High School Team Feature – Cy Woods Wildcats
The high school regular season is nearly over in the state of Texas as the playoffs are set to begin and every team in the state has been on the court more than enough times for us to have a…
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Continue ReadingThe high school regular season is nearly over in the state of Texas as the playoffs are set to begin and every team in the state has been on the court more than 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. Today’s highlighted team is the Cy Woods Wildcats.
The Squad
This was always going to be a challenging season for the Wildcats, who lost their two main scorers, D’Nari Mills and Jackie Velzis, to graduation. One of last year’s key players, outside hitter Emily Schaper Emily Schaper 6'1" | OH Cy Woods | 2023 State TX leads, alongside middle blocker Madison Presley Madison Presley 5'9" Cypress Woods | 2024 TX , a team that has some interesting freshman talent in Caroline Walden and setter Kaylee Peterson.
Key Players
The long and skilled outside hitter is a key player for the Wildcats, especially because of her offensive potential. Besides her very high contact point and power, Schaper also manages to use her length to find good angles and avoid opposing blockers. That combination makes of her a player capable of scoring from anywhere on the court and a force even when she’s at the backcourt. Schaper is also very steady with her passing and defense and a solid server.
Madison Presley Madison Presley 5'9" Cypress Woods | 2024 TX
Madison Presley Madison Presley 5'9" Cypress Woods | 2024 TX
Despite being relatively undersized to play middle, Presley has an excellent presence at the net. She’s very quick with her movement at the net and very effective with how and when she places her arms above the net to press the opposing hitter – her blocking timing is also truly impressive. What stands out on her offense is her range and her ability to hit towards the corners, often avoiding the blocker right in front of her.
Alexandra Diaz
Alexandra Diaz
Diaz became Cy Woods’ starting libero in her senior season and has been doing a good job at the team’s backcourt. Although she could be a little bit more consistent, she’s typically very precise with her passing, putting her setters in good condition to operate. Very agile, Diaz is also efficient with her defense, touching a lot of balls every match. She’s a good server too and has great ball control to set in transition when needed.
Jaya Rimm
Jaya Rimm
After a promising freshman season, Rimm returned with a larger role in her second year with the Wildcats. Capable of playing on either side of the net, she’s been used as an outside hitter, providing some interesting scoring punch to Cy Woods. While her offensive game can still be further developed, Rimm is very effective with her ability to jump well and hit the ball hard. Her passing and defense are solid as well.
Caroline Walden
Caroline Walden
Walden has shown some excellent potential in her freshman season. Very tall and long, she can make contact at a very high point on offense and, despite the relatively little experience, is not a player that will make too many mistakes. Walden is also surprisingly versatile with her offense, being effective when hitting from the left, right and even the middle. There’s some room for improvement in her blocking when it comes to reading and technique, but she can be a real challenge to opposing hitters already because of her size.