Houston Area Five Players to Watch: 5A – District 18

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>These are some of the most promising prospects in the division for the upcoming high school season</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The high school volleyball season is set to start in just a few weeks in the state of Texas and after a quick break following the conclusions of the club season, we can’t wait any longer to watch the top prospects of the Lone Star State in action again.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There will be several thousand players in action across the 1,207 high school teams that compete in the six divisions of the University Interscholastic League (UIL) and among them, there are some very talented ones, who certainly have a bright future in the sport.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As we continue to preview what the high school season will look like in the Houston area, we shift our focus from teams to players and highlight five of the most intriguing prospects in the districts located in the region.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We begin with Division 5A – District 18:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"id":"block_62d886af8cbea","name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Chloe Stein","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5’7u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32561","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Ball","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"TX Hurricane ","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"A very dynamic and reliable setter, Chloe Stein will be a key piece in her Ball team during the upcoming season. The 5’7” setter has a very clean touch on the ball and her setting technique is flawless, which gives her the ability to repeatedly send the ball into the exact same spot. I watched her play for her club team Texas Hurricane in April and another area of her game that stood out was her decision-making. Stein has produced 694 assists (475 of which in 2021-2022) across two high seasons with Ball to go with 323 digs.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"align":"","mode":"preview"} /--> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://x.com/grtorres/status/1517896086169559041","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/grtorres/status/1517896086169559041 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"id":"block_62d8871e8cbeb","name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id="87551" first="Devyn" last="Lewis"]","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2023","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6’2u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32564","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Manvel","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"AVA","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"The District’s Offensive Player of the Year in 2021-2022, [player_tooltip player_id="87551" first="Devyn" last="Lewis"] went from being an excellent middle blocker to an outstanding outside hitter. Her 6’2” frame and tremendous physicality suit her extremely well on offense and she’s made significant improvement on defense and serve-receive. She’s also a very good blocker and is becoming way more effective in terms of limiting her mistakes. Manvel was a force in the division last season in great part because of Lewis, who tallied 480 kills, 447 digs, 491 passes, 51 aces and 47 blocks in their campaign that ended with a trip to the State Championship.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"align":"","mode":"preview"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"id":"block_62d887968cbec","name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Madison Guidry","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2023","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5’5u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32926","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"La Porte","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"An extremely solid and consistent libero, Madison Guidry has been a defensive rock for La Porte. Also a softball student-athlete, the left-handed, 5’5” prospect does an excellent job on the backcourt for her team with her tremendous ball control and superior positioning. She typically defends the middle position and also takes a central role when it comes to serve-receive. An all-district first-team selection in 2021-2022, Guidry has amassed 566 digs, 575 passes and 30 aces in her most recent campaign with the Lady Bulldogs.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"align":"","mode":"preview"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"id":"block_62d8880e8cbed","name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id="188442" first="Makenzie" last="Briles"]","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2023","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5’10u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32924","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Texas City","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"AVA","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"A 5’10” prospect with an extremely well-rounded game, [player_tooltip player_id="188442" first="Makenzie" last="Briles"] can play anywhere at the net, but has established herself in the middle for both her club and high school teams. Her long arms and excellent mobility make of her an excellent blocker while her quick right arm and her consistent play add up to turn her into a solid offensive player too. She’s also very disciplined, a skill that comes in handy when she’s asked to play defense.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"align":"","mode":"preview"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"id":"block_62d888398cbee","name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id="177541" first="Meghan" last="Donoughue"] ","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"4’0u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32561","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Friendswood","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Houston Stellar","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id="177541" first="Meghan" last="Donoughue"] has played a big role in her solid Friendswood team in the last two seasons. A 5’11” prospect, she has an excellent all-around game and uses it very well to produce in a lot of different ways. A lefty, Donoughue typically plays the hybrid right side role for her team, setting while at the back and hitting when at the net. She has what it takes to excel in both areas as her ball distribution and setting rhythm are second-to-none and her offensive range is also impressive. She has produced 313 assists, 232 digs, 194 kills and 49 aces in two seasons for Friendswood, filling the stats sheet in every possible way.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"align":"","mode":"preview"} /--> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HflR7CoW5Jc","type":"video","providerNameSlug":"youtube","responsive":true,"className":"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HflR7CoW5Jc </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed -->