Saints Keep Marching On Despite Missing Parts

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I scouted the 15U Power League on March 8 at the Davies Volleyball Complex in Kansas City, Kansas.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The first match I watched was a sluggish three-set victory by the Topeka Saints 15-1 team over [program_tooltip program_id='428892' first='PVA' last=''] 15-2.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Both teams got off to slow starts in the early morning match.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Saints were without two top athletes competing in the Class 4A Girls Basketball Sub-State final today.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here is a look at a group of athletes who stepped up for the Saints in the win over [program_tooltip program_id='428892' first='PVA' last=''].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["513601"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67cc992f2d6a7"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Miller had an outstanding performance for the Saints. She was one of the athletes slow out of the gate for the Saints. She played last night in Royal Valley's sub-state basketball loss to Osage City. She led the Saints in kills with 10. She had a couple of key late digs against [program_tooltip program_id='428892' first='PVA' last='']. She can play six rotations and is a dangerous forward on the Panthes' basketball team.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["755306"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67cc992f2d709"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Anderson had a solid match. She is playing up during club season. The Class of 2029 prospect will be among the ranked athletes when the initial Class of 2029 rankings are released. She saw more reps at setter, as the Saints No. 1 setter missed the tournament. I watched her hit during warmups, and she has some serious ups. She finished the match with 19 assists and three blocks.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["516246"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67cc992f2d74d"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Cook is one of multiple dangerous front-row attackers on the Saints roster. She recorded eight kills and three blocks. She has a big reach and is a physical prospect. She played front row only in this match, but she is not going to hurt a team if she needs to play back row. Her timing was a little off early in the match, but the same can be said about the whole group in the first set.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["530004"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67cc992f2d78d"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Coons had a solid defensive performance for the Saints. She wore the libero jersey during the match against [program_tooltip program_id='428892' first='PVA' last=''] and was all over the court. She registered 16 digs and eight serve receptions. She has a better serve than I remember seeing her have. She finished with three aces in the win and was serving accurate to called zones.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["503697"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67cc992f2d7cb"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Dean is a versatile athlete whose role on her club team is quite different than her role for the Jeff West Tigers. She is relied on to be more of an attacker for her high school squad, whereas for the Saints, she is more of a back-row leader. She finished with four digs and four serve receptions. Her versatility, jumping ability, and leadership skills are what will separate her from some of the Kansas Class of 2028 pack.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["569672"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67cc992f2d807"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Kilgore is one of the athletes who played more of an important role in the match with one of the Saints' top hitters missing. She played mostly front row and finished with four kills and four blocks. She is long and quick, I would like to see her work on her upper-body strength. She is a sponge whose skills will improve by just playing and practicing with elite talent on both her club and high school teams.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->