Scouting Reports: Centennial-Northwest 5A State Semis
In this article:
CORALVILLE, Iowa – For the third time in 2023, CIML foes Ankeny Centennial and Waukee Northwest matched up. This time, the season was on the line. Second-seeded Centennial knocked off No. 3 Northwest both times during the regular season but…
Access all of Prep Dig
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingCORALVILLE, Iowa – For the third time in 2023, CIML foes Ankeny Centennial and Waukee Northwest matched up. This time, the season was on the line.
Second-seeded Centennial knocked off No. 3 Northwest both times during the regular season but the Wolves turned the tables in it with a five-set victory in the Class 5A state semifinals Wednesday here at Xtream Arena. It followed 3-2 and 2-1 victories for Centennial earlier in ’23.
Northwest (28-9) moved on to play top-seeded West Des Moines Dowling Catholic in Thursday’s state championship match. Centennial finished the season at 31-7.
Here’s a look at some of the players that stood out in Wednesday’s match:
I scouted Lei-Butters during the club season and saw her again this summer at the Prep Dig showcase in Clive. She plays like a senior – calm, cool and collected. Her reflexes are catlike quick. She reads the ball well and turns around incoming pace into very usable passes on a consistent basis. She’s one of the better passers I’ve seen this season, which helps keep the Jaguars in system and allows the hitters to fire away. She piled up 32 digs in this match.
Highlights
The Illinois State basketball commitment could play volleyball at the next level as well. As one would expect from a Division I basketball recruit, Pratt is an explosive athlete with tremendous spring in her legs and an ability to hang in the air. She does a nice job attacking at the top of her jump and swinging with power. Pratt shined in this contest with 15 kills, 13 digs and three solo blocks.
Kambria Leazer
Kambria Leazer
Leazer possesses what you want in a setter. She shares a strong connection with her hitters and understands where they like the ball placed. She delivers it with a soft touch and consistently accurate placement. She defends well in the back row and delivers at the net as well. She plays with keen instincts and sees the court clearly. She dished out 48 assists in this one with three kills and a solo block.
Pelds is a lot like Jones in that she can do it all for the Wolves. She displays a power attack on the outside but she can dig it out with the best of them, too. The senior gets it done with an impressive vertical leap and swing on the attack. She’s quick and agile as well. She stood out in this contest with a team-high 15 kills, eight digs, a solo block and three assists.
Vogt has looked very calm here in her two matches at state despite only being a ninth-grader. She’s every bit of 6-1 with long arms and plenty of agility for a young, taller player. It might foreshadow a valuable six-rotation player in the future. As it is, Vogt already impacts matches with her advanced skills and feel for the game. She contributed seven kills, four digs and six block assists in the semifinals.
I saw a lot of Pelds during the last club season. She played a consistently reliable libero back then. She has taken a step forward from there. She thrives with quick reflexes and a good reads on the incoming attack. She slides well laterally and hands out on-the-mark passes, helping keep the Wolves in system regularly. She piled up 27 digs and added three assists in this contest.