flynn, who plays for Legacy in club and Mercy in high school, is one of the top two setters in the class. At 6-3, she’s taller than a lot of outside hitters. Her placement and ability to run an offense is next-level. Her aggressiveness in being a threat to score on two while in the front row is a big bonus, as well as her being able to put up a huge block too. Hunter, a 6-2 lefty right side, hasn’t been playing volleyball as long as others but has quickly ascended the charts. She broke out on everyone’s radar playing up an age for CJV 16 during the 2021-2022 club season. She continued playing up an age group this past season for Triangle 17 Black, which tied for fifth in 17 Open in Chicago. She plays high school for Mallard Creek. She’s one of the more athletic and explosive hitters in the class, regardless of position. The scary part is how much better she can continue to get as she gains valuable experience and coaching and helps fill out a tall incoming class. We wrap up with Leimbach, who played for Nebraska One 16 Synergy and helped her team to a bronze medal in 16 Open at the USAV GJNC. She’s a fiery libero who brings tons of energy and passion to the lineup. Leimbach – who plays high school at Lincoln Lutheran – is a strong passer and defender and is part of the reason why Nebraska could be considered the front runner in terms of recruiting classes. *** WISCONSIN• Kristen Simon L KIVA (5-star)• Madison Quest OH Milwaukee Sting (5-star)• Natalie Wardlow MB Nebraska One (5-star)• Addison Horner S/OPP 1st Alliance (5-star) Breakdown: With four, 5-star recruits already on board, it’s easy to see why the Badgers are among the front runners so far. We recently featured Quest as one of our Players of the Week. The 6-3 outside suited up this past club season for MKE Sting 16 Gold and is currently playing high school for Divine Savior Holy Angels. She’s a lanky outside with a whippy arm who can score equally well front and back row. She’s part of a tall class for the Badgers that also includes 6-5 Wardlow and 6-3 Horner. Wardlow has been on the radar of top programs for years with her size and ability to impact both sides of the net. She’s a strong hitter and blocker and fits the mold of some recent Wisconsin middles with similar builds. She helped lift Nebraska One to a bronze medal in 16 Open this summer at the USAV GJNC. She plays high school for Lincoln Southwest. As for Horner, she burst onto the scene this season after joining 1st Alliance 16 Gold, which took home the silver medal in 16 Open. She clearly has the length and versatility to be a high-level Division 1 talent. She showed off her ability to both set and hit at an above-average level this past club season. It remains to be seen if she’ll stay in that role once in college, but she will bring roster flexibility to be certain. Simon was part of the KiVA 16 Red squad that captured the 16 Open gold medal at the AAU National Championships. She started making lots of waves last high school season starring at libero for nationally-ranked Assumption. She opened the club season splitting time at libero but soon took over the role for good and continued to prove that she is one of the best at her position in the country. She helps fill out a balanced incoming class so far for the Badgers, who are the only school thus far with four, 5-star commits. *** MINNESOTA• Kelly Kinney OH Tribe (5-star)• Jordan Taylor MB HJV (5-star)• Carly Gilk RS MN Select (4-star)• McKenna Garr L Northern Lights (3-star) Breakdown: New Gophers coach Keegan Cook is off to a terrific beginning in terms of recruiting. That’s not surprising given his success at Washington and the type of program Minnesota has been. The biggest commit so far is Taylor. At 6-5, Taylor is arguably the top middle in the class. Her length and the way she moves should translate well to the collegiate level. She can get up and go over blockers with ease. She played this past club season for Houston Jrs and is part of the Langham Creek high school team. She’s one of two 5-star recruits, with Kinney being the other. Kinney, who plays high school at

