Mizuno Cross Court Classic: The Versatile Prospects
In this article:
There was a lot of volleyball in Houston this past weekend with the 2021 edition of the Mizuno Cross Court Classic taking place at the George R. Brown Convention Center from Saturday to Sunday. The tournament featured nearly 700 teams…
Access all of Prep Dig
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingThere was a lot of volleyball in Houston this past weekend with the 2021 edition of the Mizuno Cross Court Classic taking place at the George R. Brown Convention Center from Saturday to Sunday.
The tournament featured nearly 700 teams and had divisions from the 11s to the 18s in an infrastructure that had volleyball going on in as many as 85 courts inside the building. We focused our coverage in the 15s, 16s and 17s Open division and will present the top performers during the week.
This article will be centered on the most versatile players of these divisions. The ability to play in different positions or to perform a variety of roles on the court is always much welcomed by coaches and offers a high level of flexibility for teams. Here are some players who stood out in that department.
Meghan Donoughue Meghan Donoughue 5'10" | OH Friendswood | 2023 State TX – Setter/Opposite – HOU Stellar 15 Premier – HS: Friendswood – 2024
Megan Donoughue can do it all on the right side of the court. The 5’9” HOU Stellar 15 Premier prospect is a very talented setter who excels for a great ball distribution and superior decision-making skills. She can also play as an opposite, and her coach benefited from that to keep hitters at the net for most of the time in matches. Donoughue is a very interesting hitter because of her 5’9” frame and the fact that she’s a left-handed player. In either position, she showed to be a very intense and dynamic player.
Angelina Herrera – Middle-Blocker/Right Sider – South TX Evolution 171 – HS: O’Connor – 2022
Angelina Herrera is a very strong offensive player who can hit from anywhere on a volleyball court and has a similar level of efficiency when hitting quick or high sets. She used those offensive skills to be an important player for South TX Evolution 171 during the tournament. Her 6’1” frame certainly helps a great deal, but she’s a very technical and efficient hitter too, who can score at ease from the left, right, or middle. She’s a specialist in the slide hit and has the ability to score from the backcourt if necessary. That level of versatility will certainly help her going forward as it gives coaches a great deal of flexibility and alternatives on how to maximize her skills.
Bromli Watson – Setter/Opposite – CC Force 151 Crossfire – HS: Cuero – 2024
Bromli Watson did a fine job in leading CC Force 151 Crossfire during the tournament. She showed interesting skills for a setter, including her 5’11” and a nice touch on the ball. Watson played a relatively simple game, but it was also a very efficient one, which kept all of her hitters involved in the game. At times she was used as an opposite when at the net and performed just as well, carrying the same uncomplicated and efficient game to her offensive duties.
Carrington Jaimes – Middle-Blocker – AP 15 Adidas – 2024
Carrington Jaimes showed a well-rounded game during the tournament, much more complete than many would expect from a middle-blocker. The 5’9” AP 15 Adidas prospect took care of her duties at the net with strong hitting and blocking games, but well above-average in the backcourt. Jaimes is not only a very good server but also an excellent defender and passer to the point that the team’s libero wouldn’t come in for her when she was off the net. Jaimes plays beach volleyball too, which certainly helped to shape her all-around game.