Freshman Showcase Player Impressions, Part 1

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 2025 Michigan Freshman Showcase was a great success, with many 2029 prospects giving their all as a first look at the incoming high school talent.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There's a lot of players to break down over the next handful of days. Let's get started with Part 1.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='758615' first='Ava' last='Zokle'], DS/L Magnificat/Spirit</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This Ohio prospect looked solid in a talented group of defenders. She's clearly got a lot of athleticism to work with and her delivery on her passing and serve receive is already at a high level. She looks primed to be an impact player in the years to come.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='757121' first='Stella' last='Smith'], DS/L Clarkston/Legacy</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Smith has already built a reputation for herself with her high level of play at the national level during club season. She didn't disappoint in this Showcase, proving she's capable of being a very special player. She's well-coached, technically sound, and plays with loads of heart and intensity. She put together a great highlight reel throughout the day.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='770747' first='Campbell' last='Bordogna'], OH Notre Dame Prep/Legacy</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Listed at 5'9”, Bordogna looked to play much longer than that. She had a real presence at the net, forcing opposing hitters to have to adjust to her blocking, while also being able to redirect shots on offense by anticipating blockers herself. There's a lot for this young hitter to build on.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='775516' first='Elizabeth' last='Burke'], DS/L SCA/Michigan Elite</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Burke did a good job of being a leader on the floor, taking control and command of her teammates while in the back row. She was very vocal, not only in her communication on the floor, but support for her fellow prospects. Burke's form and execution were solid as well. She was among the top defenders at the event.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='775900' first='Suri' last='Ewing'], MB Bloomfield Hills/Team Detroit</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ewing is a prospect that looks like she has a lot of potential and a high ceiling. At 6'0”, Ewing makes her power swings look rather effortless. She can explode off the floor and be a major factor on offense and defense. If she can continue to improve and find a high level of consistency, Ewing will be a big name in the class.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='775991' first='Sydney' last='Manning'], OH BC Lakeview/FaR Out</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Manning was one of the highlight hitters of the event. She repeatedly put together beautiful attacks where she came down hard over the ball and gave defenders no chance to react. She covers a lot of space on her approach and showcases a tremendous follow-through. Manning looks like she's ready to shine at the high school level right away.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='776050' first='Chloe' last='Sutherby'], S WL Northern/Michigan Elite</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sutherby should be encouraged by her performance. She did a great job of taking instruction from the coaches and quickly applying it. She communicated well with her hitters and made quick adjustments to all the various arms she worked with. One of her highlights was the high level of feeds she made to the right side.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Taylor Rivers, OH Marian/Michigan Elite</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rivers was very consistent with her power throughout the showcase. Her swing looked as crisp in the early stages as it did at the end, never showing any kind of fatigue. Rivers mixed up her timing to show different attack angles, but every swing challenges defenders.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='776427' first='Natalia' last='Zywicki'], OH Marian/Michigan Elite</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Zywicki was a prospect that really came to play on Sunday. You could tell she wanted it more than most. She was first to the court for each drill, called for the ball, and played with a lot of competitive fire. Zywikick is listed at just 5'7”, but was playing well above the net with great lift on the floor and an aggressive swing.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='812023' first='Brynn' last='Johnson'], OH Marshall/FaR Out</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Johnson was another standout from the event, as the nearly 6-foot outside was always catching eyes. She has an athletic approach to the net and can hang in the air for seconds, allowing her to really unload on the ball when she times it out. Johnson not only had the power and speed, but she played aggressive lines that not many hitters wanted to push.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->