Sophomores Have Clay Center Built For Now And The Future

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A two-plus hour drive to watch a couple of volleyball matches on a day when there were tournaments all over the state, for even me is a little daffy.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>However, I promised a high school team I would see them play one more time in the regular season and there were two schools I had not seen that I wanted to scout badly.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>So I made it to Concordia and back safe and sound after watching two impressive displays by state-contending powers.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here is the second of three reports from the two matches I scouted at the Concordia Invitational on October 5.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I scouted two matches in Pool B play at Concordia's Elementary School gym.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here is a look at four prospects from Clay Center's two-set win over Southeast Saline.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This was the first time seeing Clay Center this season a team that entered the tournament with a record of 18-2 and currently projected to be the No. 1 seed in the Class 4A Western Sub-State.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='483890' first='Lily' last='Edwards']</strong>, 5'10”, MB'OH, Clay Center, ‘27</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Clay Center is a team loaded with young that built to win now and in the future. The Tigers Class of 2027 is armed and dangerous. The first impressive sophomore was Edwards, currently ranked No. 5 overall by Prep Dig Kansas. She has a big swing and is super flexible for her size. She filled her stat sheet with seven kills, eight digs, and seven serve receptions. She has some extra-funky sauce on her serve. She has a high ceiling and a bright future.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='483905' first='Raimee' last='Lipker']</strong>, 5'10”, OH, Clay Center, ‘27</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lipker is currently ranked No. 39 overall in the Kansas Class of 2027. She caught me by surprise in this match. She was ranked high based on her numbers, but she moved like a gazelle with the intensity of a rhino. She loaded up her stats against Southeast with eight kills, six digs, and 14 serve receptions. She communicates well on the court and covers a ton of ground.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='524703' first='Addy' last='Pladson']</strong>, 5'7”, OH, Clay Center, ‘27</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Pladson is currently ranked No. 64 overall by Prep Dig.  She can hit, but her defense and quickness caught my eye. This entire team plays solid defense making them a serious state contender despite their youth. Pladson finished the match with seven kills, four digs, and eight serve receptions. Her serve is not as funky as Edwards', but it gets on defenders quickly and is difficult to receive. She tallied three aces in the Tigers' victory.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='520303' first='Ayla' last='Johnson']</strong>, 5'8”, MB, Clay Center, ‘25</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This team does have upperclassmen on it and Johnson is the veteran leader. She is currently ranked No. 84 overall in the Kansas Class of 2025. She is a physical athlete with treetrunk legs. She can get up and put the ball down. She recorded five kills in the win. She is a senior wanting to play college ball and would look good in a Jayhawk Conference or KCAC uniform.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->