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A powerhouse conclusion is on the way at Volleypalooza. There’s no doubt about it now that the eight-team gold bracket is set. It looks like this:   On Day 2, 34 teams in Group 1 went at it in hopes of making it this far and remaining alive for the prestigious championship trophy. If you can make it to Rouse High School on Saturday for the last day of the three-day event it promises to be worth the price of admission as the last eight standing go toe-to-toe for top honors. What’s ahead is a showdown of arguably the best the state of Texas has to offer this high school season with the trio of Cornerstone Christian, Prestonwood and Highland Park among the teams left standing. All three are looking to add another tournament title to their collection. Cornerstone took first at the John Turner Classic; Prestonwood was tops at the Battle at the Rock; and Highland Park captured last weekend’s Northwest ISD tourney. Prestonwood – undefeated on the year to date – has defeated Highland Park once already this season and a rematch could happen as soon as Saturday’s semifinals. Neither school has faced off with Cornerstone yet. Cornerstone’s only loss came to The Woodlands at the John Turner Classic, where Cornerstone also avenged that loss to The Woodlands in the final. Through the first two days here at Volleypalooza, the trio has matched each other step for step. All three sit at 6-0 without a set loss among them. Of course, that’s going to change Saturday and I can’t wait to see how it plays out. It’s time to get hyped! With the top three seeds holding it down, let’s take a quick look at how the other teams reached the final eight, followed by our Team Spotlight and Under The Radar Players. Keller made it out of Pool 4 as the No. 3 team, going 3-0 with victories over Clear Springs, Westlake and Amarillo. In Pool 5, another No. 3 team in Rockwall advanced at 3-0 as well. Rockwall moved on by topping Sasche, Brandeis and Dawson. Keeping the streak going is Lovejoy, which you guessed it, is yet another No. 3 team to break pool Saturday at 3-0. Lovejoy secured its spot in the quarterfinals by downing Dripping Springs, Round Rock and Pearland in Pool 6. In Pool 7, Bridgeland finished 3-0 as the No. 2 team by beating Canyon, Lake Creek and Prosper. Pools 8 and 9 were three-team pools. Cypress Ranch went 2-0 in Pool 8 while Lake Travis went 2-0 in Pool 9. They went head-to-head for a spot in the quarters in crossover action. Cypress Ranch swept that one, 25-19, 25-18, to stay in contention. *** TEAM SPOTLIGHT LIBERTY HILL – Hosts of one of the sites, the Panthers did well for themselves in Pool 2 on Friday. Liberty Hill finished 2-1, losing only to Prestonwood and picking up an upset over Southlake Carroll, 26-24, 27-25. The Panthers staged a remarkable comeback in Game 2, storming back to take the frame after trailing 16-4! The Panthers utilize two setters in junior Carson Glenn and sophomore Ava Hight. Keegan Walton suited up at libero to help out with defensive duties while 6-2 senior middle blocker Morgan Poulain provided needed height. Also check out more on junior right side Gigi Mason and junior outside Kealy Dirner in our Under the Radar players featured further down. LOVEJOY – The Leopards are still in the mix and could be a threat to pull off an upset. They are one of the more consistently taller teams in the field with a pair of 6-2 players in sophomore outside Anna Barr and senior middle Hannah Gonzalez. Both setters on the roster have nice height as well in 6-0 sophomore Nicole Cornell and 5-11 junior Bethanie Wu. Senior right side Charlotte Wilson, sophomore middle Shelby Burriss, and sophomore MB/RS Sadie Jane Hand are among those listed at 6-0 or taller. Six more players are listed at 5-10 or 5-11, including sophomore outside Morgan VanVoorhis and junior outside Reagan Fitzsimmons. KELLER – The Indians return key pieces from last year’s 6A runner-up squad and can’t be overlooked. Among those back are junior outside Reagan Sharp and senior middle Leah Ford. Keller also returns senior setter Taylor Polivka plus senior defenders Landry McEachern and Kea Whillock. Keller might not be favored to walk away with the title on Day 3 but the Indians won’t go down without a fight. ROCKWALL – The Yellowjackets had a Friday to remember. All three matches went down to the wire as Rockwell downed both Sachse and Brandeis in the third 25-22, and Dawson 25-23 in the final set. (Third sets are played to 25). Rockwall will seek to play spoiler Saturday behind the big arm and play of 6-3 senior outside Becca Kelley, 6-1 junior pin hitter Harley Krause and junior pin hitter Kayla Bullard. BRIDGELAND – The Bears have dropped just one set through the first two days. It came in a three-set victory over Canyon, 25-23, 22-25, 25-17, to close out pool play Friday. Bridgeland gets a crack at Prestonwood to open the quarterfinals. Plenty of offense flows through senior outside Olivia Waggoner, senior outside Kennedy Kays and senior pin Gracie Comeaux. Senior middle Molly McClure, sophomore middle Rebekah Pfefferkorn and junior right side Amelia Creacy will also get involved. *** UNDER THE RADAR PLAYERS We’ll have our featured Show Stoppers compiled after tournament play concludes highlighting the top players we saw over the three days here. A lot of them we followed closely and wrote a lot about in club, so we are familiar with them. That leads us to wanting to showcase some players you might not have heard or read about and that’s who we mention below. Skylar George, SR OH, Stratford – A 6-1 outside, George carries a nice arm. She’s a featured part of the offense and has to deliver a lot of points to keep Stratford

Personally, it’s been a historic start to the high school season. Two weeks ago I was in Hawaii covering the Ann Kang Invitational for the first time. Now, I’m in Austin covering the massive Volleypalooza for the first time. If you love watching and covering volleyball there’s no other places to be to begin the year. The opening day of Volleypalooza, hosted by Rouse, lived up to expectations and then some. Knowing the level of Texas volleyball, the bar is set high and the best thing is the action only heats up the next two days with a field featuring almost all the top teams in the state from 5 and 6A. Day 1 consisted of 17 pools of four, with the top two teams advancing and remaining in contention. The top half of Day 2 features 7 pools of 4 paired with 2 pools of three. The winners of the four-team pools each earn a spot in the eight-team gold bracket on Day 3, along with the crossover winner between the top teams in the three-team pools. Let’s take a quick look at some of the top headlines from Thursday, followed by team spotlights and under the radar players. — Most of the top seeds advanced but were hardly untouchable. Boswell – seeded No. 15 – was the lone top team in its pool not moving on however with upset losses to Westlake – which won the pool at 3-0 – and to Stratford. — Prosper – seeded No. 4 – and No. 5 The Woodlands both lost their final outings to finish 2-1 but will move on. Prosper was surprised by a scrappy Clear Springs group while Sachse swept past The Woodlands to win Pool 5. — Lake Travis – seeded No. 8 – went down to Cypress Ranch in the 1 v 2 contest, allowing Cypress Ranch to win the pool at 3-0 and place Lake Travis second at 2-1. — In Pool 11, the No. 2 team in Bishop Lynch topped the No. 1 team in Lovejoy to go 3-0. — Keller – seeded No. 13 – also went 2-1 after losing to Round Rock in the 1 v 2 clash. — Barbers Hill – the No. 2 team in Pool 16 – uprooted No. 16 O’Connor to grab first at 3-0. — Lastly, Pool 17 was the only one featuring a three-way tie. Friendswood, the No. 1 team, tied at 2-1 with the No. 2 team Cedar Park and the No. 3 team Southlake Carroll. Southlake Carroll ended in first thanks to the tiebreakers and joined Stratford as the only other No. 3 team to advance on Day 1. Friendswood wound up in second, which meant Cedar Park was third and eliminated. It started with Southlake Carroll downing Friendswood, which closed out the day by beating Cedar Park. In between, Cedar Park defeated Southlake Carroll. *** TEAM SPOTLIGHTS     Let’s shed some light on a few teams of note: CLEAR SPRINGS – We begin with the Chargers after they pulled off the biggest upset of the day in downing Prosper. The roster doesn’t have one player listed above 5-11, so this isn’t a group built on bullying opponents into submission. However, Clear Springs demonstrated sound chemistry and clearly cherish the underdog role. Ashley Richardson showed off her big arm pounding balls on the right. The other right side in lefty Carissa Young extends nicely and can get on top of the ball. Anzley Rinard was solid on the left while Abigail Fuller displayed her scrappiness at libero. CORNERSTONE CHRISTIAN – We’ll know plenty about the top seed here by the time the season is done. The Warriors are slated to also participate in both Nike TOC events – one in Tampa and one in Phoenix. The roster is loaded with high-level talent which includes 4-star recruit and outside Nayeli Gonzalez, 4-star recruit and setter Taylor Anderson, plus 5-star prospect in sophomore outside Megan Fitch. Alyssa Manitzas is a 4-star libero while recent Baylor commit Grace Carroll is a 4-star lefty right side. PRESTONWOOD CHRISTIAN – The Lions are the