The Week Ahead: September 23-29

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another week, another road map. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This will be my last full week of scouting on the road until the State Tournaments. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I will be making my old "Cap-Journal Tour." When I worked for the newspaper from 2010-2016, I was the only stringer with reliable transportation, so I got sent to Emporia and Junction City regularly to cover the Centennial League Action. I can't wait to make the 45-minute drive west to be followed by the 40-minute drive south.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>On Tuesday, September 23, I plan on scouting Great Bend at Junction City.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>On Thursday, September 25, the plan is to scout Hays at Emporia.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Then I will watch two early matches at Seaman's annual tournament.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>My plans are always tentative and subject to change. The Seaman tournament has a flexible court schedule, so it can be difficult to determine which match I will see after the first three are completed.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here is a look at ranked players I hope to see compete this week.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["434374"],"_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-68cefbaf53bad"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">I am headed to Junction City to watch Behr and the Panthers play in their furthest eastern road trip of the season. Behr is one of the top setters in the state and has recorded 219 assists through 24 sets played. She is coming off a sophomore season with 800-plus assists and has over 1,600-career assists with a season and a half still to play. She appears not to be getting as many chances to hit this season, as she has just 36 kills in 24 sets. Last year, she finished with 211 kills. She is surrounded by a deep and talented Panthers' roster. She is ranked No. 8 overall in the Kansas Class of 2027 and is verbally committed to Washburn University.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["222091"],"_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-68cefbaf53c0b"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Saturday's tournament will be the last chance I get to see the Lions' Sands play, and that is a tough pill to swallow. I feel like I have watched Sands grow up over the past three years as an athlete and a young adult. She has played more roles for Lansing than Meryl Streep has in her entire acting career. According to the team's stats on MaxPreps, she leads the team in kills and digs, but only seven sets' worth of stats have been published. Sands is playing for her third head coach in three seasons, but always takes the court with a smile and is prepared to play six rotations. She is ranked No. 9 overall by Prep Dig Kansas and is verbally committed to Missouri State University after graduation. I plan on watching Lansing's tournament opening match against Spring Hill.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["478871"],"_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-68cefbaf53c54"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Bishop Miege's Dean is a talented athlete ranked No. 28 overall in the Kansas Class of 2028. In eleven sets played this season, she has recorded 69 assists and 23 digs. The Stags will be playing in Pool A and open their morning against Hayden. If I see the Stags play, it will be in their second match of the day against Spring Hill.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["480404"],"_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-68cefbaf53c99"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">The Bishop Carroll Golden Eagles and Maize South Mavericks will be the final two teams to take the court in Pool B play. They will compete against each other in the first match, which will begin when the first 8:30 a.m. match concludes. DeGroot leads the team with 115 kills in 33 sets played. She is ranked No. 32 overall in the Kansas Class of 2027. Seaman and Lee's Summitt (MO) are the other two teams in Pool B. Those two teams will face each other at 8:30. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->