Expo Defenders: Part I
In this article:
We are kicking our positional breakdowns from the KS/MO Expo with the mighty defenders. We appreciate great defensive play so we want to start off by giving them, love. We’re going to break this down into a two-part series to…
Access all of Prep Dig
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingWe are kicking our positional breakdowns from the KS/MO Expo with the mighty defenders. We appreciate great defensive play so we want to start off by giving them, love. We’re going to break this down into a two-part series to not clutter up the article and ensure these athletes get the recognition they deserve. Here are some of the back-row defenders who caught our eye throughout the day.
Highlights
The Blue Valley Southwest/Dynasty defender had a really good showing throughout her Sunday inside her home court. She has tremendous reflexes and was able to get quality touches on quite a few hot balls heading her way. Whenever the setter was out she was precise in her second ball placement, a great skill set to have as a defender. She led her high school in the dig category as a sophomore with 270 on the year.
Highlights
Hatton was one of the more technically sound defenders I saw on the day. You can tell she pays great attention to detail in her development. Her platform was a piece of art as she passed the ball in serve receive. If we were grading passes on the day I would bet she was near the top. She is another natural leader in the back row and uses her voice well. Her defense was crucial in helping Blue Valley West make a return trip to the state tournament as she led the way with 379 digs.
Highlights
One of the quickest first steps in the gym belonged to the 5’7″ Klukvin. She was all over the place throughout the day. Her quickness and anticipation allowed her to get some solid ups in competition play. She plays with a level of confidence you have to appreciate as a fan of the sport. She totaled over 200 digs in her sophomore campaign for a really good Olathe Northwest squad. She added 341 receptions in serve receive for good measure.
Highlights
I knew the Koontz name but it was a treat to see her live in action for the first time and she didn’t disappoint. She was one of the best passers in the gym on Sunday. She is another player you can tell spent many hours on her game as she passed the ball to target at a high percentage. Her ability to cover a lot of ground was an advantage on her side of the net. She earned honorable mention all-state honors in 2022 from the libero position with 594 digs.
The freshman made herself known during the expo. She caught my attention due to her laser focus throughout the day. She was there for one reason only and that was to display her skills and compete and she did it well. As one of the younger players in the gym, her passing stood out on the day. She was poised and had no problem stepping in front and taking control in the back row. She is going to be a good one. She is a name you should expect to see in the Mill Valley lineup in the coming year.