Tour of Texas Finals – 17s – The Productive Right Sides
One of the most anticipated and competitive tournaments annually held in the Lone Star State, the Tour of Texas brought its Finals for the 15s, 16s and 17s divisions to the city of Houston this past weekend. It was exciting…
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Continue ReadingOne of the most anticipated and competitive tournaments annually held in the Lone Star State, the Tour of Texas brought its Finals for the 15s, 16s and 17s divisions to the city of Houston this past weekend.
It was exciting to see some of the most talented volleyball prospects from several different regions of the state competing across four different venues in H-Town under the watchful view of several college coaches.
We paid close attention to the 17s, who played at the FAST Complex, and are featuring the ones that stood out the most in a series of positional articles during the week. On Friday, we’ll present some of the right sides who delivered excellent performances.
Cecily Gooch Cecily Gooch 6'3" | MB Highland Park | 2023 State #183 Nation TX – Drive Nation 17 Red – HS: Highland Park – 2023
Originally a middle blocker, Cecily ‘Ceci’ Gooch has moved to the right this club season and proved to be an excellent fit there as well. Blocking would never be an issue for the 6’3” Gooch and now she poses a big challenge for outside hitters that face Drive Nation 17 Red. Her offense is also very good as she combines her great length with an interesting variation of hits from the right side of the net. Gooch will start her collegiate career with Michigan in the summer of 2023.
Taylor Anderson Taylor Anderson 6'0" | S Cornerstone Christian | 2023 State #21 Nation TX – Alamo 17 Premier – HS: Cornerstone Christian – 2023
Taylor Anderson Taylor Anderson 6'0" | S Cornerstone Christian | 2023 State #21 Nation TX splits time between setting and hitting duties on the right with Alamo 17 Premier and even though she’s excellent on both roles, we’ll take the time to highlight her offensive game this time. She stands at 6’1” and is very physical and explosive when attacking. Anderson can hit in any direction and was also seen hitting from the middle at times. Blocking is another of her assets as she does an excellent job in placing her arms across the net and taking up a lot of space from opposing hitters. Anderson is a Purdue commit.
Piper Stephenson Piper Stephenson 6'3" | RS St. Agnes Academy | 2023 State TX – HJV 17 Elite – HS: St. Agnes Academy – 2023
A Texas Association of Parochial and Private High Schools (TAPPS) State Championship winner with St. Agnes Academy, Piper Stephenson Piper Stephenson 6'3" | RS St. Agnes Academy | 2023 State TX stood out for her offense in a team full of heavy hitters. She’s 6’3” and has tremendous reach on offense but perhaps what seemed more impressive was her ability to determine the direction the ball was going with her wrist. Stephenson proved to be very consistent and was largely efficient when hitting a quicker set behind the setter. She also made very few mistakes when we watched her play and showed to be a very good blocker.
Logan Brannan – AJV 17 Adidas – HS: Lake Travis – 2023
A long and explosive pin hitter who can play on either side of the net, Logan Brannan brought some valuable scoring power to her AJV 17 Adidas team. The 6’1” prospect has a lot of power on her approach and thrives by finding some interesting angles from the left and the right. Brannan has an excellent all-around game and produced 264 kills, 111 passes and 99 digs in the last high school season with Lake Travis.
Hannah Smith – Houston Stellar 17 Elite – HS: Kingwood – 2023
Another right side talent that splits her time between setting and hitting, Hannah Smith also excels for her ability to do multiple things well on the court. A six-footer, she is very consistent and productive in both roles and has in her excellent decision-making one of the keys for her great level of play. Smith has long arms and good reach and also keeps a smart option to score under her sleeve. She’s also a very good defensive player and showcased her great all-around game during the last high school season, when she registered 203 kills, 245 digs, 53 blocks and 50 aces for Kingwood.
Morgan Spradling – TCVA 17 Green – HS: Smithson Valley – 2023
Morgan Spradling is one of those players who could, at any time, make an impressive leap and become a standout player as the state level. Her game is probably not at the same level as the other players on this list just yet, but she definitely got all the tools to get there. Spradling is a 5’10” right side hitter who, despite having a tiny frame, jumps really well and can put a lot of power on the ball. She’s also a lefty, something that always helps players on the right. She tallied 114 kills in the last high school season with Smithson Valley and should see her role with the team grow next year.