New Series: Southern Kansas Stars

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I love a good rivalry!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For the next three days, I will be watching one of the greatest sports rivalries up close and personal.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I'm in St. Louis for three Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals games.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Some people in Prep Dig Nation might not know that I used to be a history teacher. History, geography, and sports have always been my jam. My sports loyalties wander at times, but if someone asked me what's your favorite sports team, the answer will always be the Chicago Cubs,</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I'm always pondering new ways to organize scouting reports, some are by position, some by class, others by size of school, and you guessed, yes, by geographical location.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I was born in 1977, and ever since I can remember, there has been a rivalry between Eastern and Western Kansas. I have featured reports "Best In The West" and "Beasts In the East," but now I am drawing different lines.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Inspired by a recent rash of Civil War era books that I have been devouring, I decided to split the Jayhawk State in half from North to South.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For this purpose, let's use Highway 56 as the "Mason-Dixon Line."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here is the second of two reports today, this one featuring athletes from Southern Kansas.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I live in Topeka, so I don't see as many athletes in the southern part of the state, but I do anticipate heading south at least once in September and October to catch a couple of matches.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>High school coaches can feel free to email their varsity schedules to deckscoutks@gmail.com if they would like me to come scout matches. Last year, I made it to matches at Kapuan Mt. Carmel and Maize.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["446364"],"_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-6859a7862a5ec"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Engel will be looking to defend a state championship in her senior season. Halstead won the Class 3A state title and will look to make a return trip to Hutchinson to defend it this fall. Engel finished her junior season with 393 kills in 94 sets and will also be looking forward to reaching the 1,000-career kill plateau for the Dragons. Engel is ranked No. 25 overall in the Kansas Class of 2026.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["488586"],"_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-6859a7862a641"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Hendrick is ranked No. 71 overall in the Kansas Class of 2027. She is a back-row only prospect for the Panthers. She finished her sophomore season with 205 serve receptions and 130 digs. She also has an accurate serve that stays in play. She recorded 15 aces last season for Derby. She has participated in Prep Dig Showcases and played club ball with the [program_tooltip program_id='515463' first='Air' last='Capital Aces'] this past season. She plays a poised game and does not get rattled easily.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["714529"],"_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-6859a7862a689"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">I had to pull out a map to double-check which was furthest south Derby or Garden City. It's Derby, but Garden City is furthest southwestern location in this report, so Vollertsen should win some type of prize. She is ranked No. 15 overall in the Kansas Class of 2028. She posted an impressive total of 201 kills during her freshman campaign. She is long and has a smooth approach. Schools out in Western Kansas better not sleep on this prospect.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["753174"],"_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-6859a7862a6cd"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Maize South is one of the outstanding volleyball programs in the Southern Portion of Kansas. The Mavericks have an incoming freshman who could do big things for the program. Hargrove debuted in the Kansas Class of 2029 rankings in the No. 9 position. I saw her compete at the Keeper of the Plains club tournament in Wichita. She has solid defensive and hitting skills, which could lead her to be a six-rotation stalwart down the road for the Mavs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->