No. 2 seeds and the scary thing is the roster features just one senior – MB/RS Emma Kate Mullican. That means Prestonwood is going to be a national power next year, if it isn’t already. One of the highlights is the arrival of 5-star recruit and sophomore outside Macaria Spears. Spears played club this past season for Metro out of DC but made the move to Texas and transformed the look of the lineup. Also among the players to know is junior outside Jadyn Livings, a 6-2, 5-star recruit. Another premier pin hitter is Mikala Young, a 4-star recruit who is 6-0 and was hitting on the right side for the Lions. At setter, is recent Michigan commit Camille Edwards. Added to the that, the team gets the services of middle Kennedy Washington, a 4-star recruit who becomes eligible to play for the Lions beginning Friday. HIGHLAND PARK – The Scots are seeded No. 3 overall and coming off a victory at last weekend’s Northwest ISD tourney. Three seniors lead the way in outside Sydney Breon, middle Ceci Gooch and libero Zoe Winford. Breon is a 4-star recruit committed to UCLA. Gooch – who played on the right side for Drive Nation during club – is a 4-star recruit heading to Michigan. Winford – a 3-star recruit – is committed to Georgia Tech. There’s underclassmen talent on the roster as well. Alex Richter, a 6-2, 4-star OH/RS, is one of them. She’s joined by 4-star outside and fellow sophomore Bella Ocampo. There is also 6-2 right side Nicole Mauser, a 3-star recruit committed to Cal Baptist. Setters Harper Hall and Gracie Braner get to work with all those options. ROUSE – As the host, we highlight Rouse. The Raiders have some size to work with, especially in the middle with 6-3 junior Jadyn Wilgus and 6-1 junior Naara Tanco. Tabby Allen, a 6-1 senior, stands in

Faith Frame, shown above playing for Premier Nebraska, has verbally committed to Cincinnati. It’s been a little over two months since college coaches were officially allowed to contact players in the 2024 class. We currently have 29 5-star recruits from the age group, with 18 of them committing already. Below, we give a rundown of which schools are currently leading the recruiting race. Of course, the classes are bound to change as a few switch programs and others continue to announce their commitments so periodically we’ll be checking in to see how schools are matching up. NEBRASKA      Skyler Pierce OH Dynasty (5-star) Olivia Mauch L/DS Premier Neb (5-star) Ayden Ames MB Drive Nation (5-star) Note: It shouldn’t be surprising to anyone to see Nebraska at the top of the chart. The Cornhuskers came out of the gate hot, landing three 5-star recruits. Skyler Pierce is arguably the top-rated outside from the class. Nebraska also did well getting Ayden Ames from the state of Texas. She’s one of the top-rated middles who could play on the right side or even eventually move to the outside. Rounding it out is 5-star defender Olivia Mauch, an in-state get. There’s still another year to go but it’s already going to be hard-pressed for any program to move ahead of Nebraska. MICHIGAN      Camille Edwards S TAV (5-star) Ella Demetrician OH FC Elite (4-star) Ellie White S 1st Alliance (4-star) Jenna Hanes MB Wave (4-star) Lauren Evans OH Munciana (3-star) Note: How about the Wolverines? Michigan landed 5-star recruit and setter Camille Edwards most recently to add to what was already a strong class. The balance and depth is to be liked as well, with Michigan adding two setters, two outsides and a middle. MINNESOTA   Stella Swenson S MN Select (5-star) Olivia Swenson OH MN Select (4-star) Note: To nobody’s surprise the Gophers scooped up homegrown talent in the Swenson sisters, whose older sister Samantha starred at Minnesota as well. Both played up on MN Select this past club season helping the team earn a silver medal in 17 Open at Junior Nationals. Stella Swenson is arguably the top-rated setter in the class, so that’s a major score for Minnesota. Olivia Swenson is a big, physical outside who at the very least can provide good depth. KENTUCKY      Hannah Benjamin OH A5 (5-star) Asia Thigpen OH Triangle (4-star) Note: Given how important the position is, there’s nothing wrong loading up on outsides. That’s the case for Kentucky as they landed two earlier studs on the left. Hannah Benjamin showed this past club season she’s one of the best all-around outsides in the division and was highly sought after. That’s a feather in the Wildcats’ cap. Asia Thigpen could be a 5-star recruit by the time she’s headed to the school. She showed tremendous strides in upping the level of her play this past club season and will give Kentucky another big arm to utilize. FLORIDA         Jaela Auguste MB Hou Skyline (5-star) Taylor