Underclassmen Standouts At D2 Finals

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In this past weekend's Division 2 finals, there were a lot of talented underclassmen that stepped up for their respective teams.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>That includes the state champions, Detroit Country Day, which had a lot of freshmen and sophomore contributors.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here's a look at the underclassmen that made an impact in the D2 semifinals and finals.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='574175' first='Payton' last='Woodruff'], Fr. S Country Day</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:image {"id":724172,"width":"274px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","align":"right"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/D2-Final-18.jpg?w=850" alt="" class="wp-image-724172" style="width:274px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='574175' first='Payton' last='Woodruff']</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>You could argue that there wasn't a better player in D2 all weekend than the freshman setter. She certainly had great hitters to work with, but she also made outstanding sets in each match. In the semifinal, Woodruff had 50 assists with six digs. She followed that up with 47 assists and four digs in the championship. In both matches, DCD hit close to .300 or better as a team. Woodruff looks like one of the gems of the Class of 2028.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='458372' first='Jeana' last='Lenhard'], So. OH Garber</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lenhard had made quite a name for herself entering finals weekend and she didn't disappoint in her performance. The 6-foot sophomore hitter had 26 kills and 10 digs in the semifinal loss to Tecumseh. While the Indians put their focus on slowing her down, Lenhard proved she could still be a major force.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='493481' first='Camille' last='Robinson'], So. OH Harper Creek</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Robinson made a statement in her semifinal match with Country Day, as she delivered some powerful attacks. Robinson played with a lot of intensity and brought the hammer on multiple occasions, picking up 15 kills with six digs and a solo block. Next fall, Robinson is likely to be the primary offensive focus for the Beavers.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='450415' first='Leah' last='Green'], So. MH Country Day</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Green is an imposing middle with a long reach that can disrupt a lot of swings. In the semifinal matchup, she tallied six kills, three digs and four assisted blocks. In the final, she picked up a kill with a dig and three more assisted blocks. As Green continues to improve her instincts, she's likely to become a middle that can take over a match.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='442977' first='Demi' last='McCoy'], So. OH Country Day</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>McCoy brought a lot of swagger and energy to the court for Country Day. We've seen she's an explosive hitter but more opportunities should come in the year's ahead. This past weekend McCoy had five kills and three digs in the finals, along with three kills and 15 digs in the semifinal.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Sici Guerrant, Fr. RS Country Day</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Guerrant didn't have big numbers, but she came through with some really timely plays throughout the week, including in the quarterfinal win over North Branch. When it came to Battle Creek, the freshman had six kills in the semifinal and three kills in the championship. She hit over .350 in both instances.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Evie Engelhardt, Fr. MH Garber</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A near 6-foot freshman middle, Engelhardt hit .333 in the semifinal with Tecumseh, racking up three kills and three digs, as well as a solo block. Engelhardt should become a big factor for Garber in her sophomore season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Aliyah Potapenko, So. MH Country Day</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another young talent for Country Day, this 6'3” middle is a regular part of the rotation for the Jackets. She had a pair of kills and a solo block in the win against Harper Creek. She added a dig in the final while appearing in all three sets.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Jessa Akers, So. RS Harper Creek</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Akers had a little defensive support for Harper Creek in the semifinal with Country Day. She had three digs but didn't take any swings. Still, the Beavers put trust in her to take on serves in a key match, so she's likely got a larger role in store for 2025.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->