SLC Showdown Showcase: Washington 2024 Setters

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It was an exciting Prep Dig Showcase on Friday night at the Salt Palace in Downtown Salt Lake City, and Washington athletes had a great showing. Several clubs had multiple athletes participate and we will be continuing coverage of the Showcase and the SLC Showdown tournament for our Washington players this week. Here are several outstanding 2024 setters that caught our eye during the showcase and the tournament.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["302550"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Baier impressed everyone with her quickness and great attitude on the court, the Wenatchee 2024 prospect is playing with the Seattle Juniors 17 team this club season. She stayed calm and neutral when setting, not floating into her middles and giving her attackers great sets to work with. Baier plays willing defense first and is an active communicator on the floor, and that stood out in the loud, up-tempo setting.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6437840b4d276"} /--> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://youtu.be/ZnZKEaPV4Lo","type":"video","providerNameSlug":"youtube","responsive":true,"className":"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://youtu.be/ZnZKEaPV4Lo </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["194179"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Saldana has all the qualities you want in a setter, she is fast and gets on the ground to keep the second ball alive. She is deceptive with her setter attacks and can push the ball to the pin either on the slide or a shoot to her outside. At the showcase she was hustling all over the court, encouraging her team and flashing defensively. Saldana does her work with a big smile, and the Stadium junior does whatever it takes to make her team better, even if it's playing any position but setter during school ball! Her PSVBA 17 Legacy squad has been competing hard throughout the season and rattled off 5 wins in a row including a three-set thriller over a tough Tstreet LV 17-Chad team on their way to a ninth-place finish in Salt Lake. Saldana is the type of player that will make any college team's gym better!rnrn[caption id=u0022attachment_374972u0022 align=u0022alignnoneu0022 width=u0022300u0022]u003cimg class=u0022size-medium wp-image-374972u0022 src=u0022https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/04/Anna-Saldana1.jpg?w=300u0022 alt=u0022u0022 width=u0022300u0022 height=u0022214u0022 /u003e Photo: Lena Wells SLC Showdown Prep Dig Showcase[/caption]rnrnu0026nbsp;","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6437840b4d2f2"} /--> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://youtu.be/dBjl2qq0DfE","type":"video","providerNameSlug":"youtube","responsive":true,"className":"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://youtu.be/dBjl2qq0DfE </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["254818"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"u003cpu003eThe NPJ Seattle setter quickly established herself as a top performer at the setter spot during the Showcase. u0022Dynamicu0022, u0022Fast Tempou0022, and u0022Great Feetu0022, are just a few of the descriptions that were given for her play. She carried that into the tournament, where she bettered ball after ball keeping NPJ in rhythm even when she was on the run or setting from a difficult angle. Chang helped lead the team to a dominant Bronze Division win in the 17 USA, after dropping two 3-set heartbreakers to Rage Westside and Sunshine on the second day of pool play.u0026nbsp;u003c/pu003e","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6437840b4d351"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The PNW sent a few more 2024 setters to the Showcase, one each from Oregon and Idaho. Idaho has a growing volleyball scene, with the Boise area sporting excellent clubs and Post Falls and Coeur d'Alene on the rise. Oregon is already a hotbed of talent that should keep building as volleyball continues to ascend in the Portland area and beyond.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["369945"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Pappas was an athletic performer, showing good length and sweet hands at the Showcase. It was easy to identify her as a player with the ability to play as an attacker as well, she moves with a purpose and plays physical at the net. Pappas was willing to reverse the flow with her sets, and showed good location and connection with her attackers. Her NPJ 17 Salem team worked hard for a 14th place finish in the Open at the Showdown, after securing a USA bid at the PNQ in Spokane.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6437840b4d3a3"} /--> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://youtu.be/VEzA7otELj4","type":"video","providerNameSlug":"youtube","responsive":true,"className":"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://youtu.be/VEzA7otELj4 </div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='369945' first='Amy' last='Pappas']- Oregon Highlights</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Reese Johnson | McCall Donnelly | McCall VBC | 2024 Setter</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Johnson is a strong and crafty setter, she was able to sneak in dumps to score, and push the ball to the pin. She also attacks for her McCall squad, and her physical ability as a blocker was evident throughout the tournament. Johnson impressed with her strong hands on defense and ability to read the game overall as a defender. She ran under or dug out tips and handled hard swings overhead solidly. Johnson adds a tough and powerful serve to her overall outstanding game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p> </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/16713273/reese-johnson/highlights">https://www.hudl.com/profile/16713273/reese-johnson/highlights</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":375151,"width":414,"height":295,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/04/Reese-Johnson-.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-375151" width="414" height="295" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo: Lena Wells, SLC Showdown Prep Dig Showcase</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image -->