Parks S OTVA (4-star) Bella Lee L/DS OTVA Note: The Gators are one of 14 schools who have already received a commitment from at least one 5-star recruit. Theirs came from the 6-1 Jaela Auguste. The Texas stud highlights the class so far and will continue the athleticism for the Gators in the middle. Florida also gets a couple of local players, including 4-star recruit and setter Taylor Parks. Parks was solid for OTVA this past club season and seems destined to fit in well with the Gators. PENN STATE Izzy Starck S/RS Co Jrs (5-star) Ava Falduto L/DS New Wave (4-star) Note: Izzy Starck was one of the more sought after players in the class. She’s a versatile player who excels setting and hitting. She committed to Penn State, where her older sister Anjelina is currently playing. Given that, it seemed like Penn State was the favorite to get the younger Starck, much to the chagrin of other programs. Toss in 4-star defender Ava Falduto and the Nittany Lions have a Top 10 class so far. Can they keep it up? NOTRE DAME Morgan Gaerte OH Team Pineapple (5-star) Anna Bjork MB MKE Sting (4-star) Note: Notre Dame is one of five schools which has secured commitments from one 5-star and one 4-star recruit. That puts the Fighting Irish in the thick of the recruiting race as it currently stands. Morgan Gaerte is a 6-4 big time outside who would fit in well at any top level program. She’s a great commit to get for Notre Dame. Anna Bjork is a 6-3 middle with the size and ability to contribute mightily on the next level. CINCINNATI Faith Frame L/DS Premier Neb (5-star) Janelle Green S KC Power (4-star) Note: The Bearcats are a non-Power 5 program making a big splash in the recruiting process so far. Faith Frame is one of the top-rated defenders and will assuredly bring a defensive presence to the lineup. Janelle Green is a solid setter with great leadership skills. Seeing them commit together may lead to some more surprises down the road. WISCONSIN    Charlie Fuerbringer S/RS Long Beach (5-star) Note: We must say, given Charlie Fuerbringer’s ability on the sand, it was surprising to see her go out of state and commit to a school like Wisconsin. However, given her indoor ability, she was a sure thing to land at a top program like the Badgers offer. She’s one of the highest IQ players in the class and a dynamic setter. More players are surely to be added to the recruiting haul, but what a centerpiece to begin with. ARIZONA         Carlie Cisneros OH Dynasty (5-star) Note: No doubt the Wildcats made waves with this commit. Carlie Cisneros was a stud for Dynasty this past club season and one of the best performing outsides in her age group. She gives Arizona a big jolt by committing to the PAC 12 school. TENNESSEE     Camdyn Stucky S Shockwave (4-star) Paityn Chapman OH Co Jrs (4-star) Chelsea Sutton MB OTVA (4-star) Note:

The 2022 Northwest ISD Tournament brought in various top Texas 5A and 6A teams to the DFW Metro area. With three locations for tournament play and just myself covering this tournament I decided to head to Byron Nelson all three days to cover as many teams as I could. Talk about a fun tournament full of volleyball stars from all over the state! Below you can find the Northwest ISD Tournament Show Stoppers, plus other players from the state to watch for as well as a few top freshmen to know about. Sydney Breon, SR OH, Highland Park – Named MVP, Breon – a UCLA commit – was everywhere on the court. She was swinging incredibly well both on the outside and out of middle back. Zoe Winford, SR L, Highland Park – Scrappy is the word that comes to mind in regards to this Georgia Tech commit. Winford was all over the court in both serve receive and defensively. Harper Hall, JR S, Highland Park – Hall is smooth and steady. She knows who she needs to get the ball to at the right times. Molly Tuozzo, SR L, The Woodlands – Tuozzo was named Most Defensive player for a reason. The Kentucky commit is another stud who literally owned the backcourt. Claire DeWine, S SR, The Woodlands – DeWine – a Colgate commit – was named Most Offensive for the tournament. She is a Setter/RS who can either dish beautifully or terminate when needed. Ella Lewis, Soph OH, The Woodlands – She’s an exceptional passer and someone who can provide effective offense as well. It makes Lewis a key component of the team. Callie Kieffer, SR S, Prosper – Kieffer, a Alabama commit, is the quarterback of the team who is steady and knows who she needs to get the ball to at the right times. Ayden Ames, JR OH, Prosper – An OH in most games who can swing in the middle or on the right side when needed, Ames hits a heavy ball. The Nebraska commit definitely makes her presence known on the