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We began naming our High School Player of the Year this week. You can find the list of seniors, juniors and sophomores by clicking the links. The freshmen our below. First, let’s take a look at the process and what you can expect. The next step after announcing our candidates is to narrow the list to our Player of the Year finalists, beginning next week in which we’ll have more depth on each player and why they are a finalist. From there, we will name and award the Player of the Year for each class. I’ve been handing out awards in some capacity for nearly 20 years. There is always a cutoff point and therefore there is always excitement and disappointment depending which side of that cutoff a player was on. This is a relative selective list that is of course subjective. There’s no way to make a list like this all-inclusive and we acknowledge that in a country as large as ours there are so many talented players who fly under the radar and may never receive press. At the same time, we set forth to honor those we feel qualify for Player of the Year candidates. Again, making a list like this is subjective. Here’s what we are ultimately looking for in our Player of the Year winners. It involves looking at three parts – the athlete, their impact on their team and the team’s overall success. In terms of team success, it’s relative but we are looking for a deep run in the state playoffs. Take Highland Park of Texas for example. The Scots had a tremendous regular season – including beating eventual 6A champion Dripping Springs in the finale – but was upset by Guyer in the regional quarterfinals. That meant Highland Park didn’t make a deep run in the state playoffs and as a result a player like senior outside Sydney Breon – who could have been a Player of the Year candidate – is not featured. As for the impact an athlete had on their team, for a top player like Chloe Chicoine of McCutcheon (Indiana) is quite obvious. She had an enormous impact and it’s just as obvious the Mavericks would not have had the season they did without her. This holds true of all the top talented players like Chicoine. It’s much different to gauge with someone like Kyndal Stowers of Guyer. She missed more than half the season but clearly her presence made a difference in the upset of Highland Park. Still, Stowers played less than half her team’s sets this fall and therefore she also wasn’t featured. Then there’s the matter of the player, which we gave a few examples of above. Both Chicoine and Stowers are top-tier, 5-star players and that alone would have them in consideration. But add the other two factors and you can see how a player like Chicoine is on the list and Stowers is not. An example specific to the junior class is with 5-star Nebraska recruit Skyler Pierce. We all know her amazing talents but Olathe Northwest did not make the final eight of the state playoffs for Kansas and thus she is not part of the Player of the Year Candidates for her class. The same goes for Pierce’s club teammate Abigail Mullen of Liberty in the sophomore class. Despite her amazing talents her team also didn’t advance far enough to make the cut. Finally, we present our Freshmen Player of the Year Candidates. Addison West FR OH Skutt Catholic NE Amira Bailey FR MB Bowling Green KY Anna Flores FR OH Keller TX Aubree Deshetsky FR S/OH North Branch MI Ayanna Watson FR OH Bishop Gorman NV Bellamie Beus FR OH Skyview ID Bennett Raterman FR MB St. Pius X MO Cali Foster FR OH Benton Central IN Catherine Palmi FR OH Osceola FL D’aira Whitner FR MB Gilmour Academy OH *** Elena Hoecke FR MB Centennial MN Elena Ruble FR S St. Pius MO Ella Florez FR S/OH Mill Valley KS Ella Grimes FR OH Ursuline Academy OH Ella Warrick FR OH Linton-Stockton IN Erin Clark FR L Corona del Sol AZ Finley Krystkowiak FR OH Torrey Pines CA Gabby Divita FR OH Grosse Pointe South MI Gabi Zacharisen FR OH Harrisburg SD Genevieve Harris FR S Cardinal Gibbons NC *** Haley Robinson FR OH Bayside Academy AL Halle Dolliver FR OH Malcolm NE Henley Anderson FR OH Dripping Springs TX Jenness Orcutt FR RS Hagerty FL Jordyn Gray FR OH Cox Mill NC Kalyssa Taggart FR S/RS Lambert GA Kendal Roberson FR MB Brentwood Christian TX Keoni Williams FR MB Boswell TX Kinnady Boothe FR OH East Forsyth NC Kylie Kleckner Fr OH Bryon Nelson TX *** Laura Eichert FR OH Lake Stevens WA Liv Hosford FR MB Rockford MI Madi Crowe FR OH Lewis Palmer CO Mikayla Haner FR Hamilton AZ Myah Favre FR MB Our Lady Academy MS Paisley Pavliska FR OH Floresville TX Sarah Wood FR OH Garnet Valley PA Vivian Hickman FR OH Xavier Prep AZ

