Athletes Ready To Make An All State Campaign

So close, this season is so close. High school coaches are asking, “Where did the summer go?”. Parents are saying, “I can’t believe my daughter is going to be a (insert grade level here)”. An exciting time, an anxious time, an emotional time, but all provides an energy to be found in gyms in high schools across the state. This article takes a look at athletes who are bound to make a push for an All-State team. Here’s the catch, they cannot be on an All-State Team from 2017. Sorry Hannah Vanden Berg from Little Chute and Tayler Alden from Oconomowoc, you had your big year last year. Addison Barnes won’t be on this list with two 1st Team All State honors under her belt. Fans might be surprised at some of the big names who have not made the list in previous years, but could this be their year? Take a look at the names who are pushing to make an All State team. Emily Banitt and Halle Olson - Junior - Outside Hitters - River Falls The secret is out on the girls from River Falls. After an undefeated regular season and a run to the state championship game, they are the Western Wisconsin force to be reckon with. With Marissa Stockman out of the middle and on to Illinois State, Banitt and Olson will be heavy hitters for the Panthers this season who are looking to make their third consecutive trip to the state tournament. With both being Division 1 caliber athletes, they have been through the building blocks of what is now an extremely strong program at River Falls. Also look for Anna Wolf and Maddi Kealy setting to make their breakout performance this year as well! Maggie Cartwright - Senior - Outside Hitter - Kimberly Committed to Arkansas Cartwright was one of the top hitters for the Papermakers who made it to the Division 1 state tournament in 2017, but will be even more of a go to hitter this year along with Courtney Pearson on the pin. Cartwright was honorable mention last season and has all the physical tools to take over a game from the front or backrow and the grit to find a way. With Kimberly losing some top hitters to graduation they will still be a force with strong athletes at every position, but Cartwright is definitely one to keep an eye on. Maddie Koch - Senior - Outside Hitter - Ashwaubenon Committed to Purdue When Koch was a Freshman she wasn’t even on the radar in the volleyball world. Now she will be one of the top Class of 2019 recruits heading into the Big 10 following graduation. The ceiling is incredibly high and now Koch has a solid core of athletes surrounding her in Maddie Crowley and setter, Maria Sherer. The parts are put in place for a solid year from the Jags. Karlee Lois - Junior - Setter - Union Grove If Lois played basketball, her style would be the point guard who could take over a game by scoring 25 points or by having a triple double stock piling assists. A solid year at setting for Wisconsin Juniors, Lois finds the open spot for her hitters or for herself attacking with her left hand in the front row. An honorable mention selection last year, Lois and Union Grove will be much improved and with Lois’s ability to take over a game puts her in prime position to be among one of the top players in the state. Kasey Bell - Senior - Middle Blocker - Sheboygan North Committed To Loyola Bell has had some tough luck on the injury side during her career at North, but this could be the breakout year for Bell to take over a game and be one of the most dominate hitters in the FRCC. She has the physicality at the net to make her presence known and with fellow Senior setter, Annie Hopp the two could make a lethal combination in the middle. Lizzie Binder - Sophomore - Outside/Right Side - Sheboygan North Binder is a match up nightmare! Put her on the left side and she can swing away with a repertoire of shots, put her on the right side and she is a total shut down defender. Oh, and she plays backrow too, really well in fact. I may be dating myself, but if Karl Malone was a volleyball player, I imagine him to have a similar style to Binder where its a combination of power and finesse that is so tough to defend. Binder, like the "Mailman" delivers (even on Sundays). Milla Malik - Junior - Outside Hitter - Waunakee Malik jumped into Waunakee’s program late in the summer moving from Galena, IL and was an instant impact, with Waunakee making it to the state tournament. Malik is an explosive outside with one of the most violent arm swings in her class of outside hitters. Get her in the backrow and she can do the same. Each time she steps on the court, she just gets better. Waunakee is so solid all around and will be a favorite to get back to Green Bay with a solid core of Seniors to lead. Katie Mattson - Senior - Outside Hitter/Middle - Luck Mattson can do it all. Extremely dynamic for Luck which is located in Western Wisconsin, Northeast of St. Paul, MN. Watching Mattson play live you can really see her ability to adjust to any position and that's where her athleticism is really showcased. Luck has been strong, and for Mattson’s Senior year they will be looking for a deep post season run in the quietly deceptive and strong sectional up there with the likes of Mercer and defending state champion, Clayton. Laura Shoopman - Senior - Right Side/Outside - Westosha Central Committed To Oral Roberts Shoopman is a force on the right side and such a high IQ player. She is able to play all six rotations and could step in and set if she needed. After a solid club season, Shoopman will be the go to for the Falcons who are loaded with a Senior dominated group with the likes of Sierra Lee and Kennedy Muff. Ari Miller - Senior - Middle Blocker - Kettle Moraine Lutheran Committed To UW-Milwaukee Miller is so ready to be the go to for KML. After being highly ranked last year and being upset in the playoffs they will be poised for another run with a new blend of athletes which include Giana Feld and Elle Truckenbrod. Miller is so quick and athletic on the net, she finds a way to close the block and her attack off one foot is so lethal. Elise Goetzinger - Junior - Middle Blocker - Mount Horeb Committed To Kentucky Goetzinger is going to be good, scary good. The middle who stands at 6’3 will be heading to play at Kentucky in two years, but has plenty of unfinished business in high school first. Mount Horeb fell one game short of the state tournament and with the evolved game of Goetzinger, they will have their eyes on the Resch come November. Goetzinger has the athletic ability to play any position on the court. She is so valuable, I wouldn’t be surprised to see this middle play six rotations. Her body language, competitive spirit, and will to win is too big to keep off the court for three rotations. Keep an eye on her, she has something special about that talent!