WSC Classic #9 – The Defensive Specialists
The 2022 club season is starting to wind down in the state of Texas as most teams will see limited playing time in the next weeks as they finalize their preparations for next month’s 2022 USAV Girls Junior National Championship…
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Continue ReadingThe 2022 club season is starting to wind down in the state of Texas as most teams will see limited playing time in the next weeks as they finalize their preparations for next month’s 2022 USAV Girls Junior National Championship in Indianapolis.
A lot has been shown over the last six months as familiar names confirmed our positive impressions about them and new names were added to our rankings and watchlists in every corner of the Lone Star State.
Some tournaments are still going on, though, and we, at Prep Dig, are determined to not waste any opportunity of spotting a new prospect and giving visibility to those who stand out and deserve our recognition.
This past weekend I was at the WSC Classic #9, which was held at the popular Willowbrook Sports Complex in the Houston area, and reunited 12 teams in its hybrid 17s/18s division. We’ve identified some names that deserve to be in the spotlight and are using this week to do it. In our last positional article, here are the defensive specialists who played a big role for their teams.
Sophia Allen – Catalyst 17 Green – HS: 2024
Extremely quick, Sophia Allen covered a lot of ground on the backcourt for her Catalyst 17 Green team. She thrived for her excellent positioning, but also showed great reactions when the ball was slightly away from her, even featuring in some one-handed digs. Allen’s superior ball control also proved to be an asset in serve receive and when she needed to set in transition.
Emma Malak – TX Legacy 17 Elite – HS: Conroe – 2023
Emma Malak significantly increased TX Legacy 17 Elite’s backcourt production when she was on the court. The 5’2” defender brought a lot of energy to the game and performed consistently during the matches. A good server, Malak took up big responsibilities with serve receive and pulled out impressive digs in important moments.
Morgan Moore – Texas Triumph 18s – 2024
Morgan Moore’s combination of excellent positioning and outstanding ball control made of her one of the most effective defensive specialists of the event. She was exactly where she was supposed to be most of the time, and when that wasn’t the case, Moore could rely on her ability to control the ball to keep it alive, even if she was in motion or diving for it.
Danielle Kluge – Allegiance 18 Royal – HS: Magnolia – 2022
The diminutive Danielle Kluge provided a nice boost to her team Allegiance 18 Royal on the backcourt. The 5’3” defensive specialist was able to help in each of the areas of the game she possibly could, proving to be a productive server, a solid passer, splitting the court in serve receive with the team’s libero, and an efficient defender.
Heidy Hernandez – Houston Aces 18 – 2023
Heidy Hernandez’ ball control is her calling card as the defensive specialist displayed an impressive ability to dig hard-driven hits. She does a great job in finding the best position to be in when defending the middle position and got some ‘wows’ from the crowd with some of the digs she made against the Texas Legacy 16 Elite team.