Beast Of The East Standout Underclassmen Part 2

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Beast of the East wasn't just a showcase of the top players in the state, it was also an opportunity to see many of the future stars of prep volleyball in Michigan.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There was just too many to note in one article, so here's the second of three articles looking at the underclassmen that made an impact.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='189713' first='Addison' last='Ashley'], So. MH Saline</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='110282' first='Mallory' last='Bohl'] </strong>sidelined by an injury, Saline needed a middle to step up this year and Ashley has been one to step up to the challenge. On Saturday, Ashley hit .300 or better in Saline's final four matches of the night, leading the team to the Bronze Bracket title. Ashley is filling her role well and finishing points when her number is called.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2><strong>Clare Binder, So. S Plymouth Christian</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Binder has some good length for the setter position and she is very spry. Along with setting a good ball, she's shown great instincts defensively to make some tough digs and keep her team alive. She's a well-coached setter that is going to make big leaps in development year-to-year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='156289' first='Jillian' last='Collins'], So. L Mercy</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Collins was sporting the Mercy libero jersey on Saturday and taking on a lot of great hitters. She stayed very composed throughout the day and came through with some highlight-reel digs for the Marlins. Mercy was never out of a set or a match, and the defensive effort was a big reason why.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='156292' first='Jessica' last='Costlow'], So. OH SMCC</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Costlow has proven time and again to raise her game to the level of her competition, and she did it once again on Saturday. SMCC was one of the smallest programs in BOE, yet there they were within points of beating top teams in Division 1. Costlow didn't have the length of many of her opposing hitters, yet she powered her way through their blocks, or used her offspeed shots to find the floor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='156293' first='Ella' last='Craggs'], So. S Northville</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Mustangs have a ton of hitting to work with, but none of that would matter without a setter to get them the ball in good position to succeed. Craggs definitely does that and can go unnoticeable on the court because she's so consistent with her play. She racked up over 20 assists against every ranked team she faced on Saturday and proved she's one of the top overall prospects in the Class of 2025.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='226889' first='Madeline' last='Dettling'], Fr. OH SMCC</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Dettling has the size SMCC has lacked in certain areas. The 6-foot freshman is able to play high above the net, and she has the athleticism to compliment her size. Saturday was a good learning experience for her to see where she needs to get better to become an elite player. You could see Dettling learning within each match.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='226888' first='Aubree' last='Deshetsky'], Fr. OH North Branch</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Deshetsky is another great piece to an already loaded North Branch team. The freshman plays with a lot more poise than you would expect for an underclassman. She came up big in matches with Oxford and Marian. Against the Mustangs, she managed to hit an impressive .438, showing little fear to go after one of the best fronts in the state.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2><strong>Izzy Earley, So. MH Novi</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Wildcats are a scrappy team with players that play their roles well. Earley is part of that component as a reliable middle that is getting better throughout the season. While she's still earning more swings throughout the offense, she's been coming through when her number gets called. Earley hit .667 against Portage Central and .417 in a big win over Clarkston. She also tallied three blocks against Northville.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2><strong>Jordyn Egger, So. S Mt. Pleasant</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Egger had some struggles early on during pool play, but rebounded nicely and helped the Oilers reach the bronze bracket final. Her short memory will take her places, as she didn't let errors stick with her and learned quickly from those mistakes. She's got great footwork on the court and is always competing in each point.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='156295' first='Campbell' last='Flynn'], So. S/OH Mercy</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Flynn already has made a name for herself and Saturday was just another chance to show she's among the top players in the state. Her hitting was on point, as she hit .450 or higher against the likes of Marshall, SMCC and Forest Hills Northern. Her setting is always picturesque, but Mercy really seemed to be connecting offensively on Saturday.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->