On the Rise: Five 2021 Prospects Making Big Contributions

Mike Bryant September 30, 2019 @ 08:59 PM

Stock risers are fun to report about, especially when they increasingly are making big contributions to their respective team's success. Here is a list of five athletes that continue to grow their value as their teams prepare for a late season push, one that will set the stage for their postseason aspirations and an opportunity to be observed on the biggest stage. KALI ENGEMAN - Minnetonka | 6'1 | MB | Prep Dig #27 Engeman continues to establish herself as a major factor in the Skippers' effort. At 6'1, Engeman's presence is felt in a variety of ways. Offensively she can score from a variety of quick-offense attack points and is equally effective off one or two feet. Her transition work is quick and efficient to help her be available often throughout the course of a back-and-forth point. Defensively she has great movement and instincts at the net. Her quickness gets her to the pins and over the net where she has great handwork to send the ball back on the opponent's side. She is a prospect that continues to make gains with each experience. Engeman is a big part of Minnetonka's current run as the #10 ranked class AAA team as her work ethic and competitiveness are among the best. HANNAH HOWELL - St. Louis Park | 6'0 | OH | Prep Dig #51 There has been a steady surge in Howell's effectiveness this year. She is the Oriole's top producer and has helped them compete very well among some high quality opponents. She has fluid mechanics that get her to the ball on balance and allow her arm to hit the full range of the court with good heat. She has good size at 6'0 tall and provides good defensive numbers to complement her work in the front row. As the team around her has improved in their ability to score points from various positions within their offense that has created more room for Howell to find success. MEGAN REILLY - Northfield | 6'0 | OH | Prep Dig #54 Reilly develops great momentum in her approach work that allows her to be very aggressive with her arm. There is a quickness in her arm and torque that helps her generate a lot of pace. She is an effective defender at the net as her size allows to fill up good space across the tape. Her role and point scoring are flanked by a handful of other attackers in the Northfield lineup but she has the ability and confidence to be the go-to when a big point is needed. The Raiders are currently ranked #2 in class AAA at 17-1 overall with a legitimate shot at a state championship trophy. ALEAH ZIESKE - New London-Spicer | 5'10 | RS/OH | Prep Dig #59 Zieske's impact is greater than what you might think her 5'10 frame could create upon first glimpse. Although her size is shy of six-feet, she has a fast arm that often gets the ball on the defender with great pace. She has good slow-to-fast footwork that develops good flow in her approach mechanics and she can be equally effective from both pins. Her athleticism also make her an effective blocker. She complements the New London-Spicer offense well and has helped the Wildcats to a 21-1 record and a #9 ranking in class AA. OLIVIA CAREL - St. Michael-Albertville | 6'1 | OH | Prep Dig #67 Carel continues to emerge as a critical asset to the Knights' offensive and defensive plans. Among this current list, she arguably has made the biggest gains this season relative to her individual ranking in the class of 2021. As her confidence has grown so has her assertiveness as she increasingly has seen more opportunities, which has increased her point scoring output. She brings good size to the net at 6'1 and can disrupt opposing attackers when blocking. Carel could be considered the x-factor for the Knights' success in the latter stages of the regular season and into the playoffs. STMA recently won the Blaine Invitational among a collection of very good teams and currently sit just outside of the top 10 in class AAA.