2024/25 All-State Awardees: Large East Talents

The Oklahoma Coaches Association announced All-State awardees in mid-October. As the athletes prepare for their respective club season and look forward to the All-State game in July, let's take a look at the Large East Talents for the competitive game ahead.    [player_tooltip player_id='228761' first='Alison' last='Dotolo'] is a defensive libero with serious skills. Alison is fast and made impressive saves during the State tournament this year. She will run down any and every ball to keep the play alive, making her a huge addition to the All-State roster. Alison has great footwork on serve receive, which she utilizes to make consistent in-system passes for her setters. She is skilled in angle-passing meaning even if the ball is out of reach of her mid-line, she can still angle her platform back to the setter to keep the ball right where it needs to be to run offense. Alison will make a great libero for the All-State East team!     [player_tooltip player_id='194097' first='Grace' last='Marshall'] is a powerful pin hitter who easily switches from OH to RS. She comes up with big kills on either side of the net because of her approach. She takes a slow-to-fast approach to the ball and jumps (quite high) reaching the ball at its peak. Her high reach, touch, and attack make it hard for defenders to under her swings. Grace has a wide range when it comes to where to swing, she reads the defense well and swings accordingly. Whether it be sharp cross, hard cross, line, or even short shots- she can do it all. Grace is also very good at serve-receive which is helpful when her team needs to get someone back there to help side-out. Her most deadly attack is a pass-to-attack on the outside. She comes in quick and confuses the blockers. Grace is a must-watch at the All-State game in July.     [player_tooltip player_id='212432' first='Claire' last='Hardage'] is an effective middle blocker who will bring an extra edge to the East team this year. Claire ran a quick 3 with her school team this year which was her most successful attack all year. She can swing both power and cutback on her 3 making her difficult to scout for opposing teams. She is a big presence at the net, allowing her to use the hands of her opposing blockers to hit different angles. Her height also helps her when blocking as she takes up a lot of net and presses the other team to swing right into her. Claire transitions quickly allowing her setter to have her as an option, even on passes off the net. Claire is a great MB and we can't wait to see her All-State debut!     The best way to describe [player_tooltip player_id='303529' first='Ella' last='Ramsey'] is "cool, calm, and collected". When coaches say "Make it look easy" they are referring to the style of play Ella has. She is an outside hitter who although undersized, doesn't show it. Ella's high reach and verticle help her attack at the highest point over her opposing blockers. Ella runs quick attacks which also give her an edge on blockers as they sometimes just can't make it out fast enough to catch her. Ella's most notable quality is the angle at which she attacks the ball. She can hit a variety of shots and does it deceivingly. She keeps her hips squared to the ball at all times but then uses her shoulder and wrist to move the ball where she'd like- and that is very hard for opposing defenders to read. Ella will be a top scorer at the All-State game for sure, and we cannot wait to see how she does.     [player_tooltip player_id='740700' first='Candace' last='Fuchs'] rounds out the All-State East team's outside hitters. Candace is a well-rounded 6-rotation attacker who can be put anywhere on the court and succeed. She has seen playing time on the OH, RS, and MB positions, while also being able to play DS! What can she not do? Utility player for sure. During high school ball for Broken Arrow, Candace played in the middle for a while and ran a slide attack that scored pretty much every time. Candace is a big blocker, taking up a lot of room and making her presence known. Opposing hitters tend to use offspeed over her when they see her up, knowing they can't hit around her massive block. It will be fun to see where the East team decides to put Candace for the game in July!    Stay tuned for more articles on Oklahoma's All-State Teams! If you have anyone that you think we should keep an eye out for, please e-mail me at abisnailjoy@gmail.com. To help these athletes get exposure, please repost and share this article to your social media as well as with family and friends.

The Oklahoma Coaches Association announced All-State awardees in mid-October. As the athletes prepare for their respective club season and look forward to the All-State game in July, let's take a look at the Large East Talents for the competitive game ahead.