Next up in are holiday season awards release is our Sophomore Player of the Year Candidates! Over the next few weeks we’ll be selecting and naming our Player of the Year for the senior, junior, sophomore and freshman classes. First, let’s take a look at the process and what you can expect. We begin this week by naming our Player of the Year candidates, starting with the senior class Tuesday, juniors Wednesday, sophomores Thursday and freshmen Friday. The next step after announcing our candidates is to narrow the list to our Player of the Year finalists, beginning next week in which we’ll have more depth on each player and why they are a finalist. From there, we will name and award the Player of the Year for each class. I’ve been handing out awards in some capacity for nearly 20 years. There is always a cutoff point and therefore there is always excitement and disappointment depending which side of that cutoff a player was on. This is a relative selective list that is of course subjective. There’s no way to make a list like this all-inclusive and we acknowledge that in a country as large as ours there are so many talented players who fly under the radar and may never receive press. At the same time, we set forth to honor those we feel qualify for Player of the Year candidates. Again, making a list like this is subjective. Here’s what we are ultimately looking for in our Player of the Year winners. It involves looking at three parts – the athlete, their impact on their team and the team’s overall success. In terms of team success, it’s relative but we are looking for a deep run in the state playoffs. Take Highland Park of Texas for example. The Scots had a tremendous regular season – including beating eventual 6A champion Dripping Springs in the finale – but was upset by Guyer in the regional quarterfinals. That meant Highland Park didn’t make a deep run in the state playoffs and as a result a player like senior outside Sydney Breon – who could have been a Player of the Year candidate – is not featured. As for the impact an athlete had on their team, for a top player like Chloe Chicoine of McCutcheon (Indiana) is quite obvious. She had an enormous impact and it’s just as obvious the Mavericks would not have had the season they did without her. This holds true of all the top talented players like Chicoine. It’s much different to gauge with someone like Kyndal Stowers of Guyer. She missed more than half the season but clearly her presence made a difference in the upset of Highland Park. Still, Stowers played less than half her team’s sets this fall and therefore she also wasn’t featured. Then there’s the matter of the player, which we gave a few examples of above. Both Chicoine and Stowers are top-tier, 5-star players and that alone would have them in consideration. But add the other two factors and you can see how a player like Chicoine is on the list and Stowers is not. An example specific to the junior class is with 5-star Nebraska recruit Skyler Pierce. We all know her amazing talents but Olathe Northwest did not make the final eight of the state playoffs for Kansas and thus she is not part of the Player of the Year Candidates for her class. The same goes for Pierce’s club teammate Abigail Mullen of Liberty. Despite her amazing talents her team also didn’t advance far enough to make the cut below for sophomores. Finally, we present our Sophomore Player of the Year Candidates. Abigail Li SO S Walton GA Ada McCoy SO OH Musselman WV Addy Horner SO MB St. Francis IL Addy Tindall SO OH Homestead IN Alani Taliloa SO OH Mt. Rainier WA Alivia Eikenberg SO OH Rock Canyon CO Alyssa Aguayo SO OH Corona del Sol AZ Anna Jelenik SO OH Norris NE Anya Schmidt SO S/RS Rogers MN Ashlyn Tafoya SO S Thompson Valley CO *** Asta Hildebrand SO S Iowa City Liberty IO Ava Poinsett SO OH Francis Parker CA Avery Gibbs SO OH Thompson Valley CO Bailey Warren SO OH Fulshear TX Bayleigh Minor SO MB Fort Bend Christian TX BreAnna McMillan SO S/RS Millbrook NC Campbell Flynn SO S Mercy MI Cari Spears SO OH Prestonwood Christian TX Carly Fonda SO S Floyd Central IN Cassie Jenema SO S Cadillac MI *** Charlotte Vinson SO OH Yorktown IN Chloe Elarton SO S Valor Christian CO Claire Payne SO MB NorthWood IN Elena Fischer SO OH Branson CA Ella Craggs SO S Northville MI Ella Lewis SO OH The Woodlands TX Elle Heckenlively SO MB Gretna NE Evan Polsgrove SO OH Brookland AR Haedyn Crumbley SO OH Morgan County GA Hannah Leftridge SO OH St. Pius X MO Izzy Busignani SO OH Marian MI *** Jackie Carle SO S Jesuit OR Jaeden Pratt SO MB Ankeny Centennial IO Jaidyn Jager SO OH La Costa Canyon CA Josephine Hensley SO S Clearwater Central Catholic FL Kaci Demaria SO OH Palos Verdes CA Karyna Werley SO S La Cueva NM Kassidy O’Brien SO S Cinco Ranch TX Kennedy Vaugh SO OH Bob Jones AL Keri Leimbach SO L Lincoln Lutheran NE Kirra Musgrove SO S/RS Lutheran South Academy TX *** Lauren Hurst SO OH Cleveland TN Lauren Lopez SO OH Bishop Miege KS Libby Fandel SO OH Xavier IO Logan Parks SO S/RS Blue Valley North KS Lydia Pitts SO MB Southside AR Madison Quest SO OH DSHA WI Maggie Dostic SO OH Plant FL Maria Nix SO OH Cannon NC Marie Laurio SO OH Saline MI Marlie Davis SO OH Gilmour Academy OH *** Maya Witherspoon SO OH Lafayette MO Megan Fitch SO OH Cornerstone Christian TX Misty Kate Smith SO OH Baysida Academy AL Navea Gauthier SO OH Shelby MI Raegan Durbin SO OH Western Boone IN Reese Messer SO S

