Ayala Tournament: High School Showdown
Ayala High School hosted their annual volleyball tournament Friday September 9th and Saturday the 10th. The event had a great turnout with ten schools participating. It was put together by Ayala’s head coach Jeff Weihert and its success was accomplished…
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Continue ReadingAyala High School hosted their annual volleyball tournament Friday September 9th and Saturday the 10th. The event had a great turnout with ten schools participating. It was put together by Ayala’s head coach Jeff Weihert and its success was accomplished due to the help of parents and student-athlete volunteers. Pool one consisted of the following schools and their coaches: Claremont (Alexa Block), San Dimas (Diane Chiappone & Courtney Hine), Centennial Corona ( Ruben Haro), Don Antonio Lugo (Cherry Baylon) and LaQuinta (David Tran). Pool two had Riverside Poly (Dana Fulwider & Pete Cherniss), Citrus Valley (Amber Tygart & Makinsey Tessitore), Oak Hills (Omar Lopez, Tiffany Tran & Mikael Bastida), Ayala (Jeff Weihert) and South Hills (Tiare Tuitama & Kiara Erving).
The gym was filled with talented and skilled players. For many of the teams, this tournament is the last one before the league starts on September 13th. There were so many great players on the court, that it was impossible to showcase them all. This article is a start to their recognition, one player at a time. Good luck to all of the schools on their season. Congratulations to South Hills for taking first place and San Dimas for taking second! The girls below were shining bright (in order of graduating class)!
Mia Delahoussaye Mia Delahoussaye 6’3″ | OH South Hills | 2023 State CA brought the heat to the Ayala tournament with her powerful kills. She is an all-around player who can hit, pass, block and serve. She would get right on top of the ball and bang it straight down, many times at the ten-foot line. The speed and force of her ball would make some defenders duck out of the way rather than attempt to defend it. In the back row, Delahoussaye knows how to close the seam to defend against an attack. Her height allowed her to get over the block and her powerful swing makes her tool the block. Delahoussaye will be a great asset to any team looking for an all-around player.
Highlights
Aliyah Spencer
Aliyah Spencer
Aliyah Spencer is a strong left-handed middle who protects the net and with that first line of defense, slows the ball down so plays can be made. She can score on offense and “roof” her opponent on defense. Spencer has strong hands and angels her block to make it effective in stopping a ball. She has a quick transition and approach to make contact with a short set and can shift to help her pins with double blocking. She can also get on top of the ball and bang it down with force to score. Spencer will be a great addition to any team on the next level of play.
Kayden Croy
Kayden Croy
Kayden Croy is a six-rotation player who has great skills playing on offense and defense. She can place a ball very well which indicates a very smart player. Croy can hit down line, cross court, off the block, down the seam, or pipe. No matter where she hits on the court, her ball carries speed and force to score. She doesn’t hesitate to get on the floor to get digs or pop up a ball for a pass. She can serve receive and pass the ball on point so her setter can deliver an executable set. Croy would be a good fit by bringing her talent to any school on the next level for volleyball.
Emma Wukelich
Emma Wukelich
Emma Wukelich is a setter who is fast and agile, being able to change her speed and direction to get to a ball. Her contact with the ball is a quick touch and release. She delivers hittable balls to her hitters, limiting the spin. She directed her team’s offense by calling plays and communicating to her pins for their attack. Wukelich would change the tempo of her offense by taking advantage of her pins by spreading the ball around. She has good hands and is pretty consistent with placement of the ball. Wukelich will bring speed, smooth hands, and consistent sets to any next level school looking for a team player.
Kate Sullivan
Kate Sullivan
Kate Sullivan is a middle blocker who can read the direction the setter is setting and the opponent’s movements for her to quickly react to the play. She is an important part of defense. Her movements to get to each pin is fast and precise. Her jumps are powerful, creating the maximum height and hand placement for an effective block. Sullivan has smooth transitions from blocker on defense and being ready for the setter’s dump to hitter on offense. Her strong hit at the net makes scoring a success. Sullivan will be a key player at the next level.
Learden Lee
Learden Lee
Learden Lee is a powerhouse at blocking and hitting. She also has an amazing vertical that gives her the advantage to get on top of a ball. She stayed loaded and ready to move as the first line of defense at the net. She has strong hands and good arm extension. She can read the direction the setter is setting and make fast, precise movements to get to either pin helping them to block. Lee has effective hits that can create chaos with her well-timed tips or running a slide. She has excellent lateral movement and speed. When Lee hits the ball, the strength behind it makes it difficult to defend. Lee will be a huge benefit to any program on the next level.
Isabella “Bella” Emanuele
Isabella “Bella” Emanuele
Isabella “Bella” Emanuele is a mighty lefty who is quick on her feet and powerful with her hits. She has a very high volleyball IQ with knowing where to place a ball to score. She is an offensive force in the front and back row with her passes, kills from outside, and pipe. Emmanuele is a six-rotation player who can pass serve receive balls on target, block, attack, serve, and make smart plays by reading the court. She jumps high and is fast enough to get right back on her feet after digging a ball. She can tool the block making it hard for defenders to reach. The angels of her serve from being left-handed are very effective. She is a dependable player who steps up when needed. Emmanuele has a lot to contribute to the next level of play.
Morgan Graves
Morgan Graves
Morgan Graves has a vertical that makes you say “wow”. Along with her high vertical, she has a quick arm swing that can beat a ball at the net. She is a smart player who reads the court very well. She finds the holes and places the ball. Graves plays all around and has good energy on the court by the way she cheers on her teammates. She has strong hands that can block straight down or deflect a ball to slow the speed. She has no fear of diving to stop a ball from hitting the ground and making a play. After a dive and roll, she’s quick to get back on her feet. Graves will be a great add-on to any volleyball program looking for a strong player.
Jayden Hanson
Jayden Hanson
Jayden Hanson is a setter, right side who plays both positions very well. If she wasn’t setting she was hitting and scoring. Only being a freshman, she shows great experience from her dumps, hitting through the block, and positioning her kills. She is a dependable player and shows her leadership by running the offense when she sets. She has great communication and energy on the court. Hanson has a serve that is unpredictable making it hard to pass, which gets her opponents out of system. Her maturity and IQ in the game are very impressive for being a freshman and the years to come will provide her with more growth and knowledge. Hanson is a player that needs to be on the radar.
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