2022 Attackers Stand Out At Prep Dig Battle In The Valley

Breit Nelson May 9, 2021 @ 02:58 PM

Last weekend I had the pleasure of covering the Prep Dig Battle In The Valley. The tournament was structured to give teams the opportunities to compete in well-balanced matches and get the most out of their time on the court. With COVID-19 the opportunities for athletes to compete have been adjusted and limited over the past year, but at Prep Dig we’ve worked to give athletes plenty of opportunities to play in a safe environment. We managed to fill 12 courts through the weekend with great match-ups. Below are a few junior attackers who are fired up for their senior campaigns. [player_tooltip player_id="118260" first="Abbi" last="Martin"] – 2022 – 6’1 – Middle Blocker – Mosinee – Wisconsin Ice 18 National Martin is mainly seen playing the role of middle blocker, but she is actually very effective on the pins as well, and that versatility makes her extremely valuable. She has a good tempo to her approach to go with her height, vertical, long reach, and high swing. This helps Martin play at a whole other level above the net. She made a statement as a varsity starter in 2020 after Mosinee graduated their long-time middles. Martin is a solid blocker and drives hard to close every block. [player_tooltip player_id="103719" first="Kierney" last="McDonald"] – 2022 – 6’1 – Middle Blocker – Rockridge – Iowa Select 17 Mizuno (IL/IA) McDonald is an energetic, strong middle blocker who is consistently engaged, which makes her incredibly quick in-system. She has a quick approach to the ball, isn’t afraid to take an aggressive swing, and knows how to help her team score points. McDonald has the ability to run plays in any situation and pulls the blockers’ attention making her a real threat. [player_tooltip player_id="143430" first="Mia" last="Quist"] – 2022 – 5’8 – Outside Hitter – Mauston – V-Hawk Xtreme 17-Adidas Quist carries herself with confidence and records points from the endline as well as she does in the front row. Her serve-receive and defense are controlled and on point, and she can play either middle back or left back proficiently. Quist is a smooth six-rotation outside with the ability to turn line. [player_tooltip player_id="117354" first="Mickenzi" last="Benter"] – 2022 – 5’9 – Right Side Hitter – Fox Valley Lutheran – Impact 17 National Benter has many angles and shots in her toolbox. She has an athletic stature, and when she’s in the zone, she can dominate with ease on either pin. Benter has been really finding her own as a hitter, and she is turning into quite a dominant, six-rotation hitter. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/05/Casey-Frankland-Ice-18N-crop-4451x2923-1620432319.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-141420" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/05/Casey-Frankland-Ice-18N-crop-4451x2923-1620432319-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a>[player_tooltip player_id="81338" first="Casey" last="Frankland"] – 2022 – 5’10 – Outside Hitter – Marshfield – Wisconsin Ice 18 National Frankland is quick off the ground and her arm swing is really fast. She made the most of her varsity season, helped her team to a conference title, and took that momentum to make Ice 18 National. As a former gymnast, Frankland utilized that explosive power to become a dominant hitter. She is getting some quality court time for Ice, and she is greatly improving as an all-around player because of it. [player_tooltip player_id="90601" first="Gabriella" last="Magee"] – 2022 – 5’10 – Middle Blocker – Homestead – Wisconsin Premier 17 Teal The 5’10 Homestead prep jumped out at the Prep Dig Battle In The Valley this past weekend with Magee’s ability to contact the ball at such a high point, snap fast, and pinpoint either corner. Her lateral quickness and quick elevation help her earn kills for her team. Magee hits over and through most blocks, but she also has a number of shots. She is smart with the ball and is more than just a solid blocker.