We are in holiday season which also means we are in award season for our national players of the year. Over the next few weeks we’ll be selecting and naming our Player of the Year for the senior, junior, sophomore and freshman classes. First, let’s take a look at the process and what you can expect. We begin this week by naming our Player of the Year candidates, starting with the senior class Tuesday, juniors Wednesday, sophomore Thursday and freshmen Friday. The next step after announcing our candidates is to narrow the list to our Player of the Year finalists, beginning next week in which we’ll have more depth on each player and why they are a finalist. From there, we will name and award the Player of the Year for each class. I’ve been handing out awards in some capacity for nearly 20 years. There is always a cutoff point and therefore there is always excitement and disappointment depending which side of that cutoff a player was on. This is a relative selective list that is of course subjective. There’s no way to make a list like this all-inclusive and we acknowledge that in a country as large as ours there are so many talented players who fly under the radar and may never receive press. At the same time, we set forth to honor those we feel qualify for Player of the Year candidates. Again, making a list like this is subjective. Here’s what we are ultimately looking for in our Player of the Year winners. It involves looking at three parts – the athlete, their impact on their team and the team’s overall success. In terms of team success, it’s relative but we are looking for a deep run in the state playoffs. Take Highland Park of Texas for example. The Scots had a tremendous regular season – including beating eventual 6A champion Dripping Springs in the finale – but was upset by Guyer in the regional quarterfinals. That meant Highland Park didn’t make a deep run in the state playoffs and as a result a player like senior outside Sydney Breon – who could have been a Player of the Year candidate – is not featured. As for the impact an athlete had on their team, for a top player like Chloe Chicoine of McCutcheon (Indiana) is quite obvious. She had an enormous impact and it’s just as obvious the Mavericks would not have had the season they did without her. This holds true of all the top talented players like Chicoine. It’s much different to gauge with someone like Kyndal Stowers of Guyer. She missed more than half the season but clearly her presence made a difference in the upset of Highland Park. Still, Stowers played less than half her team’s sets this fall and therefore she also wasn’t featured. Then there’s the matter of the player, which we gave a few examples of above. Both Chicoine and Stowers are top-tier, 5-star players and that alone would have them in consideration. But add the other two factors and you can see how a player like Chicoine is on the list and Stowers is not. An example specific to the junior class is with 5-star Nebraska recruit Skyler Pierce. We all know her amazing talents but Olathe Northwest did not make the final eight of the state playoffs for Kansas and thus she is not part of the Player of the Year Candidates below. Finally, we present our Junior Player of the Year Candidates. Abigail Paulson JR OH Coronado NV Addie Waller JR S Rock Canyon CO Alayna Pierce JR OH Genoa-Kingston IL Alex Acevedo JR OH Skyview ID Alex Bower JR S Skyview ID Allie Shondell JR S McCutcheon IN Aly Cox JR OH Timberline ID Alyssa Nelson JR S Lafayette MO Amanda Saeger JR S Cathedral Catholic CA Aubrey Goodere JR MB Estrella Foothills AZ *** Aubrey Hatch JR OH Colgan VA Avery Scoggins JR S Middle Creek NC Bella Faria JR OH Kickapoo MO Carlie Cisneros JR OH Liberty North MO Carly O’Brien JR OH Dorman SC Charlie Fuerbringer JR S Mira Costa CA Charlotte Moriarty JR OH Assumption KY Clara Gyomory JR OH North Branch MI Delaney Bub JR OH Eagle ID Delaney Gash JR OH Dunbar KY *** Delaney Lawson JR OH Bellmont IN Ella Demetrician JR OH Appleton North WI Ellie White JR OH Mother McAuley IL Emerson Deferme JR OH Grandview CO Emily Pruitt JR OH Sunrise Mountain AZ Emma Levingston JR OH Brandon MS Evan Hendrix JR OH Notre Dame Prep AZ Fallon Stewart JR OH Winter Park FL Grace Agolli JR S/OH Pace Academy GA *** Hannah Parant JR S Mountain Brook AL Izzy Starck JR S/RS Rampart CO Izzy Swiercz JR OH Hudsonville MI Jadyn Livings JR OH Prestonwood Christian TX Jordan Smart JR S Reagan NC Jordan Vander Veen JR OH Ripon Christian CA Julia Bohlinger JR OH Windsor CO Kate Schneeberg JR S Bishop Kelley OK Kayla Robertson JR OH St. Dominic MO Kenslee McGowan JR S Cleveland TN *** Kiarrah Horne JR OH Millbrook NC Kiera Brady JR OH Chaminade CA Kiley Gennerman JR OH Lewis Palmer CO Kinnari Atluru JR OH University CA Lauren Harden JR OH HSE IN Lauren Medeck JR OH Papillion-LaVista South NE Lauren Salata JR OH Nazareth Academy IL Leilia Toailoa JR OH Bishop Gorman NV Lilly Wagner JR S Oconomowoc WI Livi Schneider JR OH Snowflake AZ *** Logan Tusher JR S Branson CA Maela Honma JR OH Kamehameha/Hawaii HI Malayah Long JR S Lincoln Southwest NE Mamie Fromdahl JR S McGill-Toolen AL Maren Johnson JR OH Jenks OK Mayte Camacho JR L Hagerty FL Mia Tvrdy JR MB Papillion-LaVista NE Molly Kate Patten JR MB Lambert GA Morgan Glaser JR OH Papillion-LaVista NE Natalie Depaula JR OH Boca Raton FL *** Olivia Mauch JR L Bennington NE Paisley Douglas JR L Skutt Catholic NE Payton Petersen JR OH Dike-New Hartford IO Rachel VanGorp JR OH

