5 Players We’re Thankful for this Thanksgiving: Part 2

[player_tooltip player_id='807881' first='Brooklyn' last='Shope']   After being a solid contributor last season, Shope really came into her own this year for Charles Page High School.  She is one of the most reliable contributors you'll find at this level- you always know what you're going to get from her.  Brooklyn really doesn't have a weakness- contributing for the Sandites as a pin hitter, reliable passer in serve receive, as well as a quality defender and server.  She rarely left the court for Sand Springs, who ultimately fell in the Regional Finals to Edmond North. It was this versatility that earned her a spot on the Large East All-State team- something that has eluded the Sandites in recent years.     [player_tooltip player_id='285744' first='Alia' last='DeBerry']   Brooklyn's counterpart at Charles Page, their other starting outside hitter, DeBerry brings many of the same skills and versatility.  The duo helped propel the Sandites to one of their most successful seasons in recent memory.   Alia has been known to run hot and cold in prior years- but this season she was much more consistent.  Her ability to swing down the line, especially off tempo, was one of the most effective attacks in Sand Spring's arsenal.  She also joined in the post season awards party- earning a spot on the very competitive Frontier Valley All-Conference Team.  Charles Page will no doubt miss this their talented senior class who included not only Alia and Brooklyn, but several other key players.     [player_tooltip player_id='810001' first='Hayden' last='Humphrey']   Hayden is a great example of how success tends to happen where talent meets opportunity.  After struggling to find a role at Booker T, Hayden transferred to Sapulpa High School where she found a home for her junior and senior seasons.  Sapulpa was a great place for Hayden to land as she settled into a starting middle blocker position right away- in an offense known for featuring a strong middle attack.  Hayden went on to lead the Chieftains in kills and blocks, both her junior and senior seasons.  Hayden was also able to extend Sapulpa's streak of consecutive years with an All-State player to 5.  Hayden will be taking her talents north next year for the Red Ravens of Coffeyville Community College.   [player_tooltip player_id='284930' first='Lilly' last='Boswell']   If you're looking for a player to elevate an entire team, look no further than Broken Arrow's senior setter [player_tooltip player_id='284930' first='Lilly' last='Boswell'].  Throughout the 6A state tournament, Boswell found ways to put her teammates in positions to score.  Following the college trend, we've seen several top teams this year (Broken Arrow, Edmond Memorial, and Booker T. Washington for example) utilizing a 5-1 offense.  Not only does this put an immense amount of pressure on the setter- but also requires the setter to contribute their own points offensively.  No one did the latter this year better than Boswell.  Her dump to the deep zone 5 corner is nearly unstoppable.  What's great about this attack is that Lilly can employ it whether she's front row or back row, and her ability to disguise the attack by keeping her head and shoulders focused towards her outside hitter keeps defenses guessing.  What really sets her apart from other top setters is her strength.  Boswell's ability to reverse the flow of the defense by pushing the ball across the court, both forward and behind her, creates a lot of single blocker opportunities for her hitters.  She fires the ball with a quick a release that makes even the toughest sets look easy.  Lilly is committed to the University of Central Oklahoma, one of the top NCAA Division II programs in the country.   Jaeli Rutledge If there was an MVP award for first round of the 6A state tournament, it would be hard to find a more deserving player than Edmond North's Jaeli Rutledge.  The talented Bixby Spartans simply had no answer for Rutledge as she found ways to score from all 3 front row positions on a variety of sets.  Never was her impact more evident than when Bixby looked poised to take control of the 3rd set, up 16-13.  Rutledge scored 4 consecutive points for the Huskies, giving them a lead that they would not relinquish, as they went on to win the set 25-22.  Rutledge showed her abilities as a complete player, as the Spartans tried to pressure her by targeting her in serve receive and on defense, but she responded with some excellent digs and as a capable passer in serve receive.  We were fortunate to be able to watch Jaeli, if only for one season, and look forward to her making big waves next year at the University of Kansas.

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