Emerging Freshmen from the 2023 NSAA State Championships

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here's one for the first-year players.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's tough to be a starting varsity freshman on the Nebraska prep scene. It might be even more difficult to be a starting freshman for a powerhouse team that makes the state tournament. Despite this, we always have some rising first-year athletes to watch in every postseason.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>So, here's a glimpse at this year's surging freshmen representing the Class of 2027. The future is already here.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["458153"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Sure, Papio South graduates some impactful middles from this year's squad. On the other hand, talented young athletes like Judson are ready to fill the void. Judson has already made a huge splash in the Titan starting lineup with triple-digit kills and a team-leading block total. That's an impressive line for any freshman, but to do it with the Papio South powerhouse program is an extraordinary accomplishment. Judson is set up for even more eye-popping production in the years ahead.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["458159"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Why not stick with the Titans for another stock-rising freshman? Bails got plenty of work in her debut seasonu002du002denough to finish tied for second on the team in kills after the regular season. It was fascinating to watch Papio South shuffle its lineup throughout the year and still find sustained success behind a group of young players. This has allowed Bails to surge into the spotlight right away, and the valuable experience from 2023 will keep paying off.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["458169"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"From one Titan team to another. Bornschlegl brought plenty of value from the Norris bench this year as a left-side hitter who could sub in for some instant firepower. We got to see this role materialize when Norris battled Omaha Skutt Catholic in the Class B championship match, but Bornschlegl had seen a lot more quality reps during the regular season, too. We'll see what next year holds for Bornschlegl with a Norris program that is not afraid to play underclassmen.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["458077"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Gretna East was bound to feature young talent in its inaugural volleyball season. Waters falls under this category after the freshman put together several outstanding performances from the team's opposite position. Not only did Waters compile over 100 kills in the regular season, but she made even more contributions as a defender and a primary passer in the back row. She has even proven her worth as a setter. This do-everything athlete will keep building on a stellar debut season that ended in the state tournament.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["458168"],"_player_evaluations_4_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"Malcolm is making a habit of trotting out some transformative freshmen. Johnson was this year's dominant first-year player to keep an eye on, as the physical middle had a team-best 65 blocks in the regular season and backed that up with nearly 200 kills. Her length creates some serious matchup problemsu002du002deven for Class C1's tournament-worthy squads. The Clippers are building a roster that should be formidable for years to come, and Johnson now lies at the center of that development.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_5_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_5_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='498907' first='Nora' last='Herian']","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_5_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_5_player_details_height":"6'1u0022","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_5_player_details_position":"32564","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_5_player_details_school":"Pierce","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_5_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_5_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_5_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"Class C1 is clearly getting an influx of tall talents from the 2027 class. Herian immediately seized one of Pierce's starting outside hitter spots and compiled the team's second-leading kill total. It might be easy to get intimidated with a host of experienced players around you, but Herian fit right in with a seasoned Bluejay lineup. She now has a chance to take on an early leadership role as Pierce seeks back-to-back Lincoln trips.","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_6_player":["453482"],"_player_evaluations_6_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"Welcome to the dynasty. Lincoln Lutheran's high-stakes pursuit of three consecutive state titles did not stop it from leaning on a few underclassmen. Sidlo is an electric addition to the Warrior frontcourt whose quick arm makes her difficult to defend. She also brings a mature presence to the defensive phase, even as younger players often struggle with challenging blocking tasks. Sidlo was ready for Nebraska's biggest prep stage and produced one memorable moment after another.","_player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_7_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_7_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_7_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_7_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_7_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='498952' first='Pyper' last='Ickes']","_player_evaluations_7_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_7_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_7_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_7_player_details_height":"5'6u0022","_player_evaluations_7_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_7_player_details_position":"32564","_player_evaluations_7_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_7_player_details_school":"St. Mary's","_player_evaluations_7_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_7_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_7_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_7_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_7_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"Ickes handled all the six-rotation responsibilities you might usually impart on an upperclassman. She was a dynamic scorer, a steady passer, and was not afraid to take some serious contact as a floor defender. A one-loss regular season is about as good as you can ask for from a team that is deploying a first-year athlete at outside hitter. Ickes and St. Mary's are determined to keep the postseason streak going.","_player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_8_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_8_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_8_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_8_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_8_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='498963' first='Reagan' last='Finley']","_player_evaluations_8_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_8_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_8_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_8_player_details_height":"5'7u0022","_player_evaluations_8_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_8_player_details_position":"32564","_player_evaluations_8_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_8_player_details_school":"Wallace","_player_evaluations_8_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_8_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_8_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_8_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_8_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_8_evaluation":"We might have found a new leader for Wallace in the years ahead. Finley was second on the team in kills as the Wildcats ended a long postseason drought in Class D2. Wallace did not shy away from giving Finley some tough swings in the frontcourt, and the freshman usually found a way to score. Her volume will only increase as Wallace likely fields a much younger squad in 2024.","_player_evaluations_8_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":9,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65540d6d381ba"} /-->