vballrecruiter.com’s first season of high school coverage had us witnessing a dominant run by Cathedral Catholic of California, which dropped just one set in going undefeated and landing in the top spot of our final National HS Top 50 Rankings. It doesn’t get any easier or more straight-forward when it comes to anointing the mythical national champion than it did with Cathedral Catholic this fall. If only our postseason awards were as easy! We are in holiday season which also means we are in award season for our national players of the year. Over the next few weeks we’ll be selecting and naming our Player of the Year for the senior, junior, sophomore and freshman classes. First, let’s take a look at the process and what you can expect. We begin this week by naming our Player of the Year candidates, starting with the senior class Tuesday, juniors Wednesday, sophomores Thursday and freshmen Friday. The list is senior-heavy, as seniors typically are the ones leading their respective teams. For example, we have roughly 120 seniors listed below compared to roughly 40 freshmen who will be named. The next step after announcing our candidates is to narrow the list to our Player of the Year finalists, beginning next week in which we’ll have more depth on each player and why they are a finalist. From there, we will name and award the Player of the Year for each class. I’ve been handing out awards in some capacity for nearly 20 years. There is always a cutoff point and therefore there is always excitement and disappointment depending which side of that cutoff a player is on. This is a relative selective list that is of course subjective. There’s no way to make a list like this all-inclusive and we acknowledge that in a country as large as ours there are so many talented players who fly under the radar and may never receive press. At the same time, we set forth to honor those we feel qualify for Player of the Year candidates. Again, making a list like this is subjective. Here’s what we are ultimately looking for in our Player of the Year winners. It involves looking at three parts – the athlete, their impact on their team and the team’s overall success. In terms of team success, it’s relative but we are looking for a deep run in the state playoffs. Take Highland Park of Texas for example. The Scots had a tremendous regular season – including beating eventual 6A champion Dripping Springs in the finale – but was upset by Guyer in the regional quarterfinals. By our definition that meant Highland Park didn’t make a deep enough run and as a result a player like senior outside Sydney Breon – who could have been a Player of the Year candidate – is not featured. As for the impact an athlete had on their team, for a top player like Chloe Chicoine of McCutcheon (Indiana) it is quite obvious. She had an enormous impact and it’s just as obvious the Mavericks would not have had the season they did without her. This holds true of most all the top talented players like Chicoine. It’s much different to gauge with someone like Kyndal Stowers of Guyer. She missed more than half the season with injury but clearly her presence made a difference in the upset of Highland Park. Still, Stowers played less than half her team’s sets this fall and therefore she also won’t be featured below. Then there’s the matter of the player, which we gave a few examples of above. Both Chicoine and Stowers are top-tier, 5-star players and that alone would have them in consideration if we looked at nothing else. But add the other two factors and you can see how a player like Chicoine is on the list and Stowers is not. The list, however, is not reserved just for players of that caliber. We took into consideration lower divisions and levels as well. Finally, we present our Senior Player of the Year Candidates. Aaliyah Mitchell SR OH Sun Valley NC Abby Reck SR OH Northville MI Abby Wachal SR OH Lincoln Lutheran NE Abigail Lagemann SR OH Benton AR Addison Hurst SR OH Cleveland TN Alanna Bankston SR OH Millard West NE Alexa Gobel SR OH Lincoln Southwest NE Alexis Massey SR S/RS Las Cruces NM Allie Hazelwood SR S Madison Central MS Ally Cavanaugh SR OH Bishop Kenny FL *** Amaya Hall SR S Sun Valley NC Amber Keen SR MB Reno NV Anna Claire Froehlich SR OH St. Thomas More LA Anna Grace Sparks SR OH McGill-Toolen AL Ashley Reynolds SR S Venice FL Ashley Sturzoiu SR OH Buford GA Ava Blascziek SR S Lakeville North MN Ava Hoying SR OH Bishop Watterson OH Ava Jackson SR OH Dunbar KY Ava Sarafa SR S Marian MI *** Avah Armour SR OH Rampart CO Avery Burks SR OH Perry AZ Avery Hobson SR OH HSE IN Avery Van Hook SR S Marion IO Betsy Goodenow SR RS Aquinas KS Bre Mahoney SR OH Aiken SC Brielle Kemavor SR MB Colgan VA Brooke Bultema SR MB Ursuline Academy OH Brooke Green SR MB Clearwater Central Catholic FL Brooke Rockwell SR OH Fayetteville AR *** Brooke Stephens SR OH Hagerty FL Brooklyn DeLeye SR OH Washburn Rural KS Caitlyn Little SR OH Lafayette MO Calli Tanielu SR OH Westminster Christian AL Camryn Chatellier SR OH Dominican LA Camryn Wise SR OH Wapahani IN Caroline Jurevicius SR OH Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin OH Cassidy Hartman SR OH Iowa City Liberty IO Chloe Chicoine SR OH McCutcheon IN Cindy Tchouangwa SR OH Tompkins TX *** Claire Dewine SR S/RS The Woodlands TX Claire Little SR OH Vista Murrieta CA Destiny Ndam-Simpson SR OH Omaha Westside NE Drew Wright SR OH Mira Costa CA Ella Sanders SR OH La Cueva NM Ella Swindle SR S Rock Bridge MO Ellie Schneider SR MB Metairie Park Country Day LA Elsa Snipes