The Ann Kang Invitational – hosted by ‘Iolani – was one of the high school tournaments helping kick off the season this past weekend. Fourth-ranked Mira Costa CA defeated national No. 8 Cornerstone Christian TX in three sets, 16-25, 25-19, 15-11, to capture its second consecutive and eighth overall tournament title at the prestigious event in Honolulu. You can read more about the Mustangs’ victory here. Below, we present our version of this year’s All-Tournament Team — which is separate from the awards handed out by the tournament itself — with vballrecruiter.com’s All Red Hat Team. The list features our top players from the three-day tournament. Congrats to all who made it! OUTSIDESLulu Uluave SR PunahouAshley Repetti JR Los Alamitos CAAudrey Flanagan SO Mira Costa CASimone Roslon SO Mira Costa CAMegan Fitch SR Cornerstone Christian TXHaylee LaFontaine SR Huntington Beach CAAvery Perreira SR ‘Iolani HIDanica Rach SR Sierra Canyon CAHanna McGinest FR Sierra Canyon CAGentry Barker FR Lovejoy TXSkylar Jackson SO Lovejoy TX *** MIDDLESBryn Shankle SR Mira Costa CAMadeline Way SR Sierra Canyon CAShelby Burriss JR Lovejoy TXKeoni Williams SO Boswell TXManaia Ogbechie JR Oaks Christian CAMalinah Purcell-Telefoni SR Kapolei HI *** RIGHT SIDESChloe Hynes SR Mira Costa CAKamaluhia Garcia SR Moanalua HIGrace Carroll SR Cornerstone Christian TXMacey Hughes JR Cornerstone Christian TXAnna Barr JR Lovejoy TXIndigo Clarke SR Punahou HI *** SETTERSRella Binney SR Punahou HIKaia Herweg SR Los Alamitos CA (S/OH)Dani Sparks SR Huntington Beach CASade Ilawole SR Sierra Canyon CABethanie Wu SR Lovejoy CAHayden Lin SR Mira Costa CAMilly McGee SO Mira Costa CA *** LIBEROSTaylor Deckert JR Mira Costa CALauren Lynch JR Sierra Canyon CAOlivia Foye JR Huntington Beach CAReese Teves SR Punahou HIEryn Hiraki SR ‘Iolani HIMaria Avendano SR Cornerstone Christian TXHannah Brady JR Oaks Christian CA

It was once again Mira Costa CA proving itself as the best as the Ann Kang Invitational hosted by ‘Iolani wrapped up Saturday in Honolulu. The Mustangs were the defending champion and added to its nation-leading eighth Ann Kang title after rallying past Cornerstone Christian TX in the championship match. Below, we highlight the Day 3 standouts with our Show Stoppers. DAY 3 SHOW STOPPERS Lulu Uluave SR OH Punahou: Punahou’s only setback of three-day event came against Los Alamitos CA during Day 2 pool play. Uluave was a six-rotation stalwart. She committed to BYU has a defender and has excellent ball-control skills as well as a heavy arm and high IQ shots. Ashley Repetti JR OH Los Alamitos CA: Los Al had a great run here, tying for third. Repetti was a key cog in the attack. She has a good arm and can score from sideline to sideline, keeping pressure on the defense. Audrey Flanagan SO OH Mira Costa CA: A 5-star recruit, Flanagan earned Most Outstanding Player honors. She has a whip for an arm and a wide range of shots to keep defenses on their toes. Simone Roslon SO OH Mira Costa CA: Roslon – a 3-star recruit – helped anchored Mira Costa with her six-rotation contributions. She’s a sound passer and another smart attacker who knows how to locate shots and mix up between hard swings and off speed. Megan Fitch SR OH Cornerstone Christian TX: A 5-star Texas AM commit, Fitch never backs down and stays aggressive with her attacking. She’s a legit scoring threat whether front or back row and someone defenses always key on. Haylee LaFontaine SR OH Huntington Beach CA: Huntington Beach just missed the four-team championship bracket and settled for sixth place. LaFontaine played a huge role in the team’s run. She’s a six-rotation contributor who is a heady attacker and backs it with a strong serve. Danica Rach SR OH Sierra Canyon CA: A 3-star Boston College commit, Rach carries her share of the offensive load for the Trailblazers. She’s another who can swing it front or back row and provides plenty of offense. Hanna McGinest FR OH Sierra Canyon CA: A 4-star recruit, McGinest was thrust into a starting role in her first high school action and managed just fine. She’s an athletic outside who jumps and swings well and has a very bright future. Gentry Barker FR OH Lovejoy TX: Barker was another standout freshman. The 4-star recruit is fearless on the attack. She has a big arm to back it and was carrying the offense at times. Skylar Jackson SO OH Lovejoy TX: Jackson is part of the outside duo which Lovejoy relies on to provide a lot of offense. She carries a lively arm and can let it fly when she connects. *** Bryn Shankle SR MB Mira Costa CA: Shankle – a 3-star recruit – adds much-needed