2023 HS Preview: Nebraska’s Can’t-Miss Small-Town Seniors
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Savvy veterans dot every corner of the Cornhusker State. That’s especially true among Nebraska’s best small-town volleyball programs. We’ll be putting a heavy emphasis on under-the-radar gems through the 2023 season, and that philosophy will also be reflected in our…
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Continue ReadingSavvy veterans dot every corner of the Cornhusker State. That’s especially true among Nebraska’s best small-town volleyball programs.
We’ll be putting a heavy emphasis on under-the-radar gems through the 2023 season, and that philosophy will also be reflected in our previews. There are so many small-town standouts to cover this year. The senior class alone has its share of multi-year stars, so that seems like a good place to start.
Some of these veteran leaders have already been covered in our Unfinished Business series that helped usher in our high school previews. Check those out if you haven’t already.
Now, here are even more names to know.
West raised a lot of eyebrows last fall by averaging north of 0.400 hitting percentage over the entire season. The Wausa prep star hasn’t just made her mark on the prep side, however, as West took a big step forward with VCNebraska 17 Black during this spring’s club campaign. This outside hitter’s all-around dominance should keep her atop Nebraska’s attacking leaderboards yet again.
Highlights
Spahr is another small-town star who has made a year-round impact. Her junior year with Milford was highlighted by nearly 250 total kills on a 0.300 clip. And, like many athletes from small towns adjacent to Lincoln, Spahr represented Nebraska Juniors in club competition and demonstrated her ability to take over at the net. Expect more of the same this fall.
Cambridge has been in the postseason conversation a while, and dynamic athletes like Kent are helping maintain that winning standard. The Trojans leaned on their junior outside hitter for plenty of offensive production in 2022. Kent delivered with over 300 kills while being an efficient scorer the entire way. Best of all, Kent is just starting to find her ceiling and could be due for even bigger numbers in her final season.
How about another rising star from Nebraska Juniors 17 Black? Sisco has piled up the prep stats with Syracuse, a consistent volleyball program in the Lincoln vicinity. Her 443-kill junior year proves that she can handle a ton of attacking volume and never run out of gas. Sisco’s adaptability as a pin hitter or a middle blocker will also pay dividends as she gives opposing blockers plenty to think about.
Hennerberg has about as much state championship experience as you can possibly compile before your senior year. Diller-Odell has made perennial appearances at the state tournament with this setter leading the way for many of those breakthroughs. Through her progress with the Griffins and with Nebraska ONE 17 Lime, Hennerberg should be ready to keep up her winning ways in 2023.
Lampe has been a pivotal piece of Bartley Southwest’s competitive status in the small-town scene. She distributed well enough to rack up nearly ten assists per set last season and also brings savvy floor defense in her backcourt rotations. It’s exciting to think what Lampe could accomplish as a senior given her numbers have been steadily rising since her career began.
Backemeyer’s defensive instincts have propelled Elmwood-Murdock into the spotlight throughout this libero’s prep tenure. She is never afraid to stand in the crosscourt and absorb heat from some of the state’s most formidable attackers. 2023 has already given us the best of Backemeyer in various club venues, so she won’t skip a beat with the Knights this fall.
We ought to have a defending state champion on this list. Jones fills this quota as one of the biggest stock risers of the 2022 high school season. She locked down the Hartington Cedar Catholic backcourt with her consistent first contacts, allowing the team’s strong frontcourt to flourish. A new roster offers new challenges for Cedar Catholic this fall, but Jones brings vital continuity, too.
We’ll now make the trek to Hastings for another libero who is no stranger to big numbers. Benson is on the cusp of eclipsing 1,000 digs over her prep career with almost all of that production coming in just the last two years. That sets the stage for Benson to bring some jaw-dropping digits to the box score during her senior year.
Borner’s influence with DC West cannot be ignored. The squad from Valley made a monumental appearance in last year’s state tournament while Borner performed admirably in the libero jersey. We were already familiar with Borner’s high ceiling through her work with Nebraska Elite, but her junior year with the Falcons was on another level. Time to keep climbing for one final outing.