2025s Rankings: 6’0+ and Teammates
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The class of 2025 has some big talent but they didn’t get that recognition on their own. They are all a part of high school or club programs where they have teammates. I always say the best teammate is someone…
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Continue ReadingThe class of 2025 has some big talent but they didn’t get that recognition on their own. They are all a part of high school or club programs where they have teammates. I always say the best teammate is someone that makes everyone around them better, and I want that athlete on my team.
Kelzenberg has turned a lot of heads in the past year and she will continue to do that with Carly Gilk Carly Gilk 6’2″ | RS Champlin Park | 2025 State #27 Nation MN as her right hand teammate. Literally. I want to claim these two as double trouble because that is exactly what they will be causing for a lot of attackers. Trouble. Kelzenberg in the middle and Gilk on the right side will be a really tough duo to get past for the MN Select 16-1. On the high school side of things, Kelzenberg has another 2025 counterpart that helps her keep opponents on edge. As soon as they believe they have a break with Kelzenberg rotating out of the front row, here comes Reilly Kurth Reilly Kurth 6’2″ | MB Wayzata | 2025 State MN ! Kurth continues to put the pressure on and helps wear down Wayzata’s opponents.
Highlights
Mattes has been flourishing this past year. This fall she had a solid connection with Alexis Opland Alexis Opland 6’1″ | S East Ridge | 2025 State MN that really helped her put on a show during the State Tournament. It’s exciting to think that they will have 2 more years at East Ridge together. On the club side of things I’d like to partner her with McKenna Garr McKenna Garr 5’7″ | DS/L Rush City | 2025 State #126 Nation MN as a dynamic duo. Whether Mattes is in the middle or the right side she is the first line of defense in transition and whatever she doesn’t get she funnels to Garr. Garr is a tenacious defender that will get her hands on anything and everything that gets past Mattes. These two don’t allow much to drop for Northern Lights 16-1s.
I’ve already talked about how Gilk and Kelzenberg make an intimidating duo at the net but Gilk also gets to partner with Hannah Jackson Hannah Jackson 6’1″ | OH Minnetonka | 2025 State MN leaving an opposing team with no relief from the suffocating block and relentless attack of MN Select 16-1. On the high school side, Gilk partners up with Reese Axness Reese Axness 5’9″ | S Champlin Park | 2025 State MN and those two dominate the right side of their court for Champlin Park. Some may call it the “weak side” but not in their case.
Highlights
Schmidt is a huge presence to have up at the net and is really like a cherry on top of an already big front line for Northern Lights 16-1. I love to see how she works with her pin hitters like Ava Ball Ava Ball 6’0″ | OH Nova Classical Academy | 2025 State MN and Mesaiya Bettis Mesaiya Bettis 6’0″ | OH Burnsville | 2025 State #28 Nation MN because when Ball and Bettis demostrate how effective they are with only a single block in front of them blockers tend to cheat and that allows Schmidt to take over. She forces the block to stay disciplined which once again frees up her pin hitters. It’s a vicious cycle. Schmidt has a similar pin hitter she works with at Eagan ‘ last=”]’ last=”]’ last=”] in Isabel Purrington Isabel Purrington 6’0″ | OH Eagan | 2025 State MN . They know just how to work the opposing block and keep them off balance.