Prospects from Blackhawk Tournament to Watch
Now that the club season has ended, high school volleyball is starting up. It is the beginning of tournaments and pre-season games before the official season starts for some on September 13th. On Saturday, August 13th, Citrus Valley High School…
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Continue ReadingNow that the club season has ended, high school volleyball is starting up. It is the beginning of tournaments and pre-season games before the official season starts for some on September 13th. On Saturday, August 13th, Citrus Valley High School hosted their Blackhawk Classic Volleyball Tournament. It was three pools consisting of four teams in each pool, so twelve teams came out to play. Many girls have transitioned from club players to high school players and others are strictly high school players. Each high school team has a few goals this season; to win every game, take first in their conference and win CIF (California Interscholastic Federation). This is an exciting time for high school volleyball in California. Upland HS is coached by Scott Robertson and M. Robertson, Arrowhead Christian is coached by Brittney Amey and Amanda Reid, and Oak Hills is coached by Omar Lopez, Mikael Bastida, and Tiffany Tran. Here are a couple of players from their teams who stood out in the Blackhawk Classic and should be on the radar to watch.
Taylor Wilson (2024) | 5’9 | OH | Arrowhead Christian HS/RVVC 17P
Taylor Wilson is an all-around six-rotation player that is an asset on offense and defense. Her transition from a middle blocker in club to an outside hitter in high school has been effortless. She brings the same powerful hit to both positions. Her coverage of middle back included diving and digging for balls being hit her way. She protected the floor and was able to pass to the setter even while off balance. Wilson can also jump high enough to block at the net and stop a ball from coming over. She has an high volleyball IQ and is definitely a player to have on the radar.
Sara Pagnoni (2023) | 5’3 | L | Oak Hills HS/Itis Galileo Galilei HS (Italy)/ Volley Stadium Club
Sara Pagnoni happens to be an exchange student from Italy with a great serve technique. She served an impressive 19 points in a row during the Blackhawk Classic Tournament. This was her first time playing in the U.S and she handled herself very well on the court. Pagnoni passed the ball with confidence and was ready to defend back row. She did not hesitate to get on the floor and dig a ball, passing while in motion to the setter. She was ready for any ball that went her way and clearly was one of the top servers in the tournament.
Crystal Nguyen (2023) | 5’4 | DS | Upland HS/Tstreet IE 18’s
Crystal Nguyen is a defensive specialist who defends the court with speed and agility. She handles the ball with great precision. She has good defensive coverage back row. Her passes are pretty consistent in serve receive and she is a reliable player with digging the ball. Her reflexes are quick as she made some impossible saves. Whether Nguyen was on serve receive or playing the game, she was in position to give the best pass to transition her team from defense to a good offence.
Makenzie Gray (2023) | 5’5 | L | Arrowhead Christian HS
Makenzie Gray is an excellent ball handler who is quick and consistent on the court. She has good ball control when returning a serve and her bump set was capable of finding its spot for the pin hitters. As part of her defense, she would get to a ball and keep it in play. Gray looked comfortable diving for balls, getting low and digging up low hits. She was in control of back row and available to get any free ball that came over the net. She is a smart player who has the three main qualitiesof a great libero; good ball control, being able to read the ball and fast at defense,
Holly Medina (2023) | 5’2 | L | Oak Hills HS
Holly Medina is a multi-sport athlete who also plays softball and was selected to play for Team USA (18U) this past summer. Holly is tiny but mighty on the court with her defense in covering the back row. She’s not afraid to dive for a ball and get on the floor to deflect her opponent from scoring. Medina has a quick reaction which makes her an asset on the court. Her skills in softball carry over to volleyball by being able to read ball placement and be ready to move in the direction to cover a tip. She is a captain and proves to be a leader through communication with her teammates.
Sydnee Mouw (2024) |6’0 | MB | Arrowhead Christian HS/Force VC
Sydnee Mouw stepped into her role as the first line of defense with ease. She was able to read the direction of where the setter was setting so she could transition to the outside or right side pins to help with blocking. On offense Mouw would kill the ball and on defense she would use strong hands to block. She has good ball reading skills and mobile enough to quickly transition off the net and be ready to attack the ball. She is quick with jumping and lateral movements, reacting in time to stop an attack. Her jumping power and speed gave her an advantage in attacking because it allowed her to get over the opponent’s block.
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