Outstanding Underclassmen: 4A State Championship
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Many of the outstanding performers at the 4A State Championship tournament were underclassmen, and the great play by the 2025-2027 classes was spread throughout the 16 teams in attendance at the Sun Dome. We touched on several players from the…
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Continue ReadingMany of the outstanding performers at the 4A State Championship tournament were underclassmen, and the great play by the 2025-2027 classes was spread throughout the 16 teams in attendance at the Sun Dome. We touched on several players from the final four teams- here we look at players beyond those four squads in the 4A division.
Prep Dig is putting on the Washington Top 250 Expo for Class of 2024-27 prospects on Dec. 2 in Lynnwood. https://events.prepdig.com/e/907/register/washington-top-250-expo to sign up for the event. Check out the attendee list to see the great players from across the state who have already signed up. https://events.prepdig.com/e/907/attendees
The Washington Top 250 Expo is being held in a familiar spot for volleyball players and parents- The Academy Sports Center in Lynwood, home to Washington Volleyball Academy- WVBA . The Expo just hit 75 players total signed up with a week to go- excellent athletes from all over the state are joining us on the morning of Saturday, December 2nd for an exciting, fast-paced event. Skilled area coaches will be there working with the athletes in a safe and fun environment- we hope to see more of you there!
The Vikings took home the 5th place trophy, knocking off Camas in the trophy match for 5/6 and Hanson battled hard against a tall and skilled Papermaker front line. She has length at 6’2 to be a difference maker as a blocker, and she recorded over 60 total blocks on the season. The 2026 prospect has time to develop strength and a complete offensive package, her work rate and effort to close the block are solidly in place. Setter Reese Sheppard Reese Sheppard 5’9″ | S Puyallup | 2025 State WA , a junior and freshman Samantha Pirillis Samantha Pirillis 6’7″ | DS/L Puyallup | 2027 State WA are two more underclassmen who played well at the tournament and all season for Puyallup. Sheppard will have a chance to approach the 4000 assist mark next year as a senior, and the Vikings have found a gem in libero Pirillis.
Thompson was blasting kills from the pipe consistently for Camas, setter Kendall Mairs Kendall Mairs 5’11” | OH Camas | 2025 State #84 Nation WA had Thompson on lock and found her barreling in from the back row both in and out of system. The sophomore outside had a heavy wrap on one leg, (as did Mairs) but battled through it to help the Papermakers to a 6th place finish. Thompson has a whippy arm, and an urgent and powerful approach when she is set. She is also able to drop in a roll shot and has a fine power tip she can use when a set might be tight- the 2026 prospect has a well developed offensive game.
Highlights
Ensign has terrific hands, she can set her feet and push the bill anywhere she needs to on the court. In Yakima her lefty serve was dancing on defenders and she had a high rate of knocking teams out of system on her service runs. Curtis has a wonderful set of attackers for Ensign to find, and 2025 OH Arianna Medchill Arianna Medchill 5’10” | OH Curtis | 2025 State WA stayed busy terminating with her smooth swing off tempo sets in the Viking offense. Ensign was playing good defense too, she has great reflexes and the strength to poke up digs with one hand when she has to make an emergency move.
Katie Strong
Katie Strong
Freshman Strong put everyone on notice in the Sun Dome right away, recording 34 digs in a tight 5 set loss to Curtis. With a great base and platform, she handled big swings from many of the state’s best attackers, and was at her best in a 5 set thriller victory over Gonzaga Prep on day two. Strong was handling everything in the middle back, and kept giving setter Millea McMurry Millea McMurry 5’8″ | S West Valley Yakima | 2025 State WA a good pass to work with. McMurry plays excellent defense as well, and when she was alongside Strong in the back row the Rams defense was super gritty. First year head coach Jillian Berg had West Valley playing with confidence and belief all weekend, and the Rams finished with the eighth place trophy.
Glacier Peak has a terrific group of juniors, and will return 12 out of the 13 players currently on the roster. Cornelius is a setter/right side with nice length and athletic ability. She is very good in serve receive, teaming with libero Tessa Mossburg Tessa Mossburg 5’2″ | DS/L Glacier Peak | 2025 State WA to give the Grizzlies a solid core of passers. Cornelius glides smoothly around the court, and confidently found impressive middle Hanna Ligons Hanna Ligons 6’1″ | MB Glacier Peak | 2025 State WA for kills on mid tempo “2” balls and quick sets that Ligons pounded over the top of blockers.
McCraw is a strong and competitive pin attacker and created kills off the block and finding the seam at the Sun Dome. She combined with terrific setter Mia Quitquit on different tempo sets, terminating down the line or finding the deep corner. Kennedy Catholic has other young players who played crucial roles this season, including freshman MB Amaree Hollis Amaree Hollis 6’0″ | MB Kennedy Catholic | 2027 State WA and junior Dani Turcinec Dani Turcinec 5’8″ | S Kennedy Catholic | 2025 State WA . Hollis showed off good form as a blocker and has great size at 6’1. Turcinec was hammering kills at State and looked supremely confident as an attacker.
Highlights
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