2023 HS Preview: Nebraska’s Can’t-Miss Small-Town Seniors (Pt. 2)
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How about a few more for your radar? Yesterday, we discussed a handful of small-town Nebraska athletes who are ready to light up the scoreboard in their final high school season. That feature just scratched the surface, however, and there’s…
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Continue ReadingHow about a few more for your radar?
Yesterday, we discussed a handful of small-town Nebraska athletes who are ready to light up the scoreboard in their final high school season. That feature just scratched the surface, however, and there’s another group of athletes worth mentioning in these preseason spotlights.
So, let’s run it back.
The best of the best. No returning player in Nebraska’s prep landscape can match the astonishing 0.524 season hitting percentage that Wurtz put up last season. The DC West senior was an essential part of the Falcons’ climb to last year’s state championships. Wurtz will press forward in her final high school season before moving up to Creighton at the next level.
Highlights
Plumbtree’s 0.322 hitting percentage for Fullerton last fall only tells part of the story. The Warrior standout was also a shutdown blocker whose net presence was a huge boost to Fullerton’s defense. A breakout 2022 season has put Plumbtree and Fullerton firmly on the map as more excitement lies ahead in 2023.
Rasgorshek has recently distinguished herself as a battle-tested middle blocker who can face off with any team and find success. Her experience playing up with Nebraska ONE 18 Black this spring is the perfect launching point to another stat-stuffing season with Crete. After piling up nearly three kills per set as a junior, Rasgorshek will be looking for more in the middle.
We’re going way out west for this one. Leeling is a high-flying multi-sport star whose wicked arm led Sidney’s scoring last year. Her background in high jump competitions likely contributes to her impressive contact point and ability to hit right over well-formed blocks. Don’t lose track of the rising stars of the Nebraska panhandle.
Busboom’s wide range of skills make her the kind of athlete who can drop a triple-double at any time. She’s a formidable frontcourt attacker, and we’ve seen that termination in club venues with Nebraska Juniors. But Busboom can also transition into a setting role and runs a smooth offense whenever she gets that opportunity. We’ll see which role takes the lead in 2023–and it could be both.
Metzler keeps piling up the accolades with Wakefield. And, like most of the players on this feature, that success is not limited to one sport. On the volleyball side, Metzler has demonstrated incredible precision by amassing nearly nine assists per set as the team’s primary setter.
What can’t Clarke do? The multi-talented Alliance athlete has been a trailblazer on Nebraska’s stat leaderboards in more than one category. It’s hard to find many athletes that exceed three kills per set and four digs per set, but Clarke makes it look easy. Her senior numbers are bound to be extraordinary.
Herrick is an unstoppable force who has proven she can lead Amherst all the way to the state tournament. She has now posted two consecutive 400-kill seasons with the Broncos and is averaging around a .300 hitting percentage over that time. Five kills per set would not be a surprising number for Herrick in her swan song season with Amherst.
Twarling brings everything you could want from a six-rotation outside hitter. She had a huge uptick in offensive production as a Junior with Hay Springs, but she also kept up her defensive prowess with over five digs per set. This upward trend will be fascinating to follow as Twarling helps keep her Hay Springs squad in the small-town discussion
Hass’ proficiency at racking up digs has been something to behold. She’s been the focal point of GACC’s backcourt since the very beginning of her prep career and has compiled anywhere from five to seven digs per set over those few years. There’s a real chance that Hass reaches 2,000 career digs this fall, putting her among the most productive players in Nebraska’s entire 2024 class.