High School Team Feature – Bridgeland Bears
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The high school season is going at full pace in the state of Texas and every team in the state has been on the court enough times for us to have a good idea about what to expect from them.…
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Continue ReadingThe high school season is going at full pace in the state of Texas and every team in the state has been on the court enough times for us to have a good idea about what to expect from them.
Here at PrepDig, we are committed to covering and promoting as many prospects as possible, from the most popular names to the hidden gems that typically abound at the Lone Star State and during the high school season we’re also doing it by featuring the teams they play at.
Every time we’re at the gym, we take the time to give a good look at the teams on the court and we’ll try to feature as many as possible here in this space. In today’s piece, we’ll focus on the Bridgeland Bears.
The Squad
The Bears entered the season having to replace some of the top producers of last year’s team that made it to the State Championship after the graduations of outside hitter Mallorie Garner and middles Karrington Kays and Emily Marks. The team had a solid core with libero Alice Volpe Alice Volpe 5'5" | DS/L Bridgeland | 2024 State #83 Nation TX and right side Kennedy Kays Kennedy Kays 6'2" | OH Bridgeland | 2023 State TX , but the rise of middle Rebekah Pfefferkorn Rebekah Pfefferkorn 6'2" | MB Bridgeland | 2025 State TX and outside Olivia Waggoner made of Bridgeland a great side once again.
Key Players
One of the top liberos in the Houston area, Volpe is probably the defensive player that makes the most impact in the game with her backcourt skills. The 5’5″ libero has the entire package, including impressive ball control, great reading of the game, superior reaction speed and unwavering attention to every aspect of the game. It’s very, very rare that the ball touches the floor on Volpe’s defensive zone and she also does an excellent job with her passing and when covering her hitters. Volpe recently surpassed 1,000 digs in her high school career.
A powerful hitter, the 6’2″ Kays has been playing on the right this season, where she can make the most of her offensive potential. The move seems to be making good effect, as Kays recently tallied her 1,000th career kills, setting a new school record. What makes her offense so effective is the combination of her high contact point, great power and her wide shots variation. Kays is also a very technical blocker, who makes the lives of opposing hitters difficult.
Pfefferkorn’s rise was possibly the best news of Bridgeland’s season as the sophomore is helping to fill one of the team’s biggest needs heading into 2022. Extremely long and mobile, she has a great presence at the net and uses her reading of the game and timing to be a solid blocker. The 6’1″ Pfefferkorn is very active on offense too and is typically very productive, using her reach and arm power to score in bunches.
Highlights
Olivia Waggoner
Olivia Waggoner
A very complete outside hitter, Waggoner has an important role in Bridgeland’s playing system as she offers great stability to the team on both sides of the ball. She’s a solid defensive player, handling the passing duties alongside Volpe and also generating transition plays with her defense. Her 5’10” frame and athletic ability also make of her an explosive player at the net, but her main offensive asset is probably her decision-making, which allows her to score in difficult situations while making very few mistakes.
Not many teams in the state have a right side combo as strong as Bridgeland’s. Being able to have one of Kays and Creacy on the court the entire time is certainly a blessing and the Bears make the most of it. A lefty, Creacy is extremely talented too and adds another dimension to the team’s offense with her ability to find great angles from the right. She’s very long, technical and, most importantly, has the technical resources and the mental steadiness needed to score when out-of-system. Creacy is also an excellent blocker.