Class 2A: The Dominant Blockers

<p>One of the most exciting parts of any volleyball match, blocking is an important skill in any team’s defensive system. A good presence at the net is vital for teams willing to make deep runs in tournaments and these five schools will have some of the best in business at the  Washington state Class 2A in the upcoming season.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="96981" first="Allie" last="Andrew"] – Middle-Blocker – Senior – Ridgefield</strong></p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="96981" first="Allie" last="Andrew"] drew the attention of multiple colleges across the country – she already committed to Baylor – for a number of reasons and blocking is certainly one of the most important of them. One of the tallest prospects in the state at 6’4”, the Ridgefield stand out has a massive presence at the net, but also quick feet to move well and impressive body control to execute blocking moves when in the air. An All-State second-team selection in 2019 and prepdig.com’s number two player in the class of 2021 ranking, she is expected to make an impact for the Spudders again next season.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="96982" first="Emma" last="Swett"] – Middle-Blocker – Senior – Woodland</strong></p> <p>Ranked third in prepdig.com’s class of 2021 ranking, [player_tooltip player_id="96982" first="Emma" last="Swett"] has drastically improved her blocking game after her freshman year with Woodland in 2017. As a result, the 6’1” middle-blocker combined for 87 blocks in 2018 and 2019, finishing second among the Beavers in both occasions, earning an All-State honorable mention in her latest campaign.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Morgan Halady – Middle-Blocker – Senior - Kingston</strong></p> <p>Morgan Halady’s sophomore season for Kingston in 2018 was fast and furious. In just five sets of action, she registered massive numbers for the Buccaneers, including 15 blocks. Her playing time improved during her junior year and the 6’1” middle-blocker responded accordingly, raising her blocking total to 44 points and earning an All-State team honorable mention.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="97099" first="Ellie" last="Lombard"] – Middle-Blocker/Right Sider – Junior – Mountlake Terrace</strong></p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="97099" first="Ellie" last="Lombard"] has put on multiple block parties during the 2019 season while playing for Mountlake Terrace and is now part of prepdig.com's class of 2022 watch list. The 6’2” middle-blocker was lights out on her sophomore campaign and registered 142 blocking points for the Hawks, more than all of her teammates combined, averaging 2.2 per set. She had double-digit blocking performances in three of 19 matches the team played last year, scoring 12 against Shorecrest, 11 over Sammamish and ten in the match-up with Sedro-Woolley.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Charity Hines – Middle-Blocker – Senior - Steilacoom </strong></p> <p>Charity Hines is another 6’4” middle-blocker who’s putting her size to good use in the division as she was a key player for Steilacoom in 2019. The dual-athlete, who also plays basketball, was impressive at the net, registering 102 blockings over the season - an average of 1.5 per set. She had her best performances of the season against Fife, scoring 12 and 14 points when the Sentinels meet the Trojans last year.</p>