court. Caleigh King, JR L, Southlake Carroll – King has a calm demeanor as a defender and brings lots of ball control to the lineup. She is also a flyer in the back court defensively. Layla Austin, FR OH, Southlake Carroll – Austin is one of the two freshmen on the show stoppers list. She was swinging on the outside with the best of them who continually puts pressure on the defense. Ella Busey, SR OH, Colleyville Heritage – Busey – a Houston commit – is an aggressive hitter who does well challenging the block with her heavy hand. Suli Davis, Soph OH, Colleyville Heritage – Despite being only a sophomore Davis was one of the hardest hitters in the gym. As a bonus, she has beautiful hands and can run an offense efficiently. Sydnee Peterson, Soph OH, Bryon Nelson – Another sophomore making her presence known on the court, Peterson is an aggressive hitter who can take stuff off her shots to keep defenses off balance. Kylie Kleckner, FR OH, Byron Nelson – The second freshman on this list, Kleckner was an incredibly reliable scorer from anywhere on the court. Sydney Jordan, SR OH, Ridge Point – A Colorado commit, Jordan is a 6-3 offensive six-rotation contributor. She’s a physical hitter who hits a heavy ball. *** Players to keep an eye on Ceci Gooch, SR MB, Highland Park (Michigan) Nicole Mauser, SR RS, Highland Park (Cal Baptist) Bella O’Campo, Soph OH, Highland Park Alex Richter, Soph RS, Highland Park Olivia Chojnacki, SR S, The Woodlands (Centre College) Ella Chaney, SR OH, Prosper (Louisiana Lafayette) Hannah Beauford, Soph RS (Prosper) Sam Glenn, SR OH, Southlake Carroll Morgan Howard, SR S, Colleyville Heritage (Louisiana Monroe) Reagan Engler, SR MB, Colleyville Heritage (Air Force) Maddie Bird, JR OH, Colleyville Heritage Samantha Hoppes, SR RS, Bryon Nelson (Boston College) Campbell Love, SR L, Bryon Nelson Arissa Smith, SR MB, Ridge Point (Mississippi State) Carrington Cook, JR RS, Ridge Point Kennedi Rogers, Soph OH, Ridge Point Taylor Polivka, SR S, Keller (Miami) Anna Boatner, JR MB, Keller Landry McEachern, SR L/DS, Keller Kea Whillock, SR L/DS, Keller Hannah Pfiffner, SR MB, Wakeland (Oklahoma) Audrey Clark, SR S, Wakeland (Creighton) Stephanie Gutierrez, SR RS, Boswell (Rice) Madison Parrish, SR OH, Boswell (Angelo State) Favor Anyanwu, JR MB, Sachse Jaela Auguste, JR MB, Grand Oak (Florida) Samara Coleman, Soph OH, Grand Oak Halle Schroder, SR OH, Reedy (Boston College) Vivian Parker, JR OH, Aledo *** FRESHMEN Standouts (Not listed above) Anna Flores, RS, Keller Ryea Jackson, MB, Keller Kinsley Young, MB, Southlake Carroll Danielle Whitmire, S/RS, Prosper Jayla Jackson, MB, Prosper Keoni Williams, MB, Boswell Taylor Johnson, MB, Ridge Point Ashlyn Seay, RS, Bryon Nelson

The Ann Kang Invitational was one of the first major tournaments of the high school season. vballrecruiter.com was on hand providing coverage of the three-day event. If you missed anything you can catch up on Day 1, Day 2, Mira Costa winning the championship and the All-Tournament team. Below, we present our Ann Kang Show Stoppers featuring the players who caught our attention the most over the three days in Hawaii. Brooke Naniseni, Sr OH, ‘Iolani – A 6-1 outside, Naniseni is a big part of the offense with her strong arm and ability to find the open spots on the floor. She’s an aggressive hitter who does well challenging the block and keeping pressure on the defense. Senna Roberts-Navarro, Sr OH, ‘Iolani – Roberts-Navarro is very similar to Naniseni in what she brings to the attack and how much ‘Iolani relies on her to provide a scoring punch. She’s also a physical hitter who hits a heavy ball and does well going down the line and forcing defenses to make a play on her. Mari Lawton, Sr MB, ‘Iolani – Lawton is 5-11 but she makes her presence known with her contributions on both sides of the ball. Her quickness serves her well when attacking and she has a nice arm. When in system, defenses have to be aware of her as ‘Iolani will look to get her involved. Maya Imoto-Eakin, Sr S, ‘Iolani – A 5-9 quarterback, Imoto-Eakin has a really nice touch and soft hands. She sets a clean ball and puts her hitters in positions to score on a regular basis with her consistent location. Mele Corral-Blagojevich, Sr OH, Redondo Union – Corral-Blagojevich has been one of the centerpieces in the lineup since her freshman season and now a senior she’s the do-it-all six-rotation outside hitter every team would love to have. Her experience makes her a steadying experience. Toss in her scoring touch and serving skills and she’s a dynamic player. Nicole Lankton, Sr MB, Redondo Union – Lankton brings height to the front row and she can help open up the offense. Like any middle, the team