Class 2A Heavy Hitters: Kill Leaders Heading Into Senior Seasons

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It is hard to believe that June is almost over. That gives me two months to provide some extra exposure for the Class of 2024 before they begin their senior seasons.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here is the first scouting report on athletes from Class 2A schools who finished with kill totals of 300 or more during the 2022 season.  Each of these athletes is in the class of 2024 and a college-level prospect.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>During the month of July, I will be featuring athletes from Class 2A and 1A schools who dominated the traditional statistical categories in volleyball.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hopefully, I will run into a few of them as I continue to scout summer camps and tournaments across the state in July.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='342344' first='Gabby' last='Lujan']</strong>, 5'10”, MH/S, Belle Plaine</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lujan has seen varsity action since she was a freshman. Heading into the 2023 season she is closing in on reaching the 1,000 career kill mark. She finished her junior season with 520 kills leaving her just 74 kills away from collecting 1,000. She has a multi-role player who can fill up the stat sheet across the board. Lujan is currently ranked No. 75 in the Class of 2024 rankings according to Prep Dig Kansas.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='119710' first='Zaylee' last='Werth']</strong>, 6'0”, OH, Hillsboro</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Werth caught my scouting eye all the way back in 2020 when the Kansas Prep Dig site was launched.  She had 140 kills during her freshman campaign in the fall of 2020. Last season as a junior she amassed 507 kills and sits just 14 kills short of finishing with 1,000 kills or more in high school. She is tall and hits the ball with authority. Werth also plays point guard for the Trojans basketball squad. Werth is currently ranked No. 55 in the Prep Dig Class of 2024 rankings in Kansas.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='119716' first='Brenna' last='Smith']</strong>, 5'10”, OH, St. Mary's</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Smith finished her junior season with 455 kills for the St. Mary' Bears. She is also a solid defensive player as she finished with 318 digs and 455 serve receptions. She has a solid approach and is able to get on top of the ball. She plays club ball with KS Networks. Smith is currently ranked No. 85 among her Class of 2024 peers in Kansas.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Kolbie Bartlett</strong>, 5'9”, OH, Bennington</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bartlett racked up 431 kills during the 2022 season. She also has a nice serve as she finished with 38 aces during her junior season. Bartlett is also a power forward on Bennington's basketball squad.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Avery Eshleman</strong>, 6'1”, OH/MH, Sacred Heart</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The tallest prospect among this group is Sacred Heart's Eshleman. She finished her junior campaign with 338 kills. She also finished the 2022 season with 52 total blocks during the regular season. Not only does Eshleman have a huge reach, but the Knight attacker can also get some bit-time air. She can dominate a match and is a solid college-level prospect.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->