State Tournament: Players to Watch – Division 3A

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The biggest moment of high school volleyball season has arrived in the state of Texas as this week, from Wednesday to Saturday, the best teams in the Lone Star State will fight for the state titles in Garland.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Four teams in each division will be on the court at the Curtis Culwell Center over the next few days and each of the 24 programs competing for the honor of ruling Texas features several players with extraordinary potential.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As we warm up for the State Tournament, let's go over the top players in each division. Today we'll take a look at Division 3A, which has Bushland, Central Heights, Columbus and Gunther as the title contenders.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Watch</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Abby Howell","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'10u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32564","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Bushland","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"One of the seniors in a relatively young Bushland team, Howell will lead the Lady Falcons as they try to claim their third state title in five seasons. Also a talented softball player, she's one of Bushland's main offensive options and led the team at last year's Regional Tournament with 25 kills. Howell has a very strong lower body and also swings hard, but she also displays good vision to find open spots and score points. She's also a very good server, who often helps the Lady Falcons from the service line.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65507f3ee8361"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["433958"],"_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":"One of just a few starters from Gunter's last year's championship-winning team to return in 2023, Smith has a much larger role with the team this season. The junior middle makes a major impact on the team at the net, contributing on both sides of the ball. She's very long, which gives her a very high contact point, allowing her to overcome most of the blockers who stand in her way. Smith also has very impressive footwork and makes a very good job of making herself available to her setters in transition plays.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65507f3ee83d7"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/16381386/64ae20b4d4684b0e1077a119' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65507f3ee8418"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Madi Best","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'7u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32564","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Central Heights","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Central Heights' seniors will be pivotal to the team in their first trip to the State Tournament and Best is expected to have an even more important role as the team's leading scorer. She's not the tallest player at 5'7u0022, but gets off the floor really well and swings as hard as anyone. Best has great range with her offense and a very quick arm, which allows her to change the direction of her swings in the last second. She gets to the State Tournament after having produced 312 kills, 206 digs and 293 passes during the season.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65507f3ee84ac"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/14838451/654f7005da50b80a3059f507' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65507f3ee84cd"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["307447"],"_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":"One of the most prolific scorers in the state of Texas, Tribe has managed to take Columbus to the State Tournament for a third-straight season. Very tall and powerful, she can carry her team's offense against any opponent and is at her best when under pressure. Tribe's high contact point makes her life easier at the net, but she also thrives for her well-diversified offense and excellent shot selection. Tribe has significantly improved her passing and defense over the years and is now an impressive well-rounded player, who's certainly among the best in her class in Texas.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65507f3ee8520"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/14852844/6347a65f3452ec0e58f28163' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65507f3ee853d"} /-->