needs to pass well to utilize her and when Redondo does Lankton is an option on the slide. Malu Garcia, Jr OH, Moanalua – This lefty is a six-rotation outside who is charged with carrying the offensive load. Wherever Garcia lines up she’s a scoring threat as Moanalua is constantly giving her the ball and asking her to make plays. Leilani Giusta, Sr OH, Moanalua – Giusta is another member of the Moanalua who is looked upon to provide a scoring punch. She’s a smart, capable attacker with a good arm and calm demeanor. Natalie Fukumoto, L/DS, Moanalua – Fukumoto was one of the better defenders in the field. She’s strong and effective out of serve receive and she hustles as well chasing down balls and keeping rallies alive. Kaci DeMaria, Soph OH, Palos Verdes – A 6-1 outside, we know DeMaria well from the past club season when she starred for Surfside. She’s a huge offensive weapon for the Sea Kings, who rely on her to provide plenty of offense. Her height allows her to go over blocks easily and blast balls to the open space. Tatum Lane, Sr S, Palos Verdes – A 5-10 setter, the way Palos Verdes is built Lane doesn’t need to be flashy to direct the offense and do her part. She’s steady and knows who she needs to get the ball to at the right times. Kendall Beshear, Jr OH, Palos Verdes – Beshear is a bit undersized at 5-9 but she’s a six-rotation contributor who hits a heavy ball and jump serves as well. She’s a heady attacker, who can take stuff off her shots to keep defenses off balanced. Melie Vaioleti, Sr L/DS, Punahou – Vaioleti was a standout libero over the three-day tournament. Punahou doesn’t have the size to match up with other teams in the field, so passing and ball control are fundamental to its success. That’s where Vaioleti fits in perfectly, as she’s a strong passer and makes tons of plays digging and extending points. Marumoto Haumea, Jr OH, Punahou – Haumea showed she knows how to score and doesn’t back down from the blockers in front of her. She’s a smart hitter who can tool blocks or go off speed to find gaps in the defense. Charlie Fuerbringer, Jr S/RS, Mira Costa – Fuerbringer was voted the Most Outstanding Player as Mira Costa captured the title. At times she ran a 5-1 and other moments a 6-2. She’s versatile in that way and is also a great defender. She routinely gets her hitters one-on-one looks and when she’s asked to provide offense her beach skills are on full display. Tanon Rosenthal, Sr S/RS, Mira Costa – Rosenthal is an out-of-state transfer from Texas and she’s a key addition to the lineup. She also brings versatility, as she can hit in the front row and set in the back. Or she can be a six-rotation right side who can provide offense in the back row. Drew Wright, Sr OH, Mira Costa – Wright had a strong showing for the Mustangs. She’s a key component as she’s played in plenty of high-level matches and doesn’t rattle easily. She’s an exceptional passer and someone who can provide reliable offense as well. Taylor Deckert, Soph L/DS, Mira Costa – Mira Costa has a good one in Deckert. She has a cool demeanor as a defender and brings lots of ball control to the lineup. She’s strong out of serve receive and reads the court well. Molly McCluskey, Jr S/RS, Edison – McCluskey is a highlight for Edison with her two-way contributions. She’s lanky and defenses can struggle containing her on the right side. She’s Edison’s best offensive option but the Chargers need to pass well to get her involved enough to make a difference. Olivia Babcock, Sr RS, Sierra Canyon – A force for Sunshine this past

The two best schools faced off twice on the final day of the Ann Kang Invitational in Honolulu and finished 1-1 against one another. Though the matches were split, it was Mira Costa of Manhattan Beach walking away from the prestigious tournament with bragging rights after sweeping Sierra Canyon of Chatsworth, 25-20, 25-22, in the championship clash. It was Sierra Canyon’s only loss after the Trailblazers defeated the Mustangs earlier in the day as they finished out pool play. “It’s incredible. This is a really, really tough tournament and there are so many good teams here, including two from our league,” Mira Costa coach Cam Green said. “We knew it was going to be tough going in so it’s gigantic to win it. It means a ton for us moving forward with the confidence and belief in ourselves it gives us.” There was no way the rematch in the final could top the pair’s first meeting, which produced by far the best match of the tournament and one of the most memorable high school matches these eyes have ever witnessed. Though Sierra Canyon and Mira Costa were guaranteed spots in the semifinals as they met for first place in Pool A with both