Tour of Texas Stop 1 – Players to Watch Vol 1

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the most anticipated tournaments at the beginning of each club season is the Tour of Texas because of all of the talent that will be competing.&nbsp; The first stop will be held in Dallas, TX this weekend.&nbsp; Prep Dig has three scouts who will be covering the tourney.&nbsp; I will be in attendance of this prestigious event and this series will be offering my perspective on teams and players to watch out for during the weekend.&nbsp; Let's “Dig” in to see who is in this volume.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">17s </span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There are some amazing teams in action this year and after watching this age group very closely all of last year I am very intrigued to see some of these match ups.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Power Pools are absolutely littered with Open level talent.&nbsp; There are teams that are traveling from Utah, Georgia, California, and Hawaii looking to compete with the best from the North Texas and Lone Star regions.&nbsp; It is going to be so much fun to watch!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><u>Houston Skyline 17 Royal</u></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the best teams in the age group Houston Skyline 17 Royal is the number one seed for a reason.&nbsp; Year after year they have proven to be in the Gold Bracket/Pool on day three of National Qualifiers to secure a bid.&nbsp; What makes them so dangerous this year is how the roster hasn't changed much over the years and that kind of continuity and chemistry is exactly what championship teams are made of.&nbsp; With setters like [player_tooltip player_id='207678' first='Kate' last='Kuehn'] and [player_tooltip player_id='179888' first='Kassidy' last='O'Brien'], how can you go wrong.&nbsp; Both are very talented and can thread the needle with the best of them in the age group.&nbsp; This teams plays very high above the net.&nbsp; With middles like [player_tooltip player_id='179893' first='Bayleigh' last='Minor'], [player_tooltip player_id='212731' first='Mackenzie' last='Collins'], and [player_tooltip player_id='187020' first='Rebekah' last='Pfefferkorn'] this team is extremely versatile and big!&nbsp; Outside hitters [player_tooltip player_id='179898' first='Bailey' last='Warren'], [player_tooltip player_id='179917' first='Ella' last='Lewis'], [player_tooltip player_id='179890' first='Taylor' last='Porter'] and [player_tooltip player_id='447335' first='Haley' last='Herndon'] are a defense's worst nightmare.&nbsp; How can you possibly defend a team with so many weapons?&nbsp; While you may slow them down a little at times…you will not stop them completely.&nbsp; Oh I forgot…the defense is stacked with Morgan Madison and [player_tooltip player_id='331826' first='Megan' last='Morello'].&nbsp; All of these young ladies are top 2025 talent and you can count on them to be a tough out for anyone in the field.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Drive Nation 17 Red</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There has been some serious movement in the North Texas area.&nbsp; Many players have moved on to different teams and that is not necessarily a bad thing.&nbsp; Sometimes when you bring in new talent, you can find some magic with the new blood.&nbsp; I do not know everything, but I do know one thing.&nbsp; When you have a setter like [player_tooltip player_id='180167' first='Hannah' last='Beauford'] running your offense, you are in great hands.&nbsp; She is one of the big reasons for this team's success over the last few years.&nbsp; Her leadership and fire that she plays the game with mixed with her awesome skill set in the setting position is a recipe for success.&nbsp; An offensive juggernaut like [player_tooltip player_id='180165' first='Mary' last='Beth Morse'] on the pins will always give you a reason to have hope.&nbsp; Playing up again this season is hard hitting Evelyn [player_tooltip player_id='184302' first='Macie' last='Potter'].&nbsp; She will always bring the thunder and I am excited to watch her hit off of Hannah.&nbsp; [player_tooltip player_id='319144' first='Kendall' last='Timme'], [player_tooltip player_id='180169' first='Keirstyn' last='Carlton'], [player_tooltip player_id='180170' first='Lucy' last='Cisneros'] and [player_tooltip player_id='180161' first='Olivia' last='Cohee'] will be lighting up the statbook on the pins for this awesome squad.&nbsp; [player_tooltip player_id='751909' first='Keelea' last='Alexander'] and [player_tooltip player_id='179914' first='Addisyn' last='Kennedy'] will be keeping the ball in system all season long.&nbsp; It will be fun to see this team build up new chemistry against some awesome opponents.&nbsp; There is no better way, in my opinion, to test yourself and figure out what you need for Qualifier season.