height to the Mustangs’ front row when she checks in. She makes an impact on both sides of the ball with her blocking and scoring ability. Defenses need to be ready when Mira Costa is in system because Shankle will get the ball. Madeline Way SR MB Sierra Canyon CA: Way is a feisty middle with a very strong arm. The 3-star Hawaii commit adds an offensive presence when she’s on the court. Shelby Burriss JR MB Lovejoy TX: Burriss – a 4-star recruit – knows what to do when she gets the ball. She scores at a high clip when she gets set and is someone defenses must keep track of. Chloe Hynes SR RS Mira Costa CA: Hynes plays a valuable role for the Mustangs. She can play six rotations and pass. She can swing from the back row. Or help the Mustangs run a traditional 6-2 and just play across the front row. Either way, she has a powerful arm and can score from either pin. Kamaluhia Garcia SR RS Moanalua HI: A 4-star Iowa commit, Garcia can rip with the best of them. She plays all the way around and there’s no place she won’t swing from. She’s capable of delivering impressive kills from corner to corner. Grace Carroll SR RS Cornerstone Christian TX: Carroll – a 4-star Baylor commit – is a big presence on the right side. She’s a two-way factor with her blocking and hitting. She helps open the attack because the Warriors like to get her the ball as often as they can. Anna Barr JR RS Lovejoy TX: Barr – a 3-star recruit – is another right side who showed off a big arm. She too changes the dynamic of the attack when she’s in because she brings size and power to the offense. Nora Williams SR RS Mira Costa CA: Williams’ contributions can’t be overlooked. She came in for the second set in the final and remained in the rest of the way swinging across the front row. She provided timely blocks and kills to boost Costa’s chances at victory. Rella Binney SR S Punahou HI: Binney – a 3-star Texas commit – is a smooth operator. She’s a high IQ setter and is quick too. She sets a consistent, clean ball and locates very well too. Kaia Herweg SR S/OH Los Alamitos CA (S/OH): Herweg – a 3-star Grand Canyon commit – is a high-energy two-way player who allows Los Al to maximize its roster. She’s a solid setter and a smart attacker who can find the open spot. *** Dani Sparks SR S Huntington Beach CA: Sparks – a Cal Poly San Luis Obispo beach commit – was among the standout setters. She runs a 5-1 and is both accurate and consistent with her setting. Sade Ilawole SR S Sierra Canyon CA: Ilawole – a 3-star recruit – did well distributing the ball to her various hitters. She’s a confident setter and does well playing defense too. Bethanie Wu SR S Lovejoy CA: Wu was running a 5-1 on Saturday and doing it well.

The quarterfinals of the MISD Methodist Mansfield Medical Center invitational were filled with some fun matchups to start off Saturday morning. Mansfield went head-to-head against Waco Midway, while Colleyville Heritage faced off against Amarillo Tascosa in the other gym. The next two matches featured El Paso Coronado squaring off against El Paso Franklin and Frisco Memorial seeing Waxahachie. In the semifinal matchups, Colleyville Heritage faced off against Waxahachie, while El Paso Coronado advanced to play against Mansfield. And in the final round, El Paso Coronado faced off against Colleyville Heritage. Colleyville Heritage’s dominance at the net, coupled with its well-rounded performance, ultimately secured them the tournament victory. The Davis sisters, Maddie Bird, and Audrey Popp shined, while libero Sarah Mendoza displayed exceptional defensive skills. Colleyville Heritage emerged as the deserving champions (25-20,25-21), showcasing its talents and determination throughout the tournament. Can we just talk about the El Paso Coronado squad? They are the perfect definition of a scrappy team. They might not be big height wise but don’t tell them that. Outside hitters Alina Strickler and Ashlee Macias swing with no fear. Right sides Nadia Pena (a Texas A&M-Kingsville commit) and Lauren Bates do a great job giving setters Rhian Gee and Faith Silex options. Libero Danielle Gutierrez sweeps up the backcourt. And middle blocker Elle Rios might not be the “normal” middle size but can score with the best of them. *** Gold Bracket Results Mansfield d Waco Midway 25-20, 25-14 Colleyville Heritage d Amarillo Tascosa 25-20, 25-14 El