Fantastic Freshmen: Class Of 2028 Prospects Off To Hot Starts

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I am always looking for talent and the Class of 2028 in Kansas will be an uber-talented one by the time they reach high school graduation.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I have found it surprising the number of freshmen having an impact on varsity squads at big schools this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Young talent like this is evidence of solid coaching at youth and club leagues in Kansas.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here is a report on five freshman athletes who have shown off their skills early this prep season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='586613' first='Ellie' last='Bain']</strong>, 5'7”, S, Mill Valley, ‘28</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Baine is currently unranked as I did not see her play last club season, but she will be added to the rankings when they are updated. She is a talented and versatile freshman. She played setter and outside hitter in a match against Shawnee Mission North. She finished with two assists, two digs, and one kill in the victory over the Bison. I predict she will debut in the Top 20 in the class of 2028. I will watch her numbers closely as she battles with Hayden's Blakley Walter for the top-ranked setter position. She will play behind the No. 1 ranked class of 2026 Kansas setter [player_tooltip player_id='154038' first='Ella' last='Florez'], Walter should be the starter at setter all season for the Hayden Wildcats.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='518977' first='Landry' last='Litton']</strong>, 5'9”, OH, Beloit, ‘28</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Litton is currently ranked No. 4 overall in the Kansas Class of 2028. I saw her play multiple times over the summer and watched Beloit's win in Ellinwood on September 5. She is a very poised player who gets to be a role player on an experienced and veteran Trojan team. What has impressed me the most about her is how she shows up in clutch situations to extend or finish long rallies. In her first 14 varsity sets, she has tallied 21 digs, 12 kills, 51 serve receptions, three blocks, and nine aces.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='623131' first='Mikala' last='Minton']</strong>, 5'7”, OH/S, Great Bend, ‘28</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Minton is a prospect I watched practice this month for the Great Bend Panthers. She is an elite jumper and has a bright future. She can set, but it might be only for a club team as she is currently behind [player_tooltip player_id='434374' first='Kya' last='Behr'] on the Panthers' roster. Behr is the No. 1 ranked setter in the Kansas Class of 2027. Minton has a nice swing and hit the ball hard during the practice. Through her first five varsity sets, he has collected 12 kills and 20 kills. She was not among the original 80 Kansas athletes ranked in the class of 2028, but look for her to debut in the top half of the class during the next round of updates. She has solid hitters to learn from in Great Bend and I expect her skills to continue to grow and evolve.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='529977' first='Sophia' last='Sturdy']</strong>, 5'7”, OH, Mill Valley, ‘28</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I scouted Mill Valley on September 10 and was impressed with Sturdy's athleticism. She can elevate and can get above the net. Her teammates were teasing her and me before the match stating she could touch 10-1. I don't think she can get quite that high yet, but it's not out of the realm of possibility. (I just really wanted to use the word realm). She is currently ranked No. 55 overall in the class of 2028 Prep Dig rankings. She finished with three kills, one dig, and two aces in a match against Shawnee Mission North. Both Sturdy and Bain play for Adidas [program_tooltip program_id='428889' first='Dynasty' last=''] during the club season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='629180' first='Sloan' last='Gordon']</strong>, 5'8”, OH, Shawne Mission North, ‘28</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A young freshman I saw play in person was North's Gordon. She and her teammates were overmatched by the defending Class 6A State Champion Mill Valley Jaguars, but she held her own and her skills are noticeable. She had eight serve receptions and two digs in the loss to Mill Valley. I liked her quickness and grittiness. Starting on a struggling team as a freshman she will take some lumps, but she has the opportunity to be a four-year varsity starter with a ton of experience.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->