Back To School: Study Guide For Warhawk Open at Whitewater

We’re back to school. With schools kicking off the 2021-2022 school year, we’re somewhat back to “normal’ with most schools and schedules being similar for the first time since March of 2020. This also means that Prep Dig fans can have a little study guide heading into one the biggest tournaments of opening weekend with the Warhawk Open on the campus of UW-Whitewater. Teams from around the state will be looking to make big statements this weekend where it may be a precursor to some big post season matchups. Here is what you need to know heading into the tournament? Who Are The Top Seeds Going Into The Weekend? The top seeds of each pool are Waterloo, Lakeside Lutheran, McFarland, Platteville, Union Grove, and Kenosha Bradford. All of these teams, besides Bradford have played in the state tournament in the past two seasons. Waterloo and Lakeside Lutheran were the D3 and D2 runner-ups in 2020. Waterloo will return Senior libero [player_tooltip player_id="57270" first="Michaela" last="Riege"] and two really dynamic outside hitters in [player_tooltip player_id="91885" first="Sophia" last="Schneider"] and [player_tooltip player_id="91886" first="Rylee" last="Duessler"]. Schneider is one of the top setters in the state as well. Lakeside Lutheran brings in a really athletic and physical team where they will have a strong first contact in [player_tooltip player_id="91928" first="Cheyenne" last="Johnson"], smooth setter in [player_tooltip player_id="151419" first="Olivia" last="Bartels"], and middle blocker [player_tooltip player_id="149698" first="Ella" last="DeNoyer"] who is a force to be reckoned with. McFarland has athletes everywhere. UW-Stevens Point commit, [player_tooltip player_id="57284" first="Maddy" last="Fortune"] will run the show as the do it all setter and will have three returning attackers who can score plenty of points in outsides [player_tooltip player_id="57273" first="Hannah" last="Rounds"] and [player_tooltip player_id="81270" first="Avery" last="Pennekamp"] with [player_tooltip player_id="91899" first="Gwen" last="Crull"] out of the middle who can do it all along the net offensively and defensively. In the Bradford pool, there happens to be a team named Catholic Central out of Burlington. They have won two of the past three state titles in D4 and will look to continue their winning ways after the graduation of [player_tooltip player_id="80726" first="Sammie" last="Seib"], one of the top attackers in D4 from the past three seasons. [caption id="attachment_140435" align="aligncenter" width="430"]<img class="wp-image-140435" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/04/DSC07052-e1619647031781-300x207.jpg" alt="" width="430" height="297" /> [player_tooltip player_id="81270" first="Avery" last="Pennekamp"] attacking for McFarland[/caption] What Pool Is The Most Intriguing? Pool C, yikes. The balance of this pool is going to be really tough. McFarland is well on the radar with their top athletes, but the next four teams seeded below them will have quite the battle ahead. Notre Dame out of Green Bay has plenty of balance and experience returning with All Conference and Honorable Mention All State nods in setter [player_tooltip player_id="118259" first="Cadence" last="Maxfield"] and outside hitter Olivia Sullivan. Westosha Central is going to beat a lot of teams this year. After playing with plenty of youth the past couple seasons, those athletes are now upperclassmen and are hungry to beat some top teams. [player_tooltip player_id="144551" first="Lauren" last="Foerster"] is someone I would have high on the All State radar as a powerful six rotation outside hitter, she had a big season playing for Sky High in 2021. [player_tooltip player_id="119417" first="Sydney" last="Selburg"] is going to put a lot of pressure on the defense with a left handed swing from the setter position while also getting her team. Randolph is going to be one of the best teams in this tournament. I have them picked as one to make it to the state tournament for D3 this season. They have Senior [player_tooltip player_id="81297" first="Cassandra" last="Alsum"] who has a violent swing along with [player_tooltip player_id="122468" first="Rylea" last="Alvin"] in the middle who is a top ten player in the Class of 2024. They also have [player_tooltip player_id="119400" first="Carizma" last="Muth"], [player_tooltip player_id="119401" first="Jorey" last="Buwalda"], and [player_tooltip player_id="119407" first="Brandi" last="Fuller"] who bring plenty of talent and experience.   What Top Players Do People Need To Be Aware Of? <img class="size-medium wp-image-105292 aligncenter" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/08/Kindyl-Kilar-e1605202218618-300x278.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="278" /> [player_tooltip player_id="61807" first="Kindyl" last="Kilar"] - Whitewater Kilar could probably play any position for Whitewater. Her fundamental skill set has very little weakness. She will score plenty of points on the outside and is always dependable with her passing and serve receive. [caption id="attachment_112164" align="aligncenter" width="268"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-112164" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/10/DSC03276-e1629908859572-268x300.jpg" alt="" width="268" height="300" /> [player_tooltip player_id="81271" first="Jordan" last="Karlen"][/caption] [player_tooltip player_id="81271" first="Jordan" last="Karlen"] - Milton Karlen is another dynamic athlete where she can set and swing. Her volleyball IQ is extremely high. With her all around skill set along with her IQ, she saves plenty of points defensively and also knows how to score on her own. <img class=" wp-image-105298 aligncenter" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/08/Lexi-Bugajski1.jpg" alt="" width="356" height="237" /> [player_tooltip player_id="91946" first="Lexi" last="Bugajski"] - New Berlin Eisenhower A multi-sport athlete, where Bugajski also excels on the basketball court, she will be a key point scorer for Ike this season. She will bring a big swing and find the open sports where she can attack from anywhere along the front row. <img class="size-medium wp-image-144521 aligncenter" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/06/PDG-TopPerformer-HannahGreisen-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /> [player_tooltip player_id="144810" first="Hannah" last="Greisen"] - Notre Dame Academy Greisen will be an up and coming athlete for NDA where she can play six rotations as an outside hitter. She picked up plenty of momentum at the end of the club season and will be coming into the lineup with plenty of potential and power from the pin. <img class=" wp-image-105330 aligncenter" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/08/Sydney-Ludvigsen1.jpg" alt="" width="377" height="251" /> [player_tooltip player_id="91889" first="Sydney" last="Ludvigsen"] - Union Grove Ludvigsen played for Union Grove as a Freshman in the 2019 D1 state tournament. The 5’9 attacker has plenty of experience and will be key for the Broncos heading into the season. She can bring a heavy swing and will find way to score points.   Lexi Post - Bloomer Post was a sophomore when her Bloomer team played McFarland in the D2 state semifinals in 2019. Bloomer has a top ten seed and will look to have a big season with hopes of returning to Green Bay the first week of November. Post will be a key piece to this squad. <img class=" wp-image-105280 aligncenter" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/08/Isabella-Grace1.jpg" alt="" width="407" height="271" /> [player_tooltip player_id="91933" first="Isabella" last="Grace"] - Bay Port Izzy Grace is going to be really key for the Pirates this fall where she has an impact everywhere on the court. She will be a primary passer, key in serve receive, and will be attacking from the outside. She was a member of the Badger Region High Performance team this summer. <img class=" wp-image-117186 aligncenter" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/11/Meghan-Scholz.jpg" alt="" width="426" height="284" /> [player_tooltip player_id="91911" first="Meghan" last="Scholz"] - Tomahawk Tomahawk will be making the trip from “Up North” to Whitewater where they will be led by [player_tooltip player_id="91911" first="Meghan" last="Scholz"]. A 6’3, extremely athletic and physical presence in the front row. She can attack from anywhere in the front, but her presence as a middle blocker will be felt where she can shut down an opposing outside. She was also a member of the Badger Region High Performance Team.