With Cathedral Catholic finishing off its undefeated season and winning vballrecruiter.com’s mythical national championship in the process, the San Diego school was the overwhelming highlight this past weekend at the California state championships at Santiago Canyon College in Orange. While Cathedral Catholic captured the Open Division title, five more were awarded as well between Divisions 1-5. Here are those results:   Below, we highlight the Show Stoppers from the weekend. SHOW STOPPERS Noemie Glover SR RS Cathedral Catholic – The high-flying, hard-hitting antics delivered by Glover in the Open Division is the pure definition of being a show stopper. She drilled 13 kills on 20 swing and hit .550 and provided a huge spark with her authoritative hitting. Jenna Hanes JR MB Cathedral Catholic – Hanes recorded a team-high 14 kills on 27 swings, hitting .370. She also had three of the team’s nine blocks. With Hanes on like she was, it forced the St. Francis blockers to stay home and not cheat toward the pin. Milan Bayless SR OH Cathedral Catholic – Cathedral Catholic coach Juliana Conn called Bayless the most improved player on the team. With star outside Julia Blyashov sidelined with an ankle injury, Bayless took fearless swings as she more than filled her role. She wound up with nine kills on 22 swings, hitting .318. Amanda Saeger JR S Cathedral Catholic – For Cathedral Catholic to get 60 swings from its middles and right side shows how well the offense was clicking, starting with the first ball. Saeger took it from there, spreading the ball around and putting her hitters in favorable spots. She did a fine job running the offense, posting 36 assists. Maya Evens SO L Cathedral Catholic – The defensive play was high in the Open Division final, with Evens doing her thing for the Dons. She was the only teammate in double-digit digs with 16 as she passed and defended marvelously. Havannah Hoeft SR S St. Francis – Hoeft has a smooth release and seldom misses her mark. She had the St. Francis offense going but the Dons’ defense was up for the challenge. Hoeft put up 30 assists and 13 digs. Whitney Wallace JR L St. Francis – Lancers coach Lake Merchen called Wallace “a force” for her effort against Cathedral. She tied Evens with a match-high 16 digs. She often kept rallies going and did a good job covering at the net.   Keira Brady JR OH Chaminade – There’s no doubt the Eagles were riding the arm of Brady, who powered down 21 of the team’s 47 kills. Brady took 54 swings and also had four aces. Whenever Chaminade needed a point to stay close or keep a slim lead, it was Brady coming through. Kristin Alvandian SR L Chaminade – It was difficult to get a ball down on Alvandian. She gave Chaminade the defensive edge it needed, racking up a match-high 17 digs while also passing consistently well out of serve receive. Kyra Miller SR S Clovis North – Miller – who had 39 assists – did a great job of distributing the ball evenly. Five hitters took between 19-28 swings each, so the balance was excellent. Miller was especially efficient connecting with the middles and right side. Cayla Sutton SO RS Clovis North – Sutton was unstoppable. She damaged Chaminade to the tune of eight kills on 19 swings while hitting .368. The lefty definitely provided a key piece of offense. Kennedy Lingenfelter SO MB Clovis North – Another sophomore who had a terrific performance, Lingenfelter tied for a team-high 10 kills on 22 swings and hitting .364. Peyton Bitter SR OH Clovis North – Bitter’s was a steadying presence as she carried a big load on offense. She took a team-high 28 swings and finished tied for the team lead with 10 kills. She also had nine digs and two aces. Sophia Wolfson JR MB Buckley – An athletic middle, Wolfson was part of a strong offensive effort even though Buckley came up a couple points short in the fifth. She was one of three teammates to reach double-digit kills. She had 11 and hit .320. Tate Drageset SO OH Buckley – Drageset was a busy body as she took 60 of her team’s 124 attempts. She recorded 23 kills, hitting .283 to go with 10 digs and three aces. Though a bit undersized, Drageset is springy and gets off the ground quickly and routinely punished Archie Williams down the line. Adonia Anene JR OH Buckley – Anene showed her skills, registering 11 kills and hitting .333. She was also a big part of serve receive and her steady passing helped keep the attack clicking. Charlotte Reff JR S Buckley – Running the show was Reff, who did a great job giving her hitters looks and keeping the offense in rhythm. She finished with 42 assists. Elsa Snipes SR OH Archie Williams – Snipes’ double-double of 25 kills and 12 digs was a key piece of the team’s success. She took a team-high 55 swings and hit .291. Her ability to find the open spot on the floor or tool the block caused fits for