Beast of the East Standouts: Middle Blockers

One of the most stacked field of teams we may have ever seen at Beast of the East, these teams came in ready to play and it made for an epic day of volleyball!   It was middle mania at Beast of the East! With all the good pins across the field, these players were the first line of defense against these elite players. A heavy mix of veteran players and young guns were on display in the middle which created for a fun dynamic across these teams.   Here were some of the top middle blockers from this weekend's Beast of the East.   [player_tooltip player_id='226909' first='Kayla' last='Nwabueze'] - Bloomfield Hills   One of the hottest up-and-comers in the game, [player_tooltip player_id='226909' first='Kayla' last='Nwabueze'] continues to prove herself time and time again. While Hills may not have had the best of outings, you can only expect their game to go up as Nwabueze's game grows. Against some of the most elite competition, Nwabueze was able to put up solid numbers that included 18 blocks on the day!   [player_tooltip player_id='110328' first='Johanna' last='Tillman'] & [player_tooltip player_id='66302' first='Olivia' last='Gardner'] - Dakota   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/09/Dakota-11-crop-3895x2558-1632056765.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-157810" width="218" height="143"/></figure>   Not only does Dakota have a pretty elite duo on the pins, but they also have a pretty solid 1-2 punch in the middle. Between the likes of [player_tooltip player_id='66302' first='Olivia' last='Gardner'] (Loyola-Chicago) and [player_tooltip player_id='110328' first='Johanna' last='Tillman'], it is a block party every time they step onto the court. While Tillman remains more of a pure middle, Gardner could be seen attacking anywhere across the net and from the back court to a high efficiency.   [player_tooltip player_id='110305' first='Kendall' last='Hopewell'] - Forest Hills Northern   It's not everyday you can get a middle that can play as a complete of a game as [player_tooltip player_id='110305' first='Kendall' last='Hopewell'] can. While she's an absolute terminator at the net with both her block and attacking game, Hopewell has some top notch ball control and defense in the back court. While her pins get a lot of attention, Hopewell is very much an unsung hero for this squad.   Kirstyn Lothschultz - Coopersville   I thought I knew all that I needed to when coming onto Coopersville's court, but I wasn't aware of what they had cooking in the middle. Kirstyn Lothschultz was a definite surprise from the weekend, but a good surprise. Lothschultz has some springs to her jump and can terminate alongside the best of them when she can get a hold of the ball.   Hope Schriber - Imlay City   Imlay City may have got pushed around a little during Beast of the East, but that's not to say they didn't do their own pushing back. Hope Schriber (Madonna) was a big piece for the Spartans this weekend. A middle that can score just about anywhere along the net, Schriber can pack a punch and didn't hold back.   [player_tooltip player_id='140494' first='Rachel' last='Zurek'] - Lakeland   First time seeing Lakeland all season and I can see why they were on a 17-0 start to the season. [player_tooltip player_id='140494' first='Rachel' last='Zurek'] (Niagra) can be easily listed as one of the top middle blockers in the state this year. Zurek's block is top notch and she can bring some serious heat up the middle or on the slide. As terminal as they come, when Lakeland could get Zurek the ball, she was unstoppable.   [player_tooltip player_id='108790' first='Mckenzie' last='Swanson'] - Marian   Injuries may have plagued the Mustangs on Saturday, but seeing the likes of [player_tooltip player_id='108790' first='Mckenzie' last='Swanson'] step up was impressive. One of the top basketball player in the state, Swanson showed that she could be one of the best volleyball players too. Swanson hit for a highly efficient rate and made for a very big block at the net.   [player_tooltip player_id='226899' first='Cree' last='Hollier'] - Mercy   Don't let her size fool you, because [player_tooltip player_id='226899' first='Cree' last='Hollier'] can do some damage in the middle. One of the shortest middles in the field (5'7) and one of the youngest, Hollier can play head and shoulders above her height and years beyond her age. Hollier plays with some serious speed in the middle and was so effective on the quick ball.   [player_tooltip player_id='110287' first='Kaela' last='Chingwa'] & Natasha Bickel - North Branch   North Branch showed just how stacked they are at Beast of the East. Whether it's with the pins or in the middle, every single player can do some damage. While [player_tooltip player_id='110287' first='Kaela' last='Chingwa'] was an All-Dream Team member, you can't ignore the play of her counterpart, Natasha Bickel. Bickel plays the game so strong and is such a steady player for the Broncos. The two combined for over 60 kills on the weekend while hitting over .300.   [player_tooltip player_id='140493' first='Grace' last='Wenaas'] - Notre Dame Prep   Just as advertised, [player_tooltip player_id='140493' first='Grace' last='Wenaas'] has become a real force of nature for the Notre Dame Prep Fighting Irish. Not only was Wenaas the kills leader on the weekend, but she managed to hit over .600 against some of the biggest teams in the state. Wenaas has really come into her own and could make a lot of noise as this perennial power enters the post season.   .   Join us at the<a href="https://prepdig.com/2022/09/the-prep-dig-top-250-expo-series-is-back-2/"> Prep Dig Top 250 Expo</a>! Use code LShotPDExpo250 for 10% off your registration fee.

One of the most stacked field of teams we may have ever seen at Beast of the East, these teams came in ready to play and it made for an epic day of volleyball!