being 6-0, the two So Cal schools performed as if they had everything riding on the outcome. It was only the first week of the high school season but it’s going to be hard for any match to top Sierra Canyon’s thrilling victory over Mira Costa that delivered an epic overscore in the third set as the Trailblazers prevailed, 21-25, 25-20, 25-23. Mira Costa was up 14-12 in the final set, holding two match points with no sign of what was about to come. Sierra Canyon clawed back to 14-14 all and then saved three more match points before gaining their first chance at victory leading 18-17. The tide changed from there, as Sierra Canyon held another five match points before finally finishing off the Mustangs in a high-level conclusion in which teams were trading blows and earning points without the benefit of errors. “I was a little upset we lost of course, but I was impressed at the level of volleyball,” Green said. “We saw a high level of play and we gave ourselves a chance to win it. We had chances and for me I was proud and happy for the girls to play in a match like that. It was a big-time level of volleyball.” “That’s one of the best matches I’ve ever been a part of,” Sierra Canyon coach Darrin Phillips said. “It ranks up there when we played La Salle to in the semifinals to get to the state final and we were down 0-2 and came back to win in five in 2016. That set was top two for me for sure.” With the semifinalists out of Pool A known and the energy still buzzing in the air from the incredible match, Pool B was not yet decided as the final round started. It featured Bay League foes Palos Verdes and Redondo Union squaring off in one of the gyms while host school ‘Iolani took on Harvard-Westlake in the other. Palos Verdes, Redondo and ‘Iolani each had a chance to advance to the semifinals but there were only spots for two. Redondo and Palos Verdes went three in what normally would be an exciting conclusion but felt a bit ordinary compared to what happened between Sierra Canyon and Mira Costa. Redondo pulled out the tight victory, 25-14, 22-25, 16-14, to hand Palos Verdes its only loss in Pool B. ‘Iolani swept past Harvard-Westlake as ‘Iolani, Palos Verdes and Redondo ended in a three-way tie at 6-1. ‘Iolani took first in the pool based on set percentage, while Palos Verdes was second. It left Redondo in third and missing the semifinals. ‘Iolani sweeping Redondo to start Day 2 was the key result of Pool B. Had Redondo managed to win a set against ‘Iolani all three teams would have tied in set percentage at 13-3. The semifinals began in the afternoon, with Sierra Canyon first sweeping Palos Verdes, 25-22, 25-23, before Mira Costa downed ‘Iolani in straight sets, 25-20, 25-17, to set up the rematch between the two So Cal schools in the final. Sierra Canyon has never captured the Ann Kang title before, while Mira Costa had finished first six previous times since the tourney started in 1989, the most of any school. The last title for the Mustangs came in 2016 and after turning it around against the Trailblazers, Mira Costa extended its record number to seven titles. “It’s always an incredible tournament,” Green said. “Thank you to (‘Iolani coach) Kainoa (Obrey) and ‘Iolani. We love coming here and want to keep coming here. It was a great stepping stone to where we want to get to. Learning to win is a big deal. I’m proud to be here with this team and love coaching this group.” *** The final finishing order ended like this: 1. Mira Costa 2. Sierra Canyon T3. ‘Iolani T3. Palos Verdes 5. Punahou 6. Redondo Union 7. Moanalua 8. Harvard-Westlake 9. Santa Margarita 10. Corona del Mar 11. Le Jardin 12. Hawaii Baptist 13. Baldwin 14. Maryknoll 15. Edison 16. La Jolla Country Day

Pool A took definitive shape while Pool B built toward an intriguing conclusion on Day 2 of the Ann Kang Invitational on Friday Aug. 13 in Honolulu. Saturday is the final day of play as the two pools wrap up and head to crossover play to determine final finishes. The top two teams from each pool make the semifinals. In Pool A, there’s no guess work needed as Mira Costa and Sierra Canyon are both 6-0 with one match left. It’s against one another, so one will advance at 7-0 while the other will make the semis at 6-1. Pool B is a different story. Palos Verdes is 6-0 but could wind up in a three-way tie. Both ‘Iolani and Redondo Union are 5-1. Harvard-Westlake is 4-2. Redondo and Palos Verdes face off Saturday morning, while Harvard-Westlake and ‘Iolani are paired together as two of the four will reach the semis. Sierra Canyon secured an important victory over Punahou, 23-25, 25-23, 15-12, to start Day 2. Punahou is 4-2 but can’t make the semifinals. Sierra Canyon went on to sweep