Paso Coronado d El Paso Franklin 25-19, 15-25, 25-20 Waxahachie d Frisco Memorial 25-23, 25-11 El Paso Coronado d Mansfield 26-24, 25-17 Colleyville Heritage d Waxahachie 25-12, 25-22 Colleyville Heritage d El Paso Coronado 25-20, 25-21 *** All-Tournament Team MVP: Suli Davis S/RS Colleyville Heritage Maddie Bird OH Colleyville Heritage Sarah Mendoza L Colleyville Heritage Danielle Gutierrez L El Paso Coronado Alina Strickler El Paso Coronado Brennan Ramirez L Waxahachie Rachel Resta S Mansfield Jordan Imperial OH El Paso Franklin Meredith Sanning S Amarillo Tascosa McCall Sims Canyon West Plains Randee McCloud Coppell Mira Klem RS Coppell Lily Hamilton OH Keller Timbercreek Brooklyn Ross Lake Ridge *** DAY 3 SHOW STOPPERS Meredith Sanning, SR S, Tascosa- Sims showed nice command running the offense. She has a soft, smooth delivery and was consistently on target with her location. Bennet Berryman, SO L, Tascosa- Berryman was active and playing with high energy. She was making big digs to extend rallies, bringing a defensive edge to the lineup. Jennifer Zuniga, SR MB, Tascosa- Zuniga is an undersized MB but incredibly smart and crafty, She gets the job done. Suli Davis, JR S/RS, Colleyville Heritage- Davis, a 5-star recruit, can do it all. Not only is she a wall at the net defensively, but when she gets an open net to swing on its truly impressive. Maddie Bird, SR OH, Colleyville Heritage- Bird is a reliable scorer who was finding gaps in the seams and open spots on the court with her smart shot selection. Audrey Popp, SO OH, Colleyville Heritage- Popp, a 3-star recruit, takes some big swings on the outside. Sarah Mendoza, JR L, Colleyville Heritage- Mendoza, a 4-star recruit, is smooth and consistent and rarely makes mistakes. She also reads welloin defense. Maria Herron, FR RS, Midway- Herron, a freshman, swing wells on the right side. She will be fun to watch as she continues to grow in the game. Kenna McKenzie, JR OH, Midway- McKenzie, a 3-star recruit, keeps the offense ticking across the front row. Her line shot is pretty impressive. She’s also a strong contributor in the back row. Jade Washington, JR L, Midway- Washington was holding it down defensively, coming up with saves all over to extend rallies. She is incredibly fast, dynamic and fun to watch. Rachel Resta, SR S, Mansfield- Resta, a 3-star recruit committed to Oral Roberts, has a soft touch and she can be aggressive across the front row going on two to keep defenses on guard. She can push from pin to pin with ease. Mia Clay, SR OH, Mansfield- Clay, a St. Edward’s commit, is a consistent contributor to the attack and a tough one to slow down with her extension that has her going over or around the block. Kylie Meche, SO OH, Mansfield- Meche has an athletic edge on the court. She jumps incredibly well and has no fear swinging. Julianna Hernandez, SO L, Frisco Memorial – Hernandez, a 3-star recruit, makes plays others don’t. She’s money in serve receive. She’s quick and covers ground chasing down balls and extending rallies. Ava Steffe, JR OH, Frisco Memorial- Steffe is a steady six-rotation outside who gets up with a good arm who provides offense everywhere on the court. Lauren Bates, JR RS, El Paso Coronado- Bates is an effective scorer who has a ton of energy. She helps split the offensive duties in the front row. Alina Strickler, SR OH, El Paso Coronado- Stickler is an undersized scrapper who finds ways to score in the front and back row. Danielle Gutierrez, JR L, El Paso Coronado- Gutierrez provides a steadying presence in the back row. She was sound in serve receive and putting digs right on target consistently. Jordan Imperial, SR OH, El Paso Franklin- Imperial was my favorite athlete to watch play. She might be 5-6 BUT she literally played like she was 6-0. She has a whip of an arm and loved to tool blocks. Did I mention she plays lights out defense? Hannah Finn, JR S, El Paso Franklin- Finn can set on the move as well and does a nice job of connecting with all her hitters. Tionna Owens, SR MB, Waxahachie- Owens makes a big impact defensively at the net and putting down any overpasses that came her way. Brennan Ramirez, SR L, Waxahachie- Ramirez is a calm presence at libero with strong skills and rarely makes mistakes or errors. She is also fast and able to make quick reaction plays. Migdaly Bernal, SR

