Season in Review – UIL 1A: The Class of 2024
The high school volleyball season in Texas ended just a couple of months ago and if you followed PrepDig.com’s coverage, you certainly didn’t miss anything that happened when the best teams of the Lone Star state clashed in their State…
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Continue ReadingThe high school volleyball season in Texas ended just a couple of months ago and if you followed PrepDig.com’s coverage, you certainly didn’t miss anything that happened when the best teams of the Lone Star state clashed in their State Championships in Garland.
The champions have all been deservedly recognized, so now we’ll take some time to highlight the most intriguing prospects that stood out during the season with consistent and efficient play for their high schools.
We start with the University Interscholastic League (UIL) 1A Division, which saw Neches secure its third-straight State Championship title. The class of 2024 made a great impression in their first year of high school volleyball, especially this Blum trio:
Addison Willingham – Middle-Blocker/Outside Hitter – Blum
It took Addison Willingham no time to adapt to Blum and make a huge impact in the team’s game. The 5’11” middle-blocker immediately became the team’s top player in her first year of high school volleyball and her outstanding production was one of the reasons why the Lady Cats appeared at last year’s State Championship final. Very athletic and technically-gifted, Willingham generated 230 kills, 35 aces, 21 blocks, 83 digs and 142 passes in the team’s last campaign and was its most productive player in the State Championship final with ten kills. She made it to the All-Tournament team and was also part of the Texas Sports Writers Association (TSWA) All-State first team.
Ruby Rumohr – Setter – Blum
Setters typically take years to mature, but Rudy Rumohr showed in 2020 that the process can be shortened with talent and hard work. The setter guided Blum to a State Championship final in her first year of high school volleyball and earned an All-State second-team nomination according to the Texas Sports Writers Association (TSWA). That selection can be justified by her solid and prolific play, which is highlighted by 466 assists, 20 of which at the State Championship final, 91 digs and 25 aces. And she still got a lot of room and time to improve.
Kayden Arrington – Libero – Blum
Defense was one of the main forces in Blum’s game last season and Kayden Arrington deserves some of the credit for it. The 5’3” proved to be a massive improvement to the team in that department as she immediately took control of the Lady Cats’ backcourt game with the right mix of quality and leadership. A very technical player, Arrington led her team in both digs (358, including a team-high 15 at the State Championship final) and passes (332) but also produced at a very high level from the service line with 42 aces, the second-best mark in the team. The defender was nominated for both the All-Tournament team and the Texas Sports Writers Association (TSWA) All-State first team.