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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

The CIF Southern Section out of So Cal always features at least a handful of nationally-recognized schools and 2022 is no different. A year ago it was Marymount of Los Angeles running the gauntlet and winding up undefeated as national champions in several publications. While Marymount graduated most of its starting lineup, two more So Cal schools which figure to be in the hunt for a possible national title this season include Cathedral Catholic of San Diego and Mater Dei of Santa Ana. However, none of those three schools made the trip to Hawaii for this year’s version of the Ann Kang Invitational. Hosted by ‘Iolani School, the prestigious event features 16 teams – with nine from So Cal and seven from the island. The two toughest and deepest leagues in So Cal this fall are the Bay and Mission leagues and representatives from both showcased their talents on the opening day of the tournament. Mira Costa, Redondo Union and Palos Verdes – all three from the Bay League – combined to go 9-0 Thursday while Sierra Canyon and Harvard-Westlake – in the Mission League along with Marymount – went a combined 5-1. Harvard-Westlake was the only team to drop a match of the five schools, with its setback coming at the hands of Redondo Union, 25-19, 25-21. As for the local schools, Punahou, ‘Iolani and Moanalua all finished 2-1 after Day 1 action was complete. Pool play continues Friday and wraps up Saturday morning. The conclusion of pool play on Day 3 will see Mira Costa and Sierra Canyon face off, as well as Palos Verdes and Redondo Union before breaking into bracket pool to determine the champions. vballrecruiter.com was on hand for the start of the tournament and will continue to provide coverage from all three days. Below, we give you a closer look at the teams in Pool A. We’ll provide a closer look at teams in Pool B after Day 2 is done. As for Pool B, one of the best matches on Thursday was between Palos Verdes and ‘Iolani. PV prevailed in three, 25-23, 23-25, 15-11, on its way to going 3-0. PV also defeated Corona del Mar and Hawaii Baptist. Redondo Union went 3-0 with sweeps over Corona del Mar, Hawaii Baptist and Harvard-Westlake. POOL A BREAKDOWN Mira Costa – Regardless of how the Mustangs finish in Hawaii, credit goes out to the parents of this school who showed up in big numbers and represented with loud cheering and support of their girls. There’s a lot to be excited about when it comes to Mira Costa this season. At the center of it is junior setter Charlie Fuerbringer, a 5-star recruit who recently committed to Wisconsin. She has pieces to work with, some of which include beach star senior Erin Inskeep and senior Drew Wright (3-stars) on the outside with Tanon Rosenthal on the right side. Bryn Shankle brings height to the middle. Toss in sophomore Taylor Deckert (3-stars) at libero and Costa should be a solid passing team who can spread the ball around with Fuerbringer running the offense. Costa picked up Day 1 victories over Maryknoll, Edison and Punahou. The toughest outing was against Punahou, as Mira Costa snuck by, 19-25, 25-14, 15-13.  Sierra Canyon – The Trailblazers are an impressive bunch and can play with the best the country has to offer. Sierra Canyon was strong in sweeping Santa Margarita, Le Jardin and Edison, allowing 20 points or more in just one set. The featured player is Olivia Babcock, a 6-3 right side who is a 5-star recruit committed to Pitt and chosen for the Under Armour All-American game in December in Orlando. At the high school level, she’s virtually unstoppable. The team is also strong on the outside with 3-star recruit and junior Danica Rach. The Trailblazers also showcased freshman Mia Stewart on the outside to show the young talent in the pipeline. Another strong point comes at libero, with sophomore Lauren Lynch, a 4-star recruit. Punahou – Punahou flashed its capabilities in playing Mira Costa tough. While Punahou doesn’t have a big arm like Sierra Canyon does with Babcock, the scrappiness, ball control and IQ can give any opponent fits. The defense is anchored by 3-star recruit and senior libero Melie Vaioleti. She routinely kept the team in system out of serve receive and extended rallies with her digging. Haumea Marumoto provided key offense on the left and showed a nice scoring sense with her ability to hit off speed. Rella Moon Binney plays a vital role as a setter/right side while Jodi Saelua brings physicality in the middle. Punahou defeated Moanalua and Maryknoll before losing a tight one to Mira Costa. Santa Margarita – The Eagles sit at 1-2 in Pool A after the opening day. After getting swept by Sierra Canyon in the first match, Santa Margarita dropped a three-setter to Moanalua before closing the day with a sweep of Maryknoll. Two key pieces of the offense are both underclassmen in sophomore outside Brooklyn Drumwright and freshman pin hitter Memphis Burnett – both 3-star recruits. At 6-2, senior middle Sophia Stalcup is the tallest member on the roster. She did a solid job getting touches and providing a blocking presence. Senior Grace Moss was suited up at libero and tasked with the defensive duties. Moanalua – Going 2-1 on the day, the lone setback came against Punahou as Moanalua recorded victories over Santa Margarita and Le Jardin. The key weapon is lefty junior Malu Garcia, a 3-star recruit who hits all across the front and back rows. She provides pop to the attack and is someone defenses must key in on or pay the price. Outside Leilani Giusta is another attacker defenses need to be concerned about. She’s a strong hit who adds physicality. At libero was Natalie Fukumoto and she was steady in consistent with her passing. Edison – The Chargers went 0-3 on Thursday, with losses to Le Jardin, Mira Costa and Sierra Canyon.

