Lone Star Classic NQ Day Two Recap

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the hardest National Qualifiers of the year is in full swing in Dallas, TX this weekend.&nbsp; Being held at the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center in downtown Dallas, this qualifier brings the best teams from all over the nation under one roof toward the end of the season.&nbsp; I was able to check out some matches in person today and here are a few individual performances that stood out to me.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[program_tooltip program_id='431200' first='Madfrog' last=''] 16 National Green versus [program_tooltip program_id='462263' first='TAV' last='Houston'] 16 Adidas was a slugfest to say the least.&nbsp; It took three hard fought grueling sets in order to crown a winner.&nbsp; [program_tooltip program_id='431200' first='Madfrog' last=''] came out as a victor but both teams had some serious playmakers in action.&nbsp; For [program_tooltip program_id='431200' first='Madfrog' last=''], [player_tooltip player_id='534326' first='Isabella' last='Howard'] dropped some bombs during crucial moments that helped her squad gain some momentum.&nbsp; She hit both slides and fifty one's that ended some long rallies and felt like they were worth more than one point each when they landed.&nbsp; For [program_tooltip program_id='462263' first='TAV' last='Houston'], [player_tooltip player_id='544624' first='Adrienne' last='Deleon'] and [player_tooltip player_id='534410' first='Sasha' last='Keys'] were moving the ball around extremely well from pin to pin.&nbsp; I loved when Adrienne was showing how she is able to push the ball perfectly to the left side pin when the ball was way out of system.&nbsp; Right side Talia Nelson looked like there were three of her at the net while she was blocking.&nbsp; She had a field day at the net and provided a wall as she shut down hitter after hitter.&nbsp; [player_tooltip player_id='502107' first='Camille' last='Csernik'] also had a great match for TAV by swinging hard on the left side.&nbsp; She is definitely making a name for herself with what I saw.&nbsp; Ultimately [program_tooltip program_id='431200' first='Madfrog' last=''] played some exceptional defense and served tough to get them the win in three sets.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='534412' first='Kharley' last='Smith'] from Dallas Skyline 16 Royal Whit showed up and showed out on championship court today.&nbsp; When I watched her squad take on TAV 16 Black, she proved just how athletic and strong she was in both blocking and attacking.&nbsp; She was super explosive off of the ground and had some electric swings to end a few rallies.&nbsp; While she may not be as tall as some of the other players, she certainly is able to play at the same level as them above the net.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='534389' first='Braelyn' last='Patton'] might be one of the best diamonds in the rough we have seen this season.&nbsp; So glad that her team is playing in the Open division at this tourney so it could showcase just how good she is to college coaches.&nbsp; The six foot three middle from North Forney High School needs to be on tons of schools short list of middles to watch in the 2027 class.&nbsp; Her lateral foot speed, quickness in transition and powerful arm swing with quick attacks will garner a lot of interest.&nbsp; I am screaming this, “GIVE THIS KID A LOOK NOW!”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The duo of pin attackers [player_tooltip player_id='503707' first='Gaby' last='Wenger'] and [player_tooltip player_id='709707' first='Joelle' last='Kelly'] are dangerous together.&nbsp; Just when one is done giving you the business when she has her turn in the front row, here comes the other one to continue the pounding.&nbsp; Both young ladies are deadly in the air and it was fun to watch them play at a high level today.&nbsp; They are both on my radar for the next State Rankings update.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='494031' first='Brystel' last='Wise'] was super athletic as she moved around the court and throttled the ball for Waco VBC 16 UA Black.&nbsp; She is a stud attacker and very electric while in the air.&nbsp; Her teammate [player_tooltip player_id='484374' first='Anna' last='McPherson'] proved to be a game changer as a blocker in the match I watched.&nbsp; She wastes no time in providing some huge momentum shifts with the way she is able to shut down would-be point scorers from the opposition.&nbsp; Her power is immense and she deserves some looks by college coaches for sure.&nbsp; I think it may just be time for her to be added to the State Rankings soon.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='518965' first='Sophee' last='Peterson'] just keeps proving that she is one of the best players in the entire nation.&nbsp; As I watched her run a 5-1 today against some of the best teams in the nation, she left me in awe of how high her volleyball IQ is.&nbsp; She is making a strong case for the number one spot.&nbsp; Stay tuned to see!&nbsp; In the meantime, if anyone wants to watch her dominate on the court, stop by her court and grab some popcorn.&nbsp; It will be a great show.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='528761' first='Taylor' last='Toomay'] and Landry McRae are beasts for their Excel 15 National Red squad.&nbsp; While I was watching them ball out, I was wowed by the impressive vertical and raw natural power of undersized outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='783413' first='Madison' last='Medina']. This young lady has a booming and thunderous attack that does not go unnoticed.&nbsp; If you don't see her hit, you will for sure hear the sonic boom that comes from the contact.&nbsp; Everything about her game screams the word Power!&nbsp; I loved what I saw from her today.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There are many more amazing teams and players that will be written about.&nbsp; Stay tuned for more articles on your favorite athletes.&nbsp; If you have anyone you think we should watch out for, please shoot me an email with some info at <a href="mailto:Michael@prepdig.com">Michael@prepdig.com</a>.&nbsp; You can also DM me on Instagram or X by searching @CoachMikeDZ.&nbsp; Also don't forget to help these kids get more exposure by sharing our stories with your friends.&nbsp; Help us help them by simply reposting on X, Instagram or sharing on Facebook.&nbsp; Thanks for following Prep Dig Family!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->