2027 Player Evaluations From Top 250 Expo: Part 5

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Class of 2027 was heavily represented at the Michigan Top 250 Expo this past Sunday in Pontiac.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>About half of the total participants came from this class.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here's a look at the fifth part of our 2027 prospect evaluations.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Sasha Shepherd, DS/L Bloomfield Hills/High Performance</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Shepherd was someone that had some tough moments during drills and looked a little unfocused, however she really picked up her play when she got in game settings. Shepherd was definitely locked in at that point and showcased the ability to cover a lot of ground and make great digs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='490045' first='Lillian' last='Spadafore'], S Marysville/High Performance</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Spadafore is a 5'11” setter that has a high ceiling. She looked a little hesitant at times, but got into a nice flow as the Expo progressed. I liked her decision making and her ability to mix up the quick strikes with nice lofty sets. As she continues to gain confidence and experience, Spadafore should be a big asset for her teams.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Brooklyn Cadreau, OH Marysville/Crank It</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cadreau took some time to get a good feel for the different setters, but once she settled in, she produced some really solid swings. She has the ability to go offspeed and make some tricky plays, which she exhibited well. Cadreau needs to trust in her instincts and just keep fine-tuning her swing and defensive play.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Lana Berger, DS/L Marysville/T27</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Berger was a consistent performer in the back row. She did get caught a little flat-footed at times, but then she felt out the growing speed of play and adapted. She showed the ability to play instinctively, which will bode well for her going forward. When she played loose, she made a lot of tough plays.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='512395' first='Olivia' last='Strehl'], OH TC Christian/Northshore</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Strehl looks like a young attacker that will be a big factor in Northern Michigan. Strehl had some delay in her swing at times as she made quick adjustments to the various setters she worked with, and it paid off with being able to place the ball in a lot of different spots. Strehl can also dial up a mean fastball when she's ready.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Talbot Pafford, MH Troy/High Performance</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Pafford doesn't have the same length as other middles, at 5'9”, but she didn't back down from the challenge. She was consistent at putting the ball in good locations and not being overly aggressive when she didn't need to be. With that said. I think Pafford still has another gear she can hit to help set herself apart from others.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='523863' first='Willow' last='Mason'], MH Heritage/Michigan Elite</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mason was one of the top performers of the entire Expo, as her leaping ability was something you couldn't ignore. She played well above the net and came down with powerful swings time after time. Her explosiveness looked very natural for, and her game should only get stronger as her timing continues to improve.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Lucille Goss, OH Rochester Adams/High Performance</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Goss had solid and consistent power in her attacks. She got a nice pop off the ball and her swing looked like it mirrored itself time after time. Goss also put in a lot of effort defensively, doing her part to keep the ball in play and give her setters a chance to succeed.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='487784' first='Jillian' last='Jackson'], RS OLSM/Dynamite</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jackson can generate a lot of power with a short and compact swing. It's a very sudden swing, so it can confuse blockers and defenders, but also allows Jackson to be coy about her placement and speed. She is definitely a solid hitter that can be a good chance-of-pace option on the floor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Teagan Abraham, OH Birch Run/Arsenal</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Abraham has a good skillset to be a six-rotation outside option, but sometimes she was rushing her swing or her movements. When she settled herself and let the plays come to her, you saw a lot more polished and consistent play. She makes a lot of good choices, so Abraham just needs to trust in her ability to make a play.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->