Six 2024 Deep Diggers From Kansas Small Schools

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Over the next two weeks Prep Dig will be bringing attention to athletes from 1A schools.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The second report focuses on “Deep Diggers.” Players who racked up large dig totals during the junior seasons and are defensive leaders for their respective teams.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here are six players headed into their senior seasons hoping to improve on their numbers and to winning seasons.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jordyn Beckman</strong>, 5'5”, L, Wheatland-Grinnell</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Beckman is an athletic libero who finished with 420 digs during her junior season. She has a solid defensive frame and makes consistent first passes. She has seen varsity action for the Thunderhawks since her freshman season and has racked up 689 career digs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jacelyn Heulskamp</strong>, 5'5”, L, South Gray</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Heulskamp finished her junior season with 395 digs. It was her first season seeing the bulk of time at the libero position for South Gray. Heulskamp is also a solid defensive-minded guard for the Rebels Basketball team.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='119702' first='Kylee' last='Johnston']</strong>, 5'3”, DS, Oswego</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Oswego's defensive specialist finished her junior season with 375 digs. She has seen varsity time since her freshman year and his just 148 digs away from having 1,000 career digs in high school. The Oswego prospect also has a solid serve finishing with 51 aces in the 2022 season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Makaila Matthies</strong>, 5'8”, DS, St. Francis</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Matthies is an interesting prospect since at 5-foot-8 she is tall for a defensive specialist. She racked up 331 digs and 441 serve receptions as a junior. She will go all out to get to a ball defensively and makes solid first passes to the setter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='119722' first='Karoline' last='Schroeder']</strong>, 5'8”, OH, Wheatland-Grinnell</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After a junior season with 329 digs, Schroeder only needs 68 digs for 1,000 of those for her career. She is a smart player who communicates well with her teammates. She is also a big-time attacker finishing with 400 kills during the 2022 season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Braxton Cox</strong>, 5'3”, DS/OH, Northern Valley</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cox posted solid numbers for Northern Valley during the 2022 season. She collected 303 digs and 473 serve receptions. She is a six-rotation player for the Huskies. She finished with 66 kills and 30 aces. Cox also is a shooting guard on the Husky Basketball squad.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->