The latest Tour of Texas stop brought the action to the greater Houston area. With more time under their belts from the first stop, the level and competition took a big step up as teams looked to gain momentum heading into Triple Crown and qualifying season. vballrecruiter.com spent time watching the action on Day 1 and Day 2. With the play spread out across multiple sites, we weren’t able to see every age group both days. However, we were able to catch the action from the 14-17s at various times and below we present the first part of the players who stood out to us the most with our Show Stoppers.
SHOW STOPPERS PART 1
Halle Thompson OH Hou Skyline 16 Royal: Thompson’s quickness, agility and leaping ability was on full display. She elevates with ease and unleashes with a fury, making it challenging for defenses to contain her.
Jayden Robinson OH Hou Skyline 16 Royal: The size and length Robinson brings to the attack is a real problem. She can extend way up and hit straight over blocks and down. She’s also a legit threat from the back row as well.
Julianna Hernandez L/DS TAV 16 Black: An energetic defender, Hernandez adds a spark in the back row. She’s quick, covers well and was passing consistently out of serve receive.
Kinsley Young MB TAV 16 Black: Young brought physicality to the front row. She has a power arm and puts up a wall of a block.
Anna Flores S/RS TAV 16 Black: Flores is a heady two-way contributor. She’s rarely off with her location and also is able to mix up and place her shots nicely.
Danielle Whitmire S/RS TAV 16 Black: Whitmire is another key cog in what TAV is looking to do. She’s the other half of the 6-2 the team runs and she’s a legit scorer who can beat defenses in multiple ways.
Henley Anderson OH Austin Skyline 16 Royal: Anderson is one of the top recruits in the class because of her size and skill. She can eliminate blocks by going over them and powering balls down. She’s also effective from the back row.
Riley Malloy OH Austin Skyline 16 Royal: Malloy’s size and length is next-level and reason why Austin Skyline boasts one of the most formidable outside duos in the country. She’s another one who can get up and go right over blocks.
Christa Wilburn OH/RS Austin Skyline 16 Royal: Wilburn adds a vital piece to the lineup because of her versatility. Depending on what the team wants to do, she can lineup on the left or the right and has the arm to deliver either way.
Rileigh Butler L/DS Austin Skyline 16 Royal: Butler was bringing it in the back row and making plays to extend rallies. Teams were also avoided going at her in serve receive.
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Ava Carrasquillo S/RS AP 16 Adidas: Carrasquillo is an integral piece of the lineup. Not only because she sets and hits but because the level that she does it as. Her team definitely looks to get her the ball when she’s front row and when she’s back row setting, she does well mixing up her sets and moving the ball around.
Jenna Hehman OH AP 16 Adidas: Hehman is a bit undersized on the left but she’s a feisty outside who doesn’t back down from a challenge. She was going right at bigger blocks and swinging freely.
Addison Musgrove S/RS Hou Skyline 14 Royal: Musgrove can play a couple of roles in the lineup. She can set across the back row and sub out or she can stay in and hit across the front. She’s a steady disher with consistent location. She’s also a capable attacker who can score when her number is called.
Jada Skinner OH Hou Skyline 14 Royal: Skinner is a wirey attacker who can elevated quickly and unload. She’s someone defenses need to be aware of front and back row because she’s can score from both.
Hailey Tinnell MB Hou Skyline 14 Royal: Tinnell brings adds length to the front row. She can be tough to hit around when blocking and also provides a scoring option when she’s in.
Taylor Johnson OH Skyline 14 Royal: Johnson is a six-rotation left side who provides her share of punch to the attack. She’s an athletic outside who can really swing it and deliver.
Elizabeth Goodlett RS Skyline 14 Royal: Goodlett is another factor on offense. She’s long and can get on top of the ball and beat defenses sideline to sideline.
Chloe Smith MB Skyline 14 Royal: Smith is another player who adds size across the front row, along with versatility. She can lineup in the middle or on the right and score from either position.
Sade Bello OH HJV 14 Elite: Bello is an up-and-comer in her class. She flashes serious potential at times that shouts next-level material.
