What High Schools Are Rising High In the Club Season

With all the rankings out and the club season coming to a halfway point for most, the cream is starting to rise to the top. Patterns start to develop and teams for the upcoming fall are starting to think about their summer program and ultimately the school season for a chance to play at the Resch. I know there are plenty of teams who are having solid offseasons, but this list is comprised of teams who have not been to the state tournament for a couple years. They’ve all had success, they’ve been close, but could this year be the year they break through and make history for their high school programs. Sheboygan North Three seniors in the top 100 of the Class of 2019 in Dru Kuck, Kasey Bell, and Annie Hopp. Kuck is the top recruit out of 2019 heading to Wisconsin and is such a gamechanger at libero. Bell, who has been plagued by some injuries throughout her career is on path to have a breakout Seniors eason while Hopp is the steady, and smooth setter. They also have DS, Hope Sholten, who is in the top 100 of the Class of 2020 as DS and now enter Lizzie Binder, a top five prospect out of the Class of 2021 whose stock is skyrocketing. After losing Lauren Spaulding to graduation, North will have a six rotation outside to replace, but with the power they have coming back they will be a force to reckon with in not only the Fox River Classic Conference, but in their Sectional as well, which is absolutely loaded with the likes of Oconomowoc, Neenah, and West Bend West. Wisconsin Lutheran Last season Wisconsin Lutheran was putting the pieces together to make up for the loss of Elle Van Grinsven who went on to be on the All Freshman Missouri Vally Conference Team at Loyola in Chicago, but as of this offseason this upcoming high school season will be quite the bounceback for Wisco. In the Class of 2019, Wisconsin Lutheran has Grace Beyer and Carissa Sundholm who are making great progress at Milwaukee Sting and libero Morgan Dunn playing for Wisconsin Juniors 17-1. Julia Treichel who is an outside full of power and energy that can score points from any rotation on the court. Treichel is playing for Motion 16 Blue which has been a consistent force in the A-B bracket of the Great Lakes Power League. Natalie Tesch will be a solid force on the right side after playing for Milwaukee Sting 15 Black this offseason. This team may not be the biggest, but with great ball control and lots of grit they will be a tough opponent this Fall. Pewaukee Pewaukee fell one match short of the state tournament after knocking off Kettle Moraine Lutheran, and then losing to traditional power Catholic Memorial in the Sectional Final. They will have outside Hannah Sebert back, but there will also be a crew of upcoming Sophomores that will be ready to make an instant impact (Class of 2021). For middle blockers, the Pirates will have Elsa Shephard who is around six feet tall, libero Ally Longden, and outside Jordan Berglin. Hailey Boelter-Eberhardt will be a returning Sophomore setter too! Most of these players have been having great club seasons for Milwaukee Sting or Midwest Penguins. The experience of playing in a Sectional Final is so important for players early in their career to know what to expect when and if they get back to that position. Sussex Hamilton Hamilton will have two incoming juniors with high level club experience with Sarah Schrader and Jessica Bagley, but the incoming Sophomore class, much like Pewaukee is loaded! There are six players in the top 90 of the Class of 2021 who go to Hamilton High School. Leading with Lakyn Graves who is the #7 prospect playing for Sting 15 Gold and Kayla Lewinksi who is having a solid year on the right side for Midwest Penguins, the Chargers will be a little young, but extremely talented. East Troy East Troy suffered a tough postseason loss to Lakeside Lutheran in five sets who eventually went on to win a state title in D2. Brianna Scuric had 388 kills last year on the outside and will be back for her senior season. Matison Jakscht and Isabelle Martino, who are also part of the Class of 2019 have been playing for Capital Volleyball this offseason. Jakscht had over 400 digs last season. On the right side, Katie Winkler is a top twenty prospect from the Class of 2021. As a Freshman, Winkler had 200 kills and is a go to player for Milwaukee Sting 15 Black being very physical, athletic, and a heavy swing with the left hand. The top teams in Division 2 have lost quite a few weapons to graduation and East Troy will be looking to make some noise and hopefully capture a gold ball at the Resch. Mercer Don’t forget about this school from “Up North”. Mercer was a Division 4 school that had over thirty wins with a talented group of underclassmen. In order to get to the state tournament they will have to dethrone Clayton in their Sectional. The Tigers will depend on Aubrey Shoeneman, Ella Torkelson, and Ava Barton. A five set loss in the sectional semifinals to Shell Lake, losing 19-17 in the final set is enough fuel for the fire to motivate this team in the offseason.