Buckley. Reese Fraser JR S Archie Williams – Fraser – who had 48 assists – had the Falcons going. For the match, Archie Williams hit .341. It included Fraser getting involved herself, as she had nine kills. Another part of her performance included Archie Williams hitting .606 in the second set. It was a great display of offense from Fraser and teammates. Lindsey Jones JR OH Archie Williams – Like everyone else, Jones was efficient and effective with her attacking. She had 15 kills on 33 swings, hitting .303. Lauren Barnwell SR RS Archie Williams – Barnwell could’ve been the MVP of the match. She had 12 kills and hit .429 with 13 digs. She was also a huge part of serve receive, passing dimes consistently. Jordan Vander Veen JR OH Ripon Christian – Vander Veen handled her responsibility

Another Texas state championship weekend has come and passed. And like every year there were teams predicted at the beginning of the year to finish well and others which performed well in the end. It was fun to see the chemistry of teams who came and left it all on the court and  it was awesome to see some underclassmen making their presence known. I wanted to shine a spotlight on the athletes who stood out in the final matches throughout the tournament.  Swinging with Fire  No matter what division you got to watch there were some amazing hitters on the court throughout the tournament. From opposites to middle blockers to outside itters fire power was definitely on display. Hitters that shined were Katy Thompkins athletes senior Cindy Tchouangwa (Rice), junior Skylar Skrabanek (Florida State commit), and senior Tendai Titley (Bradley), Dripping Springs athletes senior Mackenzie Plante (Tennessee), sophomore Riley Certain, and freshman Henley Anderson, Colleyville Heritage athletes senior Ella Busey (Houston), senior Reagan Engler (Air Force), and sophomore Suli Davis, Frisco Reedy athletes senior Halle Schroder (Boston College) and senior Reese Miller (Texas A&M Corpus Christi), Aubrey athlete senior Sydney Garrison (Tarleton State), Canyon Randall athlete junior Jordyn Gove, and Gunter athletes senior Rayanna Mauldin (Southern Nazarene)  and senior Miranda Putnicki (UTSA).  Setters running the show Setting was another area that was impressive to watch. Colleyville Heritage senior Morgan Howard (Louisiana Monroe) led the way with collecting 51 assists in the final match against Frisco Reedy. She was also named MVP in the end and it was well deserved. Frisco Reedy senior S/Opp Gracie Cagle (Montana) also shined on the court during that  finals match. Reedy ran a 6-2 allowing Cagle to swing. Two setters with sass that were definitely shining on the court were Canyon Randall sophomore Sidney Soria and Bushland senior Logan Culpepper. And Dripping Springs has two setters who dished efficiently. One being freshman Sydney Lund who is mentioned below and the other is junior Presley Alford.   Liberos running the court Athleticism and the no fear attitude was alive and well in the gym this weekend. We all love to watch some great swings but let’s be honest, an amazing dig can fire up a squad just as fast! Liberos who definitely ran the court included Dripping Springs senior Taylor Tjelmeland, Katy Tompkins sophomore Brooklynn Merrell, Colleyville Heritage junior Ava Ash, Canyon Randall senior Tatum Brandt, and Gunter senior Briley Singleton. Freshmen making an impact Impact freshmen throughout the tournament was impressive. Dripping Springs had two freshmen who made a huge impact. Outside hitter Henley Anderson was seriously fun to watch. At 6-2 she never left the court and was swinging like a senior. Setter Sydney Lund is another one to watch in the future.  Another outside hitter who was fun to watch was Blum athlete Kinsley McPherson. She was actually named MVP of division 1A in the end. Freshman middle blocker Callie Funk from Katy Tompkins was a wall at the net and transitioned very nicely.  And the last freshman I wanted to highlight is Anna Flores from Keller HS. She came into the season as an opposite and backup setter but ended up playing middle in the end. She stepped up into a position she never played.  Final Results 1A: Blum 3, D’Hanis 0 (25-10, 25-17, 25-16) All-Tournament Team                 MVP Kinsley McPherson – Freshman – Blum  Emma Scott – Junior – Blum Ruby Rumohr – Junior – Blum Kayden Arrington – Junior – Blum Mabry Herrmann – Senior – D’Hanis Valeria Zavala – Junior – Benjamin   2A: Windthorst 3, Lindsay 2 (25-12, 20-25, 25-23, 14-25, 15-12) All-Tournament Team                MVP Rylee Wolf – Junior – Windthorst Annikah Frank – Junior – Windthorst Tara Tackett – Senior – Windthorst Kyla Metzler – Senior – Lindsay Emily Metzler – Junior – Lindsay Emily Sitton – Junior – Jewett Leon   3A: Gunter 3, Bushland 0 (29-27, 25-23, 25-20) All-Tournament Team      MVP Rayanna Mauldin – Senior – Gunter Miranda Putnicki – Senior – Gunter Briley Singleton – Senior – Gunter Kaela Neie – Senior – Bushland Logan Culpepper – Senior – Bushland Kellen Dorotik – Senior – East Bernard   4A: Canyon Randall 3, Aubrey 0 (25-16,25-17, 27-25) All-Tournament Team             MVP Jordyn Gove – Junior – Canyon Randall Sidney Soria – Sophomore – Canyon Randall Sydney Garrison – Senior – Aubrey Annaleise Sevier – Junior – Aubrey Sydney McKay – Sophomore – Bellville Abby Aschenbeck – Senior – Bellville   5A: Colleyville Heritage 3, Frisco Reedy 1 (25-14, 23-25, 25-18, 25-20) All-Tournament Team:             MVP Morgan Howard – Senior – Colleyville Heritage Suli Davis – Sophomore – Colleyville Heritage Ella Busey – Senior – Colleyville Heritage Reagan Engler – Senior – Colleyville Heritage Halle Schroder – Senior – Frisco Reedy Reese Miller – Senior – Frisco Reedy   6A: Dripping Springs 3, Katy Tompkins 0 (26-24, 25-15,25-19) All-Tournament Team MVP Mackenzie Plante – Senior – Dripping Springs Henley Anderson – Freshman – Dripping Springs Ava Williamson – Senior – Dripping Springs Tendai Titley – Senior – Katy Tompkins Taylor Polivka – Senior – Keller Claire DeWine – Senior – Conroe The Woodlands

Cathedral Catholic’s wire-to-wire national championship is official! Our first national rankings of the season featured the San Diego school as the No. 1 team in the country. Going undefeated after winning the California state championship over the weekend, the Dons finish where they started – on top. You can read more about Cathedral Catholic’s season and championship performance here. As many states had already concluded their respective seasons, there isn’t much change in the final national rankings. We wrote about Cornerstone Christian TX and St. Francis/Mountain View CA possibly having a shot at the national championship should St. Francis upset Cathedral Catholic this past Saturday. Cornerstone finishes second; St. Francis ends No. 7. The biggest change came with Dripping Springs, which came out of nowhere to claim the Texas 6A state title over the weekend. That triumph propelled Dripping Springs into the rankings for the first time, up to No. 16. The Texas 5A state champs in Colleyville Heritage also made the final cut, coming in at No. 32. Of course, all rankings are subjective. The important note about the final high school rankings pertains to the state playoffs. We do not rank teams higher than any opponent they’ve lost to during the state playoffs or relative postseason playoffs. It may or not be fair and it certainly skews the rankings. Some very good schools which had exceptional seasons proved themselves more than worthy of a Top 50 ranking but just happened to lose at the wrong time. vballrecruiter.com TOP 50 1. Cathedral Catholic CA 2. Cornerstone Christian TX 3. Hamilton Southeastern IN 4. Prestonwood Christian TX 5. Marian MI 6. Washburn Rural KS 7. St. Francis/Mountain View CA 8. Mira Costa CA 9. Mother McAuley IL 10. Sierra Canyon CA *** 11. Yorktown IN 12. Aquinas KS 13. McCutcheon IN 14. Lafayette MO 15. Marymount CA 16. Dripping Springs TX 17. Santa Fe FL 18. St. James Academy KS 19. Papillion-LaVista South NE 20. Liberty North MO *** 21. Fayetteville AR 22. ‘Iolani HI 23. Ursuline Academy OH 24. Valor Christian CO 25. Magnificat OH 26. Brebeuf Jesuit IN 27. Liberty MO 28. Corona del Sol AZ 29. Millbrook NC 30. Notre Dame Academy KY *** 31. Marist IL 32. Colleyville Heritage TX 33. North Raleigh Christian Academy NC 34. Eureka MO 35. Assumption KY 36. Flint Hill VA 37. Torrey Pines CA 38. Benet Academy IL 39. Lakewood CA 40. Mater Dei CA *** 41. Tompkins TX 42. Horizon AZ 43. Timpview UT 44. Wayzata MN 45. Venice FL 46. Millennium AZ 47. Cleveland TN 48. Barrington IL 49. Mountain View UT 50. St. Ursula Academy OH *** HONORABLE MENTION Archbishop Mitty CA Palos Verdes CA Branson CA Bountiful UT Clearwater Central Catholic FL Westminster Christian FL Benton AR Divine Savior Holy Angels WI Oconomowoc WI Cypress Ranch TX Prosper TX Omaha Westside NE Lincoln Southwest NE Western Christian IO Dike-New Hartford IO Jesuit OR Sheldon OR Middle Creek NC Punahou HI Reagan NC North Gwinnett GA Redondo Union CA Newport Harbor CA Liberty AZ Huntley IL Mercy McAuley OH Rock Bridge MO Hamilton AZ Mount Notre Dame OH Mercy MI Skyline MI Iowa City Liberty IO Xavier IO Ankeny IO Lyons IL Mercy KY Lakeville North MN Northfield MN Marshall MN Skutt Catholic NE Pickens SC Dorman SC Cardinal Newman SC Nolensville TN Knoxville Catholic TN Pope GA Buford GA Alpharetta GA Sequoyah GA Lake Catholic OH Rock Canyon CO Heritage CO Legend CO Chaparral CO Trinity Catholic FL Olathe Northwest KS Lincoln-Way East IL Vista Murrieta CA Huntington Beach CA Alemany CA Calvary Christian FL Tampa Prep FL Bryon Nelson TX Bishop Watterson OH Ardrey Kell NC Kamehameha HI Moanalua HI Jackson Academy MS Ponte Vedra FL O’Connor AZ Appleton North WI Burlington WI Hamilton WI Keller TX Guyer TX Highland Park TX Plano West TX Bishop Lynch TX