Else St. Rose MB HJV 14 Elite: Rose is an impact middle. She’s seemingly always making some sort of play – whether it be hitting or attacking – to contribute when she’s in the lineup.
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Brynn Lagasse OH TAV Houston 14 Elite: Lagasse is a central part of the attacker as the go-to hitter in the lineup. She has a lively arm and is a free-swinger who lets it fly often.
Maya Ogbogu OH Madfrog 14 Green: Ogbogu is one of the best players in her class with limitless upside. She’s a physical attacker who can overpower defenses with her speed and strength.
Nailah Randle OH SA Jrs 15 Adidas: Randle is another rising sensation and she too displays next-level potential. She can really get up and hit from high angles that are very difficult to defend and stop.
Kherynton Chinnis MB Skyline 15 Royal: Chinnis is a handful in the middle. She can deliver resounding blocks as well as thunderous kills.
Parker Horton MB Skyline 15 Royal: Horton is another middle Skyline can turn to as she too can get it done on both sides of the ball. She brings nice size to the position and gives the team a formidable 1-2 punch in the middle.
Ryan Spencer OH Skyline 15 Royal: Spencer is a six-rotation outside with a fluid arm. She can bring it front and back row and was scoring regularly.
Dakota Huynh L/DS Skyline 15 Royal: Huynh was flying around the court and extending rallies with her hustle and effort.
Vanessa Glenn OH Madfrog 15 Green: A high-flying outside, Glenn was producing big-time kills at times. She’s an easy-jumper with a terminal arm she uses to hurt defenses with.
Sydney Strenger MB Excel 17 National Red: Excel is a tough opponent to deal with and part of that is Strenger’s ability to score. She’s a smart hitter who places her shots well and proved tough to slow down.
Anna Barr RS Excel 17 National Red: Barr adds size on the right side. She can provide a lift blocking and helping to slow down hitters as well as take her turn and beating defenses with her arm.
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Piper Mickenheim L/DS Excel 17 National Red: Michenheim is a scrappy defender who helps define the style Excel plays with. She shows no fear in the back row and does well covering at the net.
Kimanni Rugley MB AVA TX 17 Adidas: Rugley brings physicality to the court. She’s a strong middle who puts up a solid block plus she can connect and score with her powerful arm.
Kennedi Rogers OH AVA TX 17 Adidas: Rogers is a bit undersized but makes up for it with how well she gets in the air. She too has a strong arm and can blast balls from corner to corner.
Megan Fitch OH Alamo 17 Premier: Fitch is the do-it-all outside who gives Alamo the ability to beat anyone with the way she can get it going. She takes a lot of swings and can hurt defenses with the way she can get over blocks and send shots deep to the corner.
Parker Duncan OH AJV 17 Adidas: Duncan is a wirey outside with a quick swing. She can sling shots with plenty of pace and make life tough on defenses.
Hannah Beauford S Drive Nation 17 Red: Beauford is a heady setter who not only does well dishing the ball to her various hitters, but making plays that frustrate opponents and help earn her team points they might otherwise not.
Keirstyn Carlton MB Drive Nation 17 Red: Carlton is a real component of the attack in the middle. Drive Nation likes to get her involved as much as possible, be it on quick sets or running her wide on the slide.
Morgan Madison L/DS Hou Skyline 17 Royal: Madison is a wall of a defender who is tough to get shots down on with any consistency.
Ella Lewis OH Hou Skyline 17 Royal: Lewis is a glue piece who helps steady out the lineup. She’s a smart hitter who knows when to just get her shot over and when to really load up and go for it.
Isabella Ocampo OH Skyline 17 Royal: Ocampo is a six-rotation stalwart who is above average in every facet. She’s a solid passer and defender and a smart hitter who knows how to read what the defense is doing and counter.
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Sophia Thornburg OH Skyline 17 Royal: Thornburg has a solid arm and is able to blast shots when the opportunity is there. She carries her share of the offense and for good reason as she’s a reliable scorer.
