High School Team Feature – Paetow Panthers
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 report, we’ll take a good look at the Paetow Panthers.
The Squad
A relatively new program in the Katy area, Paetow was able to maintain most of its core for its first season in division 6A – District 19. Caelyn Dumas Caelyn Dumas 5'10" | S Tompkins | 2025 State TX has proven to be a special player for the Panthers and she’s surrounded by great talent in the likes of Abigail Hardison and Amaya Thompson.
Key Players
The talented setter/right side hitter is the centerpiece of Paetow’s playing system as much of what the team does on the court goes through her, be it setting or hitting. A lefty, Dumas is incredibly talented and clean in every skill and that gives her team a lot of stability. Her setting is excellent and she’s also very productive when hitting, combining her good size, skilled left arm and high volleyball IQ to carry the team’s offense.
Highlights
Abigail Hardison
Abigail Hardison
Hardison joined the Panthers ahead of the start of last season, coming from Mayde Creek, and her addition has proven to be extremely valuable. A well-rounded outside hitter, she excels on both sides of the ball and is one of the team’s key players. Hardison isn’t very tall, but her impressive vertical and firepower make of her a very productive offensive player, especially given her ability to tool opposing blocks. She’s also very active and solid on defense, besides also causing damage from the service line.
Amaya Thompson
Amaya Thompson
Originally an outside hitter, Thompson moved to the middle with the Panthers and has proved to have what it takes to thrive in the position. Although she typically battles taller opponents across the net, the 5’9″ Thompson jumps very well and hits at a high contact point and with great power. Her blocking is also very well-developed as she has great reading and timing and does an excellent job in placing her arms across the net to take up space from opposing hitters.
Charrish McLemore
Charrish McLemore
Paetow’s libero McLemore is a joy to watch because of her quickness and incredible reaction on the backcourt. She’s the kind of libero that will impress anyone watching her play with the difficult and visual-appealing digs she makes on the back. McLemore is also very reliable and consistent with her passing and has a very aggressive floater.
Ilana Rosario
Ilana Rosario
Rosario plays the backcourt rotations, allowing Dumas to hit while at the net. Getting in and out of the match the entire time can be a challenge in terms of finding a good rhythm, but Rosario deals with it pretty well, always delivering when her number is called. She’s very technical and steady with her ball distribution, trying to keep all hitters as involved as possible, and can also play good defense and serve tough.