Congrats to vballrecruiter.com’s 2022 High School National Champions the Cathedral Catholic Dons! Cathedral Catholic (42-0) completed a nearly-perfect season in which it lost just one set by sweeping undefeated St. Francis/Mountain View, 25-21, 25-16, 25-23, in Saturday’s California’s Open Division state championship match at Santiago Canyon College in Orange. Let’s take a look at what made for Cathedral Catholic’s first national championship! THE BACKGROUND Cathedral Catholic saw the blueprint first hand in 2021. The Dons walked off the court after suffering a four-set loss to Elia Rubin-led Marymount in the state semifinals. The Sailors closed out its undefeated season and national championship in the next outing by sweeping Archbishop Mitty in the final. Given that for 2022 Cathedral Catholic would be returning plenty of talent, including players like Julia Blyashov (Stanford), Milan Bayless (Colgate), Ryleigh Patterson (Harvard), and Noemie Glover (Oregon), and had players like setter Amanda Saeger (DePaul), middle Jenna Hanes (Michigan) and libero Maya Evens ready to step into starting roles, the Dons would no doubt be the No. 1 team in the nation to begin this fall as they sought their own storybook season.   “Definitely after the loss last year we came back very motivated,” Blyashov said. “We wanted to win it very badly. Last year we thought we were going to win and it was such a heartbreaking loss it motivated us for this season. We were focused on every game and didn’t want to get comfortable so we continued doing that. We had so much fun along the way. It was so awesome to be able to do it.” THE SPRAINED ANKLE Blyashov was not yet committed to Stanford when Cathedral lost to Marymount last fall. Once she announced her future college the storyline was obvious. We could be looking at a Stanford-bound stud once again leading her team to an undefeated high school national championship. What was less obvious is a sprained ankle sidelining Blyashov for the state playoffs and suddenly putting Cathedral’s immaculate season in jeopardy. Cathedral Catholic needed four points to finish off a sweep of Torrey Pines in the CIF San Diego Section final on Nov. 4 when suddenly Blyashov went down. Coach Juliana Conn said no one thought much of it right away, thinking she would be okay. However, the next day Blyashov’s ankle was swollen enough she would be out of the upcoming state tournament.   It was uh-oh time, as the road to the national championship took possibly a devastating twist. “Obviously, it wasn’t the best timing for an injury but injuries happen. They are part of sports,” Blyashov said. “I looked to my team and they were so supportive. I’m so happy for everyone. We have the best team. It was so easy to be happy and celebrate. It was awesome. Obviously, it would have been better not to be injured but this team is so special I wouldn’t take this night back at all.” THE DEPTH Here is what Conn said after Cathedral Catholic captured the Durango Fall Classic title in September without using a set lineup as she rotated players from set to set and match to match: “It’s a big group and sometimes with that many good players it can be hard to accept smaller roles. But this group is embracing it and girls are waiting for their chance while still supporting whoever is on the court. The feedback this weekend from other coaches was great. They were telling us how engaged our bench is.” Conn certainly had options. It was typical to see Blyashov at outside, Evens at libero, Hanes anchoring one of the middle positions and Saeger setting, though Conn could bring senior Tehya Maeva in at any point to run the offense. We could see Patterson in the middle or on the right. It could be senior Mia Compass in the middle or senior Kapiolani Coleman on the right. Juniors Niki Egan, Ayva Moi and Dakota Conway all had roles as defensive specialists. Seniors Milan Bayless and Cate Schnell had their roles, with Bayless often hitting front row on the left and Schnell playing across the back. Both had to take on more with Blyashov out, as Bayless took on the OH1 position and Schnell started hitting across the front row too. Through it all, there was no going wrong. “It’s been the talk of the season,” Conn said after Saturday night’s victory. “Everyone keeps asking how I’m keeping everyone happy. I think everyone knew there was a role to be filled and everyone was accepting of that. Whenever someone went down or someone had a bad game, someone would step in their position and they would be happy for them. “At the beginning of the season we talked about how we all know they start for their clubs and could be a six-rotation player on any team, but we are all here together and we need to be able to handle that or it could go really south. From Day 1, we were deep and we would fight it out in practice and the best one was going to be playing. It doesn’t mean it was bad for them (if they aren’t playing), they are still helping on the bench cheering and being positive and when they get their chance they went in and did a good job. “When Julia went down everyone was super worried but I knew we would get the next person and they would be ready to play and that was definitely the highlight of the season.” THE MOMENT OF TRUTH Without Blyashov there was no doubt Cathedral Catholic’s depth would be tested in the state playoffs. First was Lakewood, then a rematch with Torrey Pines before facing Mira Costa in the semifinals. The Dons swept both Lakewood and Torrey Pines, but Mira Costa was on a different level and represented the toughest challenge yet. Mira Costa captured the Ann Kang Invitational and finished runner-up at the Nike TOC Southwest in October. Mira Costa