D3/D4 SHOWDOWN: Team Previews (Pt 4)

<!-- wp:heading {"level":6} --> <h6 class="wp-block-heading"><em>Be sure to follow&nbsp;<strong>@lshotvb&nbsp;</strong>on Instagram, Tik Tok and Twitter for all things volleyball!</em></h6> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":6} --> <h6 class="wp-block-heading"><em><a href="https://prepdig.com/top-250-expos/">Join us at the&nbsp;Prep Dig Top 250 Expo</a>! Use code LShotVBExpo2023 for 10% off your registration fee.</em> (APPLICABLE TO ALL EXPOS)</h6> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":6} --> <h6 class="wp-block-heading">–</h6> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's one of the hottest tournaments of the year. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bringing in some of the top teams in the state from Divisions 3 and 4, it's the battle of the small school! Last year saw this tournament nearly predict the final four in Division 3. With Pewamo Westphalia, last year's showdown winners, going on to win the Division 3 title. Cass City and Calumet were other highlights from last year's showdown that made the run to Kellogg as well. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Will this year be just as predictive? We'll have to find out. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Let's break down the teams making their way to Schoolcraft College for the epic Division 3 and 4 Showdown!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Adrian-Madison</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Adrian-Madison may be one of the top teams entering this weekend. With a 21-2-3 record going into the showdown, the Trojans have put up quite the fight throughout the first half of the 2023 season. The Trojans have wins over the likes of Bay City Western and Bronson and close battles with Dexter and Walled Lake Northern. This is a squad that could make a deep run into Saturday's tournament.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the top attackers in Division 3 is MB <strong>Tatum Wilson</strong>. Wilson leads this highly successful group in the middle with just under 3 kills per set and a .366 hit percentage. Opposite of her is MB <strong>Elizabeth Hacker</strong>, right behind Wilson on the kills list with under 2 per set on a .385 season clip. This offense through the middle wouldn't be possible without the play of L <strong>Veronica Flores</strong>. A libero with over 5 digs a set on the season</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Calumet </h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the top returning programs from the 2022 season, Calumet saw themselves in a historic season ending in the Division III Final Four. They lose kills leader <strong>Helen Beiring</strong> (Northern Michigan) to graduation. This season sees the Copper Kings with a 10-2 record with the lone losses belonging to Mt. Pleasant. They're coming off of a huge win over Kingsford to move into the No. 1 ranked team in the U.P. This weekend will showcase a true test as to where Calumet sits on the statewide scale.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Despite losing kills leader Beiring last season, the Copper Kings have a pair of attackers doing more than filling in the gap left by the current Wildcat standout. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='473930' first='Allison' last='Bjorn'] </strong>and<strong> Caitlyn Strom</strong> are the epic one-two punch of the group. Both showed glimpses of high level play during last year's epic run and look to have stepped it up a notch or two in 2023. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Grass Lake </h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This is another top level team out of the Jackson area, a team that may turn some heads this weekend. With a pretty stout front line, Grass Lake offers up a pretty stacked net defense, alongside some towering weapons on offense. The Warriors currently sit with a 9-3 record with some familiar foes going into the weekend with Adrian Madison. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Some of the big names out of this crew are MB <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='261198' first='Monique' last='Diehl']</strong> and OPP<strong> [player_tooltip player_id='261120' first='Adrianna' last='Kline'] </strong>(Saginaw Valley). This duo offer up an intense wall at the net. Potentially one of the toughest blocks in all of Division III, they both follow up with a great look offensively. Kline leads the Warriors on the right pin in kills. Running the offense is S <strong>Mia Buttigieg</strong>, a highlight from Five:1's 16 Black team this past winter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Saranac</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rounding out the list of top players in the Division 3 and 4 showdown, we have a team from the Lansing area, the Saranac Red Hawks. Out of the same conference as reigning champions, Pewamo Westphalia, the Red Hawks are no stranger to some big competition. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Hawks come in with an 11-8 record. They're led by OH <strong>Delaney Reagan</strong>. Reagan leads this squad in point scoring and offers up some size at the net for an otherwise undersized team. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->