Bluegrass Preview: Team Pineapple 16 Black

<p>900-plus teams. 130-plus courts. Only two days of play. It is impossible to see it all in two days. The least I can do is have previews of teams from Indiana, feature five kids per team, and wish them the best of luck. Today's preview is of the 16-1 squad at [program_tooltip program_id='430155' first='Team' last='Pineapple'], who can be found Saturday morning on Court 42.</p> <p><strong>'24, [player_tooltip player_id="110487" first="Mya" last="Ball"], 6-1 S/RS, Angola</strong></p> <p>The progeny of olympian Lloy Ball, Mya can be a 5-1 setter in any system, a modified-6-2 setter/right side or a full-time right side, depending on the needs of colleges for the class of '24. With her attack touch above average AND her ability to run a high-level offense, Mya is a definite chip off of the family block (pun intended). Brother Dyer is an opposite at Ball State, so we can then conclude that not only is it in the family but in her volleyball IQ to be able to do all of these things regularly. As Mya goes, so goes this squad.</p> <p><strong>'24, [player_tooltip player_id="110488" first="Ella" last="Boersema"], 6-2 MB, Churubusco</strong></p> <p>Adept offensively both in front of and behind the setter, Ella is an M1 prospect if there ever was one. Her length, strength and anticipation frustrates the attacks of the opponents, and her long strides make transitioning easy for her, regardless of who the setter is. I like her quiet demeanor, no-nonsense work ethic and her abilities to get the job done without fanfare. In a "look-at-me" generation of kids, Ella is the player that actually gets it done WITHOUT talk. Period.</p> <p><strong>'24, Morgan Gaerte, 6-4 OH, Angola</strong></p> <p>Just imagine this front line. On whom do you concentrate your scouting report? To see that I've put the biggest catalyst of this roster third in my article should tell you a thing or two about the talent that's here. Morgan is a six-rotation outside that has been light-years ahead of other six-ro kids for well over a year now, and oh by the way, she's 6-4. Smooth and strong, Morgan makes blocks irrelevant in the front row and defenses guessing while she's in the back. I can't think of another athlete in the class of 2024 that can alter a game as much as Miss Gaerte can (and has), and she's only a sophomore. Serve receive, defense AND offense from a big kid in Indiana? The discussion starts and ends with Morgan.</p> <p><strong>'24, Melania Hawblitzel, 5-10 OH/RS, Warsaw</strong></p> <p>Another six-rotation outside, her runway-esque approach is a testament to the power she generates in her attack. She can hit all angles, attacks well on in- and out-of-system balls, and is fiery to boot. She whips her arm through the attack zone faster than most in this class, and works extremely hard on transition on every play. I listed right side as a positional option for her, but she's best suited to a team in the fall of '24 that will need a plug-and-play outside. No question, this kid can ball out, and is only going to get stronger.</p> <p><strong>'24, Mackenzie Scheid, 5-10 MB/OH, Coldwater (Michigan)</strong></p> <p>I'm completely cheating here. Technically, [program_tooltip program_id='430155' first='Team' last='Pineapple'] is out of Angola, Indiana. But when you have talent crossing state lines just to compete at a high level, they require attention. Able to be an M2 or a pin attacker, Mackenzie jumps well, hits a heavy ball and anticipates on defense at an above average level. I like that she can play multiple positions, which will make her very marketable to all types of schools at the next level. </p>