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><u>[program_tooltip program_id='431166' first='Houston' last='Juniors'] 17 Elite</u></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This team has the height and power to contend with anyone.&nbsp; We have watched them go on some serious runs in the past and this season could be their year.&nbsp; With middles like [player_tooltip player_id='124146' first='Zoe' last='Humphrey'] and [player_tooltip player_id='212727' first='Jordan' last='Taylor'], I am not sure there is a better duo in the field.&nbsp; Libero [player_tooltip player_id='179896' first='Sydney' last='Black'] has been one of the best in the age group for years now and she is only getting better.&nbsp; She is a true ball control expert and floor general in the back row.&nbsp; Outside Hitter [player_tooltip player_id='182109' first='Sydney' last='Bryant'] is special to say the least.&nbsp; We have her listed super high on our rankings for a very good reason.&nbsp; I am not sure many can rise up with her above the net.&nbsp; Setter [player_tooltip player_id='179904' first='Kenedy' last='Massie'] has soft hands and moves the ball around so well.&nbsp; I love the power she has in her delivery when out of system.&nbsp; I am very intrigued to watch [player_tooltip player_id='525242' first='Gabriella' last='Martinez'] in action as she really caught my eye with her recent performance that I watched online.&nbsp; [player_tooltip player_id='442331' first='Aaliyah' last='Smith'] is a power attacker who can throttle the ball well.&nbsp; I am very intrigued to watch some new names like Yosola Adeleke in the middle and Ope Aladetimi on the pins.&nbsp; Stay tuned for a follow up article on how this wonderful team fared over the weekend.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><u>Austin Skyline 17 Royal</u></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the most fun teams to watch over the last few years has been Austin Skyline.&nbsp; The parents are awesome on the sideline, the coaches are fantastic and the players can flat out ball.&nbsp; [player_tooltip player_id='179887' first='Callie' last='Krueger'] is the top ranked libero in the state of Texas and when you watch her play you will easily see why.&nbsp; She has the volleyball IQ of a top notch coach and the ball control to play in college right now.&nbsp; What truly sets her apart is her tenacious relentless pursuit of the ball no matter where it is or what is in her way.&nbsp; With no regard for her body, this young lady will never give up on trying to keep the ball alive.&nbsp; All-World [player_tooltip player_id='179899' first='Addison' last='Gaido'] has been written about by us numerous times and every word is totally warranted. &nbsp;I love how the coaching staff uses her out of serve receive and also by mixing up the lineup at times to maximize her talent.&nbsp; [player_tooltip player_id='179891' first='Riley' last='Certain'] and [player_tooltip player_id='180744' first='Jacy' last='Carrejo'] are two returners who you must account for while they are on the court.&nbsp; Jacy is super smooth as a setter and is extremely aggressive with her tempo.&nbsp; [player_tooltip player_id='180663' first='Amelia' last='Robinson'] is a middle who has gotten better and better each season.&nbsp; I think she is primed for even more of a breakout year.&nbsp; The two-sport stud has power for days and always seems to have a nose for the ball on the defensive side at the net.&nbsp; Makayla White was a diamond in the rough find for this team last year and got up to speed in a hurry to help them at times.&nbsp; She deserves a few looks if you want a very athletic and fast middle who has great hops.&nbsp; New to the team and ready to make an impact are homerun hitters [player_tooltip player_id='318132' first='Joy' last='Udoye'], and Munachiso Mmuo.&nbsp; Both will have a major impact on this team's offense.&nbsp; Setter [player_tooltip player_id='179900' first='Isabella' last='Orton'] is a sniper with the ball in her hands and understands spread principles with the offense.&nbsp; With the new additions this season, look for some new wrinkles in their system.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As always stay tuned for more articles on your favorite athletes.&nbsp; If you have anyone you think we should watch out for, please shoot me an email with some info at <a href="mailto:nov8vb@yahoo.com">nov8vb@yahoo.com</a>.&nbsp; Also don't forget to help these kids get more exposure by sharing our stories with your friends.&nbsp; Help us help them by simply retweeting on Twitter or sharing on Facebook.&nbsp; Thanks for following us, Prep Dig Family!&nbsp; Don't be afraid to interact with us.&nbsp; We love the likes, shares, and quotes/comments.&nbsp; Keep them coming!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->