Hayden And Lansing Are Programs Blessed With Young Talent

On June 10, I scouted multiple players competing in a summer tournament in Lansing.   The one aspect of summer and club ball I enjoy is the opportunity to scout younger players. There is some special young talent on the horizon in Kansas and plenty of it was on display at Lansing High School.   Here is the second report from today's action. This report focuses on athletes from the class of 2027 and 2028 who caught my attention.   [player_tooltip player_id='456247' first='Halle' last='Laincz'], 5'11”, RS, Lansing, ‘27   Laincz is an athlete I saw play multiple times last season. She is currently ranked No. 6 overall in the Kansas Class of 2027. I am not sure if it was because it was summer action or too early in the morning, but Laincz did not have one of the best performances I have seen from her. She has the natural skills and frame to always be in beast mode. However, she seemed less than 100 percent focused in the match I watched. I love her game and have seen her enough to give her a pass for one less-than-stellar match.   [player_tooltip player_id='529956' first='Samantha' last='Gray'], 5'5”, DS/L, Lansing, ‘27   Gray on the other hand continues to improve each time I see her play. The Lansing libero is ranked No. 89 overall by Prep Dig Kansas. She moved well in a match against Hayden. She made consistent first passes and has improved her serve. She comes from an athletic Southeast Kansas family, so she has that going for her.   [player_tooltip player_id='550428' first='Addison' last='King'], 5'7”, DS/L, De Soto, ‘27   King was a prospect I was not familiar with heading into the event. The Wildcat prospect is currently unranked, but look for her to be added during the summer update. She was playing with wide-open cylinders in a match against Mill Valley. She made multiple solid digs and communicated well with her teammates.   Shelby Hinkle, 5'10”, OH, Basehor-Linwood, ‘27   Hinkle was an athlete I was unfamiliar with heading into the competition. She has a long frame and moves well for her size. The Bobcats lost three seniors from last season's squad and have a new coaching staff. Hinkle and other young prospects could and should have the chance to gain varsity experience quickly in 2024. She is an unranked talent who could make her Prep Dig rankings debut this summer.   [player_tooltip player_id='513606' first='Hailey' last='Schmidtlein'], 6'0”, MB, Hayden, ‘28   Schmidtlein is currently ranked No. 1 overall in the “very, very” early 2028 Prep Dig Kansa rankings, but it will take a special athlete to knock her out of that spot. She has a physical game for a young hitter and great chemistry with the Hayden setter. The two of them play on the same club team and it shows. She had multiple kills against Lansing in the Wildcats' first match. She is an explosive jumper with a tough-to-dig attack.   [player_tooltip player_id='513600' first='Blakely' last='Walter'], 5'6”, S, Hayden, ‘28   There are not enough adjectives in the dictionary to describe the energy that Walter plays with. She is currently ranked No. 3 overall in the class of 2028. While scouting her, another head high school coach gave me that OMG look when I told her Walter was just a freshman. The coaching staff and athletic director at Hayden will want to keep a close tally on her assist totals and Schmidtlein's kill totals as they could break all kinds of records at Hayden together. The big question mark for Walter is when and what sport she truly dedicates herself to down the road. She plays volleyball, softball, and basketball during the high school and club seasons. I am not sure if the young lady ever sleeps or reads! Live it up while you can!   [player_tooltip player_id='512227' first='Lilianah' last='Jackson'], 5'11”, MB, Lansing, ‘28   Jackson is ranked No. 5 overall in the class of 2028. She has a big reach and a nice serve with slick diving action on it. She is super young but could get an early opportunity to show off her skills at Lansing with a new coaching staff heading into the 2024 season. She has poise in her game that you don't often see at that age, but she has a ton of club experience and comes from a volleyball family.   [player_tooltip player_id='518358' first='Brooklyn' last='Andrews'], 5'7”, S/OH, Lansing, ‘28   Andrews was the biggest surprise of the day from the underclass ranks. Although she is currently unranked by Prep Dig, I saw enough of her game to consider adding her during the summer updates. Andrews is a powerful setter who can also hit. She has the talent to be utilized as a six-rotation athlete and the versatility to function in multiple positions.

On June 10, I scouted multiple players competing in a summer tournament in Lansing.