Unsung Heroes of Division 2’s top 10

As we are in the fifth week of the 2022 prep season, we are getting a clearer picture of the Division 2 landscape.   With our <a href="https://prepdig.com/2022/09/prep-dig-michigan-d2-top-25-week-5-2/">latest top 10 rankings</a> coming out on Monday night, we decided to dive into the lineups and see which players are playing key roles to push their team to a top-10 slot.   Maybe not the go-to player, but still a crucial piece to success, here's a look at the unsung heroes of the top-10 teams in D2.   No. 1 North Branch – [player_tooltip player_id='226888' first='Aubree' last='Deshetsky'], OH/S: We know a lot about the talented junior class North Branch has, but [player_tooltip player_id='226888' first='Aubree' last='Deshetsky'] is making an immediate impact for this already strong team. She's got over 100 kills and 100 digs while approaching 100 assists as well. Not to mention she's been great from the service line and on the block. The rich got richer.   No. 2 Lakewood – [player_tooltip player_id='173622' first='Alli' last='Pickard'], DS: With Lakewood having to shift to more of a defensive style of play this year, Pickard has been a valuable piece to the squad. She's leading the team in aces and service points and the team plays at a very high rate for her three rotations.   No. 3 South Christian – Gina Boomsma, S: South Christian has some real talent at the net, but the senior setter is the one keeping things running smoothly on offense. She's also making a big impact with her defensive play and her serving.   No. 4 Country Day – Riley Lockhart, L/OH: Lockhart has been forced into more of an outside hitter role this fall due to injuries and she's been putting in the work to help DCD not miss much of a beat. At full strength, she can slide back to the back row and showcase her great defensive instincts.   No. 5 Notre Dame Prep – Mya Kattula, S/OH: Following in the footsteps of Aly Borellis, Kattula is a sophomore that's playing the setter/outside combo at a high level. She's over 160 kills, 100 digs and 250 assists on the year. She's also added 35 aces and 34 blocks. She's making plays in every area of the court.   No. 6 Frankenmuth – [player_tooltip player_id='226896' first='Madison' last='Geer'], DS: The Muth has been rolling this season and we know about their talented outside, [player_tooltip player_id='153672' first='Audrey' last='Geer']. However, [player_tooltip player_id='226896' first='Madison' last='Geer'] has been a real asset defensively for the Eagles. She's consistently racking up digs and making tough plays in the back row to get Audrey a chance to finish points.   No. 7 Marshall – Addison Waito, S: Marshall has a great defense, but its offense has really been coming along in 2022 as well. That's thanks to Waito, who has been spreading the ball out well and has a really good connection with her long middles. Waito also brings a tough serve to the court.   No. 8 Holland Christian – Callie Keizer, DS: An experienced squad overall, Keizer is a nice boost in the defensive effort of the Maroons. She's consistent on her serve receive and moves well to make tough digs during a rally. Keizer also presents a challenging serve that has led to some nice scoring runs.   No. 9 Unity Christian – [player_tooltip player_id='732257' first='Reese' last='Yonker'], MH/OH: Unity Christian has a lot of strong play at the net, including some standout sophomores. Yonker is one of those sophomores that is making an impact. She's strong on the block, but also has shown the ability to step up with a key dig. She's got a lot of athleticism in her swing as well.   No. 10 Cadillac – Mackenzie Johns, OH: Johns has stepped up into one of the primary hitting roles for Cadillac and looks comfortable in her role. An improving finishing rate, Johns is an active and athletic player that's contributing with her attacks, blocking, defense and serving.

As we are in the fifth week of the 2022 prep season, we are getting a clearer picture of the Division 2 landscape.