It’s a busy weekend ahead as the high school girls volleyball season begins to ramp up. There are three, three-day tournaments on tap for Aug. 11-13, including two big events in Texas along with one in Hawaii. ‘Iolani is hosting the prestigious Ann Kang Invitational, a 16-team field featuring teams from the island as well as California. The John Turner Classic is one of two in Texas and is made up of 44 teams, while the Mansfield tourney is comprised of 40 teams. vballrecruiter.com is making the trip to Hawaii to provide coverage of the Ann Kang tourney. Below, we give you a rundown of what to watch for. The first two days feature two pools of eight teams, while Day 3 wraps up pool play and then heads to bracket play to determine the champion. Top-seeded Mira Costa along with Sierra Canyon and Harvard-Westlake are very likely to be schools appearing in our initial Top 50 high school rankings coming out in a couple of weeks. Palos Verdes could also make the cut. Additionally, Sierra Canyon, Harvard-Westlake, Iolani, Punahou and Redondo Union are back together next month for the Durango Fall Classic taking place Sept. 16-17 in Las Vegas. Pool A Mira Costa Sierra Canyon Punahou Santa Margarita Moanahua Edison Le Jardin Maryknoll *** Pool B Harvard-Westlake ‘Iolani Redondo Union Palos Verdes Corona del Mar La Jolla Country Day Baldwin Hawaii Baptist *** The Ann Kang field features 17 players who appear in vballrecruiter.com’s player rankings. Here’s the breakdown: Edison Molly McCluskey Jr RS (3-star) *** Harvard-Westlake Ava-Marie Lange Sr OH (4-star) Grace Thrower Sr OH, (3-star) *** La Jolla Country Day Bianka Lulic Sr MB (4-star) *** Mira Costa Ameena Campbell Sr OH (3-star) Carly Greskovics Sr L (3-star) Drew Wright Sr OH (3-star) Charlie Fuerbringer Jr S/RS (5-star) *** Palos Verdes Kaci Demaria Soph OH (4-star) Kendall Beshear Jr OH (3-star) *** Redondo Union Mele Corral-Blagojevich Sr OH (4-star) *** Santa Margarita Brooklyn Drumwright Soph OH (3-star) *** Sierra Canyon Olivia Babcock Sr OH/RS (5-star) Lauren Lynch Soph L/DS (4-star) Danica Rach Jr OH (3-star) Madeline Way Jr MB (3-star) *** Punahou Melie Vaioleti Sr L/DS (3-star)

We’ve released a series of articles since updating our player rankings at the end of July. Among them have been introducing the newest 4-star recruits from the Class of 2025, tracking potential 5-star recruits as well as highlighting the newest 5-star recruits. Below, we bring you 29 players from the Class of 2024 whose ranking improved from 3 to 4-stars. Sarah Brodner, OH/RS, Jupiter HS, High Tide – We featured Brodner in our recent article tracking potential 5-star recruits. She was also part of the Class of 2024 group who moved up from 3 to 4-stars. She’s a 6-5 pin hitter with tons of upside. She’s one to track and could be special at the next level as she continues to gain strength and power. Kiarrah Horne, OH, Millbrook HS, Triangle – Horne is an athletic outside with next-level tangibles, such as being 6-1 and already touching 10-5. The sky’s the limit as she works her way toward the collegiate level. Taylor Williams, OH, St. Francis HS (Mountain View), Vision – After watching what Williams did and seeing her skills this past club season, Williams joins the 4-star rank. She’s a lanky 6-2 with a smooth arm and ability to tee off with big kills. Mia Tvrdy, MB, Papillion-LaVista HS, Premier Nebraska – Tvrdy is an impactful middle on both sides of the ball with her attacking and blocking capabilities. At 6-0, she has a strong arm and should be able to provide plenty of physicality at the next level. Madison Maxwell, S/RS, West Ranch HS, Legacy (CA) – An unheralded two-way player, Maxwell was a key component for Legacy – the 17 Premier gold medalist at AAU – this past club season. She’s a 6-2 setter/right side. While she’s a capable hitter, she seems destined to set at the collegiate level. With her length and nice touch, she should be a good get for a Top 50 program. Taylor Parks, S, Calvary Christian HS, OTVA – Parks is a fun setter to watch do her thing. She’s smooth and effortless and puts up a clean, hittable ball consistently. She’s 5-11, so not a super tall setter but not short either. She recently committed to Florida. Samantha Bowron, OH, Lake Brantley HS, Top Select – Bowron isn’t necessarily a flashy outside. She’s a type of player the more you watch, the more you appreciate what she brings to a lineup. She’s a six-rotation mainstay with a strong arm. At 6-0 and touching 10-2, she has plenty of potential to shine at the collegiate level. Bailey Higgins, RS, Berkley Prep HS, OTVA – Higgins is another player we recently featured in our tracking potential 5-star recruits. She’s a 6-1 lefty who touches 10-1 and has a hammer of an arm. Brooklyn Tealer, OH, Gainesville HS, Gainesville Jrs – We should have included Tealer in our potential 5-star recruits. For now, she moved up