LSRC 18s – Houston Area Previews – Asics Willowbrook 18 Gold
Most of the top 18s club volleyball teams in the state of Texas will head to the Austin area this weekend to compete in the 2022 Lone Star Regionals 18s Championship, which will be hosted by the Round Rock Sports…
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Continue ReadingMost of the top 18s club volleyball teams in the state of Texas will head to the Austin area this weekend to compete in the 2022 Lone Star Regionals 18s Championship, which will be hosted by the Round Rock Sports Center.
The two-day tournament will reunite more than 100 teams across its two divisions and will display some of the top talent available in the Lone Star State.
I’ve been fortunate to watch some of these teams in-person while covering tournaments during the club season in the Houston area and will highlight some of the ones that will compete in the 18 Bid division in the days leading up to the LSRC.
Asics Willowbrook 18 Gold
The top team from the Willowbrook Volleyball Club located Northwest from Downtown Houston has been having a season of ups and downs, with 17 wins and 21 losses amassed so far. 18 Gold had some very good moments between December and January, though, with a victory at the Skyline Classic #1, a second-place finish at the Nets Over Texas #1 and a third-place finish at the Star Sports Center #1.
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Players to Watch:
Grace Krohn – Setter – HS: Cypress Creek – 2023
A six-foot setter with an excellent all-around game, Grace Kohn does a great job when in charge of this team’s offense. Her ball distribution is second-to-none as Kohn manages to play while being extremely consistent with her locations and making smart decisions over and over. Krohn also adds a lot with her defense and tough serving. She produced 901 assists, 297 digs and 30 aces in the last high school season with Cypress Creek.
Leah Fraysur – Outside Hitter – HS: Waller – 2022
An explosive outside hitter, Leah Fraysur adds a lot of dynamism to Willowbrook 18 Gold’s game. The 5’10” Fraysur plays all six rotations and is very good at what she does on the court, contributing to the team’s production on both sides of the ball. She’s super solid defensively and has a well-diversified offensive game, which gives her tons of options to score and keeps opponents on their toes. A Houston Baptist commit, she’s coming from a senior high school season in which she tallied 311 kills, 317 digs, 472 passe and 38 aces for Waller.
Laura Weatherford – Libero – HS: Cooper – 2022
Laura Weatherford has developed a strong reputation of being one of the most solid liberos in the Houston area while playing for her high school and club teams. The 5’5” Weatherford is a special talent on the backcourt due to her ability to organize her team’s passing and defensive systems while also contributing with her tremendous ball control, which has led her to amass more than 1,500 digs at the high school level. A Northwestern State commit, she’s also very confident in her game and doesn’t get down with mistakes.
Mailyn Harris – Middle Blocker – HS: Cypress Creek – 2023
A highly explosive, 6’1” middle blocker, Mailyn Harris is an offensive force at the net. She’s extremely athletic, jumps well and can unleash the power in her heavy right arm in any direction when hitting. Harris has also been playing alongside Krohn in their high school team and that connection really shows on the court. Her blocking presence is also remarkable. Harris has registered 184 kills and 40 kills in the last high school season.
Samantha Cousins – Outside Hitter – HS: Memorial – 2022
Another excellent two-way player, Samantha Cousins pairs really well with Fraysur at the pin. The 5’10” outside hitter is very strong on her offensive approach and has the ability to find interesting angles from the left. She also has a good presence at the net when blocking and is well-versed in passing and defense. A Central Arkansas commit, Cousins produced 270 kills, 209 digs and 249 passes in her senior high school season with Memorial.
Sydney Speer – Right Side/Middle Blocker – HS: Tomball Memorial – 2023
Sydney Speer has been splitting time between the middle and the right for 18 Gold this season. The 6’2” prospect certainly has the physical tools to excel in either role as besides being very tall, she’s also long and athletic. She’s very versatile offensively, being able to hit quicker sets in the middle or more up-and-down ones on the right and does an excellent job in putting power into it. Her blocking is always well-balanced as she moves well and is rarely running late. Speer had a solid high school season with Tomball Memorial, registering 147 kills and 80 blocks.