Maryknoll and Moanalua. Meanwhile, Mira Costa continued its charge toward the final four with sweeps over Le Jardin, Moanalua and Santa Margarita. After Day 1 play wrapped up on Thursday vballrecruiter.com brought you a closer look at the eight teams in Pool A. Below, we provide a better look at the eight teams in Pool B. Harvard-Westlake – The Wolverines captured the California Division 1 state championship a season ago and return key pieces from that roster in senior outsides Ava-Marie Lange (4-stars) and Grace Thrower (3-stars) as well as senior right side Avery Jones (3-stars) and senior setter Neha Tummala. Harvard-Westlake is 4-2 with victories over Baldwin and Corona del Mar and loss to Palos Verdes on Day 2. Harvard-Westlake is the tallest team in the field and has nice size for a high school team. Lange, Thrower and Jones are all 6-0 or taller, as is middle Maya Stillwell. A front row of either Lange or Thrower on the outside, Stillwell in the middle and Jones on the right looks like a college team lining up. Harvard-Westlake is easily one of the 10 best teams in the CIF Southern Section out of So Cal and could be Top 5 if playing well. ‘Iolani – The host school scored a key victory against Redondo Union to open play Friday. The Raiders then swept Hawaii Baptist and Corona del Mar to close out Day 2. That kept ‘Iolani in the thick of the race to the semifinals. The Raiders are built around a pair of strong outsides in senior outside Brooke Naniseni and senior Senna Roberts-Navarro. Both have big arms and are tough to slow down as ‘Iolani always has someone front row on the left that can carry the offense. Directing it all is senior setter Maya Imoto-Eakin. She’s very steady with a smooth delivery. Libero is also a position of strength for the Raiders with senior Tessa Onaga providing a defensive edge in the back row. Redondo Union – The Sea Hawks close out against Bay League foe Palos Verdes in hopes of making the semifinals. Redondo Union picked up a huge win over Harvard-Westlake to close out Day 1 but were uprooted by ‘Iolani to start Day 2. Redondo Union rebounded to down La Jolla Country Day of San Diego and Baldwin. The big weapon for the Sea Hawks is senior outside Mele Corral-Blagojevich. The 4-star recruit recently committed to Oklahoma and is headed to the Under Armour All-American game in December in Orlando. She hits a heavy ball and her jump serve causes opponents fits as well as the Sea Hawks rely on her plenty. The other outside spot features Victoria Henkel. Another player to watch for is 6-2 senior middle Nicole Lankton. She brings size in the middle and can be a handful for defenses when running the slide. Redondo Union was running a 6-2 with setters Bella Jones and Madi Collins while Summer Suppik was donning the libero jersey. Palos Verdes – The Sea Kings took a step forward last fall and are poised to continue their progression this season. Palos Verdes wasn’t really challenged on Day 2 in producing sweeps against La Jolla Country Day, Baldwin and Harvard-Westlake. Palos Verdes was impressive in sweeping Harvard-Westlake, 25-18, 25-21, in the final outing Friday to remain undefeated. Sophomore outside Kaci Demaria is a key component. She’s a 6-1, 4-star recruit who we recently featured as a potential future 5-star recruit. She’s long and can rip balls. At the high school level she’s very difficult to contain. She’s joined on the left by junior Kendall Beshear (3-star). Beshear has all-around game and hits a heavy ball as well as a jump serve. Together, they provide plenty of offense for Palos Verdes, which featured Tatum Lane at setter on Day 2. Middle Dani Rusich is a bit undersized but was running an effective slide. Libero Meg Walsh combined with defensive specialists Mallory and Molly LaBreche give Palos Verdes a strong back row. Corona del Mar – Another Southern Section school making the trip, CdM always manages to put together a competitive roster. CdM squeaked by Hawaii Baptist to open play Friday, winning in three, 25-20, 21-25, 17-15, before going down to Harvard-Westlake and ‘Iolani in straight sets. A player to watch is Reese Olson. She’s a lefty playing setter and right side. She changes the offensive dynamic when playing across the front row with her strong arm and scoring ability. Kaela Hiramoto sets in the back row when Olson is up front. Outsides Reiley Murphy and Emma Geng are steady contributors while Kirsten Dauderman lines up at libero. La Jolla Country Day – The lone team from San Diego in the field, LJCD is playing without its top player in middle Bianka Lulic, who is a 4-star recruit. The Torreys had a tough time on Day 2 against both Palos Verdes and Redondo Union before closing