from 3 to 4-stars. She recently committed to USC and it’s easy to see why. She’s a 6-1, high-flying outside with a whippy arm who’s an effective scorer from the front and back row. Riley Whitlock, RS, Harrison HS, Boiler Jrs – The feeling here is Whitlock has lots of upside who could be a late-bloomer of sorts. She’s 6-0 with a good feel for the game and strong arm. Paityn Chapman, OH, Castle View HS, Co Jrs – A recent Tennessee commit, Chapman impressed during the past club season on the outside for Co Jrs. She’s capable of unloading on balls and is an offensive force at times. Mallory Bohl, MB, Saline HS, Legacy – Bohl certainly could make a mark at the next level and that’s part of the reason she moved up to 4-stars. She’s 6-3 and brings a presence to the middle. She’s already showing good strength and can be a disrupter at the net with her blocking. Molly Kate Patten, RS, Lambert HS, A5 – Patten was also part of the players we wrote about recently tracking potential 5-star recruits. A 6-5 lefty, she has a big ceiling when it comes to what she could become at the next level. She presents a big block on the right side and with her height has no issues going over blocks. Janelle Green, S, Blue Valley North HS, KC Power – Green is a high-energy setter and a great teammate. She has the perfect demeanor for a setter and that’s before getting to her skills. She has great hands and is accurate. She’s a recent Cincinnati commit.    London Wijay, OH, Alemany HS, Supernova – A 5-11 wirey outside, Wijay is springy with a loose arm. She was the go-to for Supernova this past club season and showed a nice knack for scoring with a variety of shots. Lolo Lambert, OH, Bishop Lynch HS, Drive Nation – Lambert is an athlete who besides playing volleyball indoor and on the beach is a sprinter as while as high and long jumper. She played last season for Skyline but will be part of Drive Nation this upcoming club season. She jumps well with a live arm and can be tough to slow down. Kennedy Washington, MB, Red Oak HS, TAV – Washington brings physicality to the lineup when she checks in front row. She’s 6-0 with a big arm and strong block and is built for the next level.   Jenna Hanes, MB, Cathedral Catholic HS, Wave – A recent Michigan commit, Hanes was a key in the middle for Wave this past club season. She’s a 6-3, two-way contributor who touches 10-0. She has a keen scoring sense who can put it down or find the open spots to tip to. She also showed good timing with her blocking. Isabel Clark, OH, Mater Dei HS, Momentous – Clark was the go-to left side for Momentous. She’s 6-0 with a big arm that generates plenty of pop. She has tons of upside and showed nice improvement in terms of consistency. Erin Debiec, S, Bishop O’Connell HS,

Hannah Beauford, shown playing for Drive Nation this past club season, is looking to make an impact for Prosper this fall. The 2022 high school volleyball season is underway in Texas! Saturday, Aug. 6, vballrecruiter.com was on hand watching the Lovejoy HS scrimmages with host Lovejoy, Gunter, Prosper and Prestonwood Christian. I had a chance to see potential starting lineups along with the “off the bench” athletes finding their groove. Here is a brief preview of these teams from what I saw. Lovejoy HS has big shoes to fill but they have plenty of depth to fill in the voids. Returning for the State 5A Powerhouse program includes North Texas commit SR MB Hannah Gonzalez (3-Star Recruit), JR S Bethanie Wu (4-Star) and JR Opp/DS Reagan Fitzsimmons. Other names to start remembering are SO MB/Opp Shelby Burriss (3-Star), Illinois state move-in JR S Nicole Cornell and a trio of DS’s to watch in JR Mckenna Brand, JR Isa Camacho, and JR Kalin Carlson. Gunter HS returns a large core of the Texas UIL 3A runner up squad which includes Southern Nazarene commit SR OH Rayanna Mauldin and Texas Wesleyan commit SR MB Hanna Rubis. Other stand out athletes included UTSA commit SR Miranda Putnicki, SR L Briley Singleton, Hendrix commit SR S Adilynn Henry, JR S Brelee Mauldin and SO OH Chloe Johnson. Prestonwood Christian was the lone TAPPS school at this scrimmage. The TAPPS State runner up squad includes JR OH Jadyn Livings (5-Star), JR OH Mikala Young (4-Star), JR S Camille Edwards (5-Star), and SO L Gillian Pitts (5-Star). Newcomers include U19 USA Team athlete SO OH Macari Spears (5-Star), SO S Taylor Cook (4-Star) and JR MB Autumn Smith. Spears did not play in the scrimmage. Prosper HS returns another great lineup of returners heading into the season which include Alabama commit S SR Callie Kieffer (4-Star), Louisiana Lafayette commit SR OH Ella Chaney, Gonzaga commit SR L Brianna Martin, Nebraska commit OH/MB Ayden Ames (5-Star) and JR OH Reese Renfrow (3-Star). Newcomers looking to make an impact this season include SO S Hannah Beauford (3-Star), FR S/Opp Danielle Whitmire (5-Star), and FR MB Jayla Jackson (3-Star).