Mira Costa CA arrived at the Ann Kang Invitational hosted by ‘Iolani in Honolulu as the defending champion and ranked No. 4 overall in vballrecruiter.com’s initial Top 50 National High School Rankings. However, if the Mustangs were going to head back to the mainland with their eighth overall Ann Kang title, they were served an early reminder that it wasn’t going to come easy. With 5-star Wisconsin commit Charlie Fuerbringer (S/RS) playing with the USAV U19 squad, the Mustangs were short-handed and left without their best player and leader. It looked like that could lead to a real struggle for Mira Costa, which was upended by Punahou HI in its first outing on Thursday morning. However, the setback didn’t derail the team’s hopes, as Mira Costa didn’t blink and instead responded by running the table from there, including handing national No. 8 Cornerstone Christian TX its only loss with a three-set victory, 16-25, 25-19, 15-11, in the championship match Saturday evening. It was an impressive feat not only because Fuerbringer was missing from the trip, but because those the Mustangs needed to rely on were underclassmen who needed to help the cause and they all stepped up in admirable fashion. Five-star outside Audrey Flanagan, 4-star setter Milly McGee and 3-star outside Simone Roslon are all sophomores who contributed in key roles to back the play of the upperclassmen. Flanagan was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. Junior libero Taylor Deckert – a 5-star USC commit – and senior right side Chloe Hynes also made the All-Tournament Team. Senior setter Hayden Lin, senior right side Nora Williams and senior middles Bryn Shankle and Rachel Moglia filled out the lineup that lifted the Mustangs to their nation-leading eighth Ann Kang championship and a comeback victory over Cornerstone Christian. The two programs weren’t totally unfamiliar with one another. The sides met in the championship match of the Nike TOC Southwest tournament last October, with Cornerstone pulling out a three-set victory in that one. Though Cornerstone graduated three key pieces, the Warriors remain formidable with 5-star junior outside Megan Fitch (Texas AM) and 4-star senior right side Grace Carroll (Baylor) still in the mix. Mira Costa entered as the top overall seed, but it was Cornerstone which was looking like the favorite heading into the championship clash. The Warriors had dropped just one set through seven pool matches and its semifinals victory over Los Alamitos CA. That came in a three-set victory over national No. 17 Sierra Canyon CA to close out Thursday’s action for the Warriors. Cornerstone came out hot in the opening set against Mira Costa, racing to a 12-5 cushion and never looking back. However, the Mustangs were not ready to enjoy the rest of their time on the island without first putting up a fight, turning the tide and pulling away down the stretch of Game 2 to force a decisive game to 15. Once more, Mira Costa outplayed the Warriors in the clutch, leading to a joyous celebration after Hynes put away the final point with a cross-court kill from the left side. Mira Costa reached the four-team championship bracket only after narrowly getting past Lovejoy TX in three, 25-22, 24-26, 15-10, earlier in the day. It was a must-win contest for Mira Costa, which ended in a three-way tie for first in Pool A with Los Al and Punahou. Punahou was eliminated from contention based on tiebreakers. It was Los Al which handed fifth-place Punahou its only loss of the tournament. That victory proved key for Los Al, which ended tied for third after being swept by Cornerstone in the semifinals. Before getting a shot at Cornerstone in the final, Mira Costa needed to get past Sierra Canyon in its semifinal. The two schools had their recent history from last year’s encounters at the event. First with Sierra Canyon beating Mira Costa to close out pool play in a memorable match that saw the third set to 15 go Sierra Canyon’s way at 25-23! However, Mira Costa delivered payback by sweeping the Trailblazers when they met again in the final. Mira Costa’s swept Saturday’s contest, 25-23, 25-21. It won’t be the only time this season Mira Costa, Cornerstone and Sierra Canyon are at the same tournament. All three are set to participate in the 64-team Durango Fall Classic next month in Las Vegas, as well as